The Tortured Secret of Gatsby’s Muse
In Scott & Zelda at Home, the glamour of the Jazz Age gives way to a much darker truth: Did famed author F. Scott Fitzgerald steal his wife Zelda’s writing? A night in the couple’s home exposes this provocative question and lays bare the oppressive forces Zelda faced behind closed doors.
Inspired by true events, Scott and Zelda at Home imagines a pivotal night in the home of the Fitzgeralds after Zelda has discovered that her short story was published in the evening paper under Scott’s name. What unfolds is a harrowing portrait of a woman fighting for personal and artistic freedom against a suffocating force. Mirroring conversations still prevalent today, the audience is left to decide who they believe – her or her husband.
Set against the backdrop of one of America’s most decadent eras, Scott & Zelda at Home delves beneath the glamor of the iconic couple to expose a harrowing reality—one that, over a century later, is still tragically relevant.
Featuring an original Jazz score performed by a live Nashville jazz band, and an original song with music and lyrics by Greg Good & Vilray (Rachael & Vilray).
Director’s Vision for ‘Scott & Zelda at Home’
The legend of F. Scott Fitzgerald and his starlet wife, Zelda, is one of jazz, glamour, and a hyper-romanticized love affair. At least, that’s what I was taught when I read “The Great Gatsby” at my midwestern public school. This version of their story has been passed down for generations. A sweeping love saga of love and passion, tinged with a dash of alcoholism and a passing mention of Zelda’s struggles with mental illness.
In 2022 I was tasked with portraying the famed F. Scott Fitzgerald alongside my now-producing partner, Jenna Elise, for an acting class. I began conducting extensive research to truly discover the real people behind this myth. Underneath the glitz and romance, I was shocked to discover something far more disturbing- a darker truth that had been hiding in plain sight. Beneath their star-crossed relationship lay a cycle of abuse, control, and gaslighting.
Shocked and intrigued by these new discoveries, I embarked on writing the script for “Scott & Zelda at Home.” As the film took shape, we realized we were not just telling a historical story, we were exposing a pattern of personal and creative oppression that, sadly, still resonates today. After completing the film, the broader themes of abuse became undeniable: Scott’s manipulation, Zelda’s forced silence, and the crumbling foundation of a relationship in decay.
By recontextualizing a famed, often romanticized relationship, this film confronts the horrors of domestic abuse, alcoholism, and the suppression of artistic voices. Our hope is that “Scott & Zelda at Home” encourages viewers to recognize the subtle ways in which abusive behaviors can take root in any relationship. We hope it empowers our audience to embrace their individual voices and recognize their own worth. In the last 100 years, we have made important progress, but as is often the case, we still have a long way to go.
“The Great Gatsby” remains one of my favorite novels; knowing the truth behind its creation makes its themes of ambition, love, and destruction even more haunting.
