Zero Dark Thirty Controversy: Mark Boal, Mark Bowden This Week Interview…

Amid controversy surrounding its depiction of the CIA’s use of “enhanced interrogation techniques” during the nearly decade-long pursuit of Osama bin Laden, Mark Boal, the screenwriter of Kathryn Bigelow’s Zero Dark Thirty, appeared on ABC News’ This Week on January 27, 2013. In an interview conducted by Martha Raddatz, who was filling in for George Stephanopoulos, Boal discussed the film’s controversial portrayal of interrogation methods.

Joining Boal in the discussion is journalist Mark Bowden, author of Black Hawk Down and The Finish: The Killing of Osama bin Laden. Bowden offers a balanced perspective on the controversy, particularly regarding the portrayal of enhanced interrogation techniques and the debate over whether Zero Dark Thirty serves as a journalistic account of those events. Having also witnessed his own work adapted for the screen in the film Black Hawk Down, Bowden brings valuable insight into the challenges of translating historical military events into Hollywood narratives.

The controversy intensified when Senators Dianne Feinstein, John McCain, and Carl Levin sent a letter to Sony Pictures condemning Zero Dark Thirty for its portrayal—and apparent endorsement—of torture as an investigative tool used by the CIA. This letter, amplified by backlash from other conservative figures in government amid an election year, prompted the Senate Intelligence Committee, led by co-chair Feinstein, to launch an investigation into the CIA’s use of torture—a move directly influenced by the film’s depiction of interrogation methods.

Below is the full interview with Raddatz, Boal, and Bowden, where you can decide for yourself whether Zero Dark Thirty endorses interrogation techniques or instead raises difficult questions about the moral gray areas in which the government has operated—particularly during the early days of the search for bin Laden.

Boal also highlights concerns about government interference in the screenwriting process when dramatizing events from military or broader historical narratives. He draws a parallel to the 1940s and the era of McCarthyism, noting the climate of fear that writers in Hollywood faced when tackling controversial subjects—such as the manhunt for Osama bin Laden or the events depicted in Black Hawk Down.

Watch the full interview with Raddatz, Boal, and Bowden below:

Zero Dark Thirty is available now with a subscription to Peacock…