Controversial Russell Simmons Documentary Acquired By HBO

The controversial Russell Simmons documentary, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival last week, has been acquired by HBO.

The doc, which has been titled On The Record, centers around the allegations of rape and sexual assault several women say they suffered at the hands of Simmons. The film was slated to premiere on Apple + TV, but after Oprah Winfrey stepped away from the project, Apple always washed their hands of it.

“The fierce determination of Drew Dixon and all the women who bravely chose to share their stories in On the Record moved us profoundly,” said Sarah Aubrey, head of original content at HBO Max, in a statement per The Guardian.

Last month, Winfrey was vague about her reasons for stepping away from On The Record but says that she still believes the accounts of all of the victims.

“This is not a victory for Russell,” she said. “I unequivocally say that I did not pull out because of Russell. This is not a victory lap for him. I cannot be silenced by a Russell Simmons after all I’ve been through.”