The title of her 1996 book Hello, He Lied, in which she shared her experience as one of the greatest female producers in Hollywood, Lynda Obst was revealing. Almost a decade BEFORE the #metoo movement, she spoke about sexism, abuse, and sisterhood, completely pioneering and – at the time – misunderstood topics. But Linda’s courage was an example for women around the world and had a serious impact on me.

It was an American friend who recommended reading it to me when I was living in Los Angeles and we were spending a few hours in a bookstore. “This book defines essential”, she summed it up. And she was right. With that, the news of Lynda’s death on the night of October 22nd was a result of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, better known as COPD. She discovered she had this incurable and progressive condition in 2018, after years of being a heavy smoker. Since then, breathing difficulties have been declining her health until, unfortunately, her death.

The news left Hollywood in mourning, and not just women. Lynda was one of the biggest names in the industry since she started out as a producer in the 1980s, signing her first production with Flashdance and making possible the existence of several classics from Norah Ephron to Christopher Nolan.

Before it became fashionable, without limiting her projects to this concept, Lynda had a signature: her films had strong female protagonists. What always caught my attention about her work is that Lynda was generous and positive. In her 1996 biography, she did not limit herself to sharing details of terrible acts by famous people, something that she witnessed in great numbers and that would make for incredible stories. No, she focused on teaching the complex and what a producer really does, which is why my friend was spot on: to this day it is essential reading for anyone who wants to learn about the American entertainment market. And yes, long before the feminist movement took off with a new lease of life, she was already showing us how women faced a violently competitive reality controlled by men.

I identified with Lynda, who had a delightful text along the lines of her friend Norah Ephron because she was a great journalist and literal editor before she entered the world of cinema. She was firm and had an infallible nose for talent. Her last contribution was precisely to have encouraged her former intern, actor Glenn Powell, to take his first steps in his career. She adored Drew Barrymore, Sandra Bullock and other gigantic stars.

With that, I woke up saddened by an inestimable loss. Lynda was always working and would certainly give us more incredible things. I will talk more about her in other posts. And if men lied to her, Lynda Obst always told us the truth. May she rest in Power.

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