A Sapphic Reimagining: Gillian Anderson and Hannah Einbinder Breathe New Life into ‘Secretary’

The landscape of independent cinema is often defined by its ability to revisit and recontextualize the provocations of the past. On July 28, at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, a capacity crowd witnessed a singular intersection of cult classic nostalgia and contemporary queer artistry. Film Independent, in partnership with the global distributor MUBI, hosted a live script reading of Steven Shainberg’s 2002 masterpiece, Secretary.

The event served as a high-profile promotional bridge for the upcoming meta-erotic slasher Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma, bringing together that film’s director, Jane Schoenbrun, and its lead stars, Gillian Anderson and Hannah Einbinder. By casting Anderson and Einbinder in the roles originally made famous by James Spader and Maggie Gyllenhaal, the production transformed a landmark BDSM romance into a sapphic exploration of power, submission, and unexpected tenderness.

Main Facts: A Convergence of Indie Titans

The live read was more than a mere promotional stunt; it was a curated celebration of Erin Cressida Wilson’s Independent Spirit Award-winning screenplay. Since its release over two decades ago, Secretary has maintained a reputation as one of the most tonally complex films of its era—a "kinky rom-com" that balances the weird and the goofy with a deeply sincere romantic core.

The evening’s central attraction was the gender-swapped casting. Gillian Anderson, a performer whose career has spanned from the clinical intensity of The X-Files to the candid sexuality of Sex Education, took on the role of the domineering attorney Edward Grey. Opposite her was Hannah Einbinder, the breakout star of Hacks, who stepped into the shoes of Lee Holloway, the vulnerable yet resilient secretary navigating her way through self-harm recovery and a budding submissive awakening.

Directed and narrated by Jane Schoenbrun—the visionary filmmaker behind I Saw the TV Glow and the upcoming Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma—the reading sought to maintain the "blunt innocence" of the original text while viewing it through a modern, queer lens. The event was further legitimized by the presence of the original creators, including screenwriter Erin Cressida Wilson and cinematographer Steven Fierberg, who provided historical context before the performance began.

Chronology of the Evening: From Handcuffs to High Art

The proceedings began with a theatrical flourish. Rachel Bleemer, Director of Programming and Events at Film Independent, took the stage wearing a replica of the famous handcuff-style back brace worn by Maggie Gyllenhaal in the 2002 film. In her opening remarks, Bleemer aptly described Secretary as "every millennial’s favorite movie they first watched a little too young," a sentiment that resonated with the demographic-heavy audience in attendance.

The Pre-Show Panel

Before the script was read, Bleemer moderated a brief but insightful discussion with Wilson and Fierberg. The conversation centered on the improbable journey of Secretary from a bleak short story by Mary Gaitskill to a romantic feature film. Fierberg recalled the late 1980s and early 90s in New York, where Gaitskill’s short story was a staple of the literary scene. He noted that many had attempted to adapt it, but most scripts were "terrible" and overly cynical.

Wilson explained that her approach was to find the "romance in the taboo." She reflected on the script’s enduring appeal, attributing it to a sense of "innocence" that allowed "ordinary people" to connect with a subject matter—BDSM—that was otherwise relegated to the fringes of society or the shadows of pornography.

The Live Read Performance

Following the panel, Schoenbrun and the cast took their places. With only 20 minutes of formal rehearsal, Schoenbrun warned the audience that the performance would be "loose," suggesting that the spontaneity would only enhance the experience.

As the reading unfolded, the "looseness" manifested as a vibrant, comedic energy. While the leads anchored the emotional beats, the supporting cast injected humor into the script’s darker corners. Jack Haven, a supporting actor in Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma, drew significant laughter for his portrayal of Peter, Lee’s well-meaning but hopelessly dull boyfriend, whom Haven played as a quintessential "surfer boy" caricature.

The climax of the reading—both narratively and performatively—involved the recreation of the film’s most iconic scenes, including the "typing and spanking" sequence. Despite the lack of visual aids or costumes (beyond Einbinder’s replica black dress), the chemistry between Anderson and Einbinder reportedly "generated real heat," proving that Wilson’s dialogue remains potent even when divorced from the visual language of the original film.

