Based on a True Story Podcast

“What letter grade would you give the movie for historical accuracy?”

This is the signature opening question, used to establish an overall accuracy baseline for the film.

“Was this main character based on a real person?”

Asked early on to determine the factual basis of the film's protagonists.

“Can you unravel the connection between [a group] and [a key location]?”

Used to get the historical background on important settings and the people in them.

“Did the real [historical figure] actually do [a specific action shown in the film]?”

This question fact-checks a specific, often humanizing or dramatic, moment for a character.

“How accurate was the film's portrayal of [a controversial figure like Bruce Lee]?”

LeFebvre uses this to investigate contentious depictions of well-known individuals.

“How common was it for actors to [make a specific career move] at that time?”

This question seeks to understand the historical context of a character's professional life.

“Was there a stigma for [TV stars moving to movies] at that time?”

Probes the professional and cultural dynamics of the era depicted in the film.

“Can you set up the basic historical facts of the expedition/event?”

The host asks this to establish a foundational understanding of the event before diving into the film's version.

“Was [a specific plot point] a movie decision or part of the real story?”

A direct way to fact-check a key narrative element from the film.

“For authors: Did you try to get the book's [spiritual or thematic] elements across to the filmmakers?”

This explores the author's involvement and intentions during the book-to-film adaptation process.

“What was the motivation for the historical figures involved?”

This question moves beyond what happened to explore the 'why' behind people's actions.

“For authors: Where did the idea for [a specific character element] come from?”

When interviewing an author, he asks about the creative origins of their story.