1989: NBC Dramatizes Roe vs. Wade
In 1989, NBC presented the telefilm
Roe vs. Wade, a dramatization of the 1973 Supreme Court case that legalized abortion in the United States. Holly Hunter portrayed
Norma McCorvey (called Ellen Russell in the telefilm), the pseudonymous plaintiff in the landmark case.
Hunter won an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Special; co-star Amy Madigan — who played Roe's attorney Sarah Weddington — was also nominated in the category.
McCorvey subsequently became an advocate of the pro-life movement. In 2005, she petitioned the Supreme Court to overturn the 1973 decision. The petition was denied.