Helen Prejean her best-selling book, "Dead Man Walking" (1993), based on her experiences with two convicts on Death Row for whom she served as spiritual adviser before their executions. In her book, she explored the effects of the death penalty on everyone involved. The book was adapted as a 1995 film of the same name, starring Susan Sarandon and Sean Penn. It was also adapted as an opera, first produced in 2000 by the San Francisco Opera. Helen Prejean was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the daughter of Augusta Mae (née Bourg; 1911–1993), a nurse, and Louis Sebastian Prejean (1893–1974), a lawyer.
Carrie Prejean reality television show "I'm a Celebrity... Get Me out of Here!", though K2 Productions executive Keith Lewis claimed he was simply notifying Prejean of all offers for appearances. In August 2009, Prejean sued Miss California USA officials on a variety of civil grounds, including libel, slander, religious discrimination, and the unauthorized release of private medical records. K2 Productions and pageant officials filed counterclaims seeking the profits from Prejean's forthcoming book, which it claims was written in violation of the Miss California USA contract, and the return of $5,200 loaned to Prejean for breast implants. On November 3, 2009, Prejean and