'WeCrashed' Takes a New Look at the WeWork Scandal — Is the Show Based on a True Story?
Published Feb. 25 2022, 10:10 a.m. ET
Starring Jared Leto, Anne Hathaway, and America Ferrera, Apple TV's WeCrashed takes a new look at the scandalous story of WeWork, a startup that started to attract increased scrutiny after filing for an IPO (initial public offering) in 2019.
At the focal point of the story are Adam Neumann, a college dropout and ambitious entrepreneur, and his wife, Rebekah. How much of WeCrashed is real? Is the drama based on a true story?
'WeCrashed,' the new show chronicling the rapid rise and demise of WeWork, was inspired by a true story.
Adam Neumann was born in Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel, on April 25, 1979. He moved to New York in 2001. According to Vanity Fair, he was intrigued by the prospect of bringing the community-oriented spirit of kibbutzim to the world of work — which manifested in entrepreneurial ventures like Green Desk and WeWork. Apple TV's WeCrashed revisits the strange story of WeWork, a startup that has been compared to a modern-day cult.
Comprised of eight episodes, Season 1 of WeCrashed captures how Adam and his long-time business partner, Miguel McKelvey, came up with the idea for a community-oriented office solutions company. It also shows how the resulting venture, WeWork, obtained unmatched popularity among workers eager to spend more time in a decidedly non-office-y environment.
WeCrashed is based on an eponymous podcast series by Wondery. The seven-episode series first premiered on Wondery on Jan 29, 2020. "The series is inspired by actual events — and the love story at the center of it all," Apple TV confirmed in a press release, via Vogue.
The first trailer for Season 1 of 'WeCrashed' arrived in January 2022.
Apple TV put in a series order for WeCrashed in January 2021, according to Deadline. WeCrashed was written and created by Lee Eisenberg and Drew Crevello. The executive producers include Jared Leto, Anne Hathaway, and John Requa. Other stars appearing on the show include O-T Fagbenle, Kyle Marvin, Robert Emmet Lunney, and Steven Boyer.
Like Hulu's Pam & Tommy and Netflix's Inventing Anna, WeCrashed takes a public backlash triggered by financial misdealings as its starting point. WeCrashed follows in the footsteps WeWork: Or the Making and Breaking of a $47 Billion Unicorn, a documentary which premiered on Hulu in 2021.
Where are Adam Neumann and his wife, Rebekah, now?
Adam left WeWork in the fall of 2019 after the IPO drew more attention to the lack of transparency and accountability surrounding WeWork's internal dealings. Adam appears to have continued investing in real estate since the scandal. According to Business Insider, he has stakes in an estimated 4,000 apartments. The outlet states that Adam now wants to "disrupt the rental-housing industry."
Marie Claire reports that Adam and Rebekah returned to Tel Aviv after the WeWork scandal broke out. They came back to the U.S. in May 2020.
Season 1 of WeCrashed premieres on March 18, 2022, on AppleTV.
