Dead Man Walking (film) Dead Man Walking (film) Dead Man Walking is a 1995 American crime drama film starring Susan Sarandon and Sean Penn, and co-produced and directed by Tim Robbins, who adapted the screenplay from the non-fiction book of the same name. Sister Helen Prejean (Sarandon) establishes a special relationship with Matthew Poncelet (Penn) – based on real-life murderers Elmo Patrick Sonnier and Robert Lee Willie – a prisoner on death row in Louisiana, acting as his spiritual adviser after carrying on correspondence with him. Matthew Poncelet has been in prison for six years, awaiting his execution after being sentenced to death for
In the Life hopefully broadening its reach. On March 3, 2013, UCLA Film & Television Archive officially became the new home for "In the Life"'s full collection. The series was regularly commentated by Harvey Fierstein from 2001 to 2004. Past hosts of the show include Kate Clinton and Katherine Linton. Guest hosts for the series have included Cherry Jones, Paris Barclay, Janeane Garofalo, Lesley Gore, Lea DeLaria, Madonna, Jade Esteban Estrada, Nathan Lane, Howard Dean, Gavin Newsom, Helen Thomas, Nancy Grace, RuPaul, Angela Lansbury, Jerry Herman, Carol Channing, Larry Kramer, Barbara Gittings, Lillian Faderman, Judy Shepard, Susan Sarandon, Billie Jean King, Lily Tomlin,