EXCLUSIVE: Haliey Welch, the young woman who became famous overnight after the release of the viral “hawk tuah” video, will be the subject of an upcoming documentary.
Emmy-winning production company Bungalow Media + Entertainment (Cyber Sleuths: The Idaho Murders for Paramount+; Little Richard: I Am Everything for CNN Films/Max; Serving the Hamptons for Max; Surviving Jeffrey Epstein for Lifetime) is developing the project on Welch, who went from unknown to instant meme after uttering the catchphrase “hawk tuah” in a random interview on the Tim & Dee TV YouTube channel. She was using the phrase to describe a form of – how should we put it? – lubrication for oral sex.
Haliey Welch
Krystle Lina
“The documentary will chronicle how Welch, a young woman from a small-town with no active social media presence, unknowingly created a viral moment that gave way into a global phenomenon,” notes a description of the project. “On June 11, 2024, Welch became the most famous person online, amassing over 40 million impressions in a matter of days. The film explores her unexpected rise to fame, the scrutiny that followed, and exposes the incredible power social media has to crown and crucify its internet darlings.”
Bob Friedman, producer and CEO at Bungalow Media