Being Mary Tyler Moore on HBO: Release date, trailer, and everything we know so far

Being Mary Tyler Moore is all set to be released on HBO on Friday, 26 May, and will be available for streaming on Max the same day as well. Helmed by James Adolphus, the documentary focuses on the titular American actress-social advocate's career which spanned sixty years and will contain never-before-seen content from Mary Tyler Moore's archive. The film will highlight her pathbreaking roles and the impact she had on the generations of women who came after her.

Being Mary Tyler Moore is produced by Ben Selkow, Lena Waithe (Emmy winner), Rishi Rajani, Debra Martin Chase (Emmy nominee), Andrew C. Coles, Laura Gardner, and Adolphus. S. Robert Levine, Michael Bernstein, Nancy Abraham, and Lisa Heller serve as executive producers.

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Being Mary Tyler Moore trailer gives us a glimpse of the powerhouse that the late media personality was

The official trailer for Being Mary Tyler Moore begins with the actress being asked by David Susskind whether the wife that she played on The Dick Van Dyke Show was an idealization of the American wife, with Susskind adding that there was no such woman, calling women "wretched nags."

Mary responds to this statement by saying that she doesn't think so and that she believes all humans have fluctuating moments, citing examples from her character Laura Petrie. The trailer then gives viewers glimpses of Mary over the years, covering both her personal and professional life.

Using archival footage (videos and photographs) and voiceovers, the documentary shows Mary's various highs and personal lows, including her son Richard's demise and her being diagnosed with diabetes. The trailer touches on an optimistic note right after, eventually circling back to the interview clipping where it began, ending with Mary Tyler Moore telling Susskind that women are human beings first, women second, wives and mothers third, and that it should be in that order.

The official synopsis of Being Mary Tyler Moore, according to HBO, reads as:

"She could turn the world on with her smile. The storied life and career of screen icon Mary Tyler Moore are explored in this documentary. With unprecedented access to her vast archive, the film chronicles a complex artist who shifted the dynamics of how women were portrayed on television and helped affect great change through her work as a global advocate for diabetes research."

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Being Mary Tyler Moore marks James Adolphus' debut as docufilm director

An Emmy Award-winning director and producer, James Adolphus is also a three-time Peabody Award recipient. Though he has helmed documentaries before, Being Mary Tyler Moore marks his debut as a docufilm director, as all of his previous documentary projects were TV series.

Speaking to AwardDaily, here's what James Adolphus had to say about the upcoming documentary:

“I was apprehensive when I joined the project in 2020 because we are in a moment in this country where there is a well-deserved and much larger spotlight on issues concerning women. Obviously, I am a cis man, but I couldn’t think of a more appropriate time to be able to tackle a lot of subjects lots of folks, including myself, continue to deal with. Where people put glass ceilings and how the American patriarchy has designs for all of us. For me, that was one of the lenses I thought I could faithfully bring to this project.”

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Produced by HBO Documentary Films, Fifth Season, Hillman Grad, The Mission Entertainment, and Good Trouble Studios, Being Mary Tyler Moore will air on HBO on Friday, May 26, and will also be available for streaming on Max subsequently.