Enlightened

Enlightened - TV Series (2011)

About Enlightened

Enlightened is an critically-acclaimed television series debuted on HBO in 2011. The show, created by Laura Dern and Mike White, delves into the life of Amy Jellicoe (played by Laura Dern), who, after a personal and professional crisis, decides to devote herself to trying to "be an agent of change" despite the often imperfect and self-centered way she goes about it. Enlightened is both darkly comic and emotionally poignant, exploring themes of depression, anxiety, the corporate world, and the struggle for personal change and enlightenment.

Making / Production

Mike White and Laura Dern served as the showrunners for Enlightened. The series was produced by HBO in collaboration with Ripcord Productions.

Actors

• Laura Dern as Amy Jellicoe - Laura gave a highly-praised performance of an executive who tries to get her personal and professional life back together after suffering a nervous breakdown.
• Luke Wilson as Levi Callow - Played brilliantly as Amy’s ex-husband dealing with his personal issues while being skeptical of Amy’s newfound ethos.
• Mike White as Tyler - Mike performed admirably portraying Tyler, a shy and quiet co-worker of Amy’s who becomes her accidental accomplice.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• Enlightened is partially based on Laura Dern's influence and experiences.
• The show's opening sequence features images from Disney's 1940 film, "Fantasia."

Awards

Laura Dern won a Golden Globe Award in 2012 for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy for her role in Enlightened.

Quotes

• "I'm speaking with an accent that is not my own." - Amy
• "Can't transform into somebody I'm not." - Levi

Music and Soundtrack

• "This Little Light of Mine" - Performed by the cast during the series finale.
• Music by Carter Burwell - Noted film composer Carter Burwell composed the original score for the series.