Supporting Data: The Legacy of ‘Secretary’ and the Rise of Schoenbrun

To understand the weight of this event, one must look at the data surrounding the original film’s impact. Upon its 2002 release, Secretary was a critical darling, earning over $9 million at the global box office against a modest independent budget. It was a pivotal moment for Maggie Gyllenhaal, earning her a Golden Globe nomination and establishing her as a fearless lead actress.

More importantly, the film shifted the cultural conversation regarding kink. Unlike contemporary depictions that often leaned into horror or tragedy, Secretary presented a "happily ever after" for its unconventional protagonists. This legacy is what Jane Schoenbrun has frequently cited as an influence on their own work. Schoenbrun’s films often explore the "meta" and the "erotic," specifically how media consumption shapes identity and desire.

The partnership with MUBI for this event is also significant. MUBI has positioned itself as the premier home for "New Queer Cinema" and "Elevated Genre," and the release of Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma on August 7 is expected to be one of the distributor’s biggest theatrical pushes of the year. By linking the new film to the pedigree of Secretary, MUBI is effectively marketing to a cinephile audience that values both historical context and progressive reimagining.

Official Responses: Creators and Performers Speak

The evening was punctuated by candid reflections from the participants. Erin Cressida Wilson expressed a sense of wonder at seeing her work reimagined through a sapphic lens. "Audiences are much more open than I think we give them credit for," Wilson remarked. "I’m very excited to be able to experience this story as performed by two women."

Gillian Anderson, known for her poise, maintained a stern and commanding presence as Mr. Grey, a performance that many audience members noted felt like a natural extension of her authoritative roles in The Fall or The Crown. However, it was Hannah Einbinder who provided the evening’s most human moment. During a scene requiring her to act out an explicit orgasm as described in the stage directions, Einbinder broke character, doubling over in laughter.

"My parents are here, but it’s fine!" Einbinder joked to the crowd, highlighting the meta-textual nature of the event—a daughter performing a "taboo" script in front of her family, much like the character of Lee Holloway navigates her own family’s perceptions of her "odd" behavior.

Jane Schoenbrun, acting as narrator, provided the connective tissue. Their narration was described as rhythmic and atmospheric, leaning into the sensory details of Wilson’s prose. Schoenbrun’s involvement solidified the event not just as a reading, but as a directorial statement on the fluidity of desire and the timelessness of well-written characters.

Implications: A New Era of Erotic Cinema

The Secretary live read signals a broader trend in the film industry: the rehabilitation and celebration of the erotic thriller and the romantic drama. After a decade where "sex on screen" seemed to be vanishing from mainstream Hollywood, independent directors like Schoenbrun are reclaiming these narratives.

The Queer Re-Reading

By casting two women in the lead roles, the event invited the audience to consider how power dynamics change—or stay the same—when removed from a patriarchal, heteronormative framework. The "Edward Grey" character, when played by Anderson, became less about traditional masculine dominance and more about a shared, specific language of control and care. This re-reading aligns with the themes of Schoenbrun’s own filmography, which often deals with the "transness" of media and the ways we project ourselves onto the screen.

Marketing through Experience

From a business perspective, the event demonstrates the effectiveness of "experience-based marketing." In an era of streaming fatigue, MUBI and Film Independent leveraged the "live" aspect of the performance to create a viral, "you had to be there" moment. The social media traction generated by images of Gillian Anderson and Hannah Einbinder together has served as a massive organic boost for Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma ahead of its August 7 opening.

Conclusion

As the evening concluded, it was clear that the "blunt innocence" Erin Cressida Wilson spoke of remains the heart of Secretary. Whether it is 2002 or 2024, and whether the roles are played by a man and a woman or two women, the story of two "misfits" finding a unique way to love each other remains a powerful cinematic hook. With Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma on the horizon, Schoenbrun, Anderson, and Einbinder have successfully signaled that they are the new torchbearers of this provocative, deeply romantic tradition in independent film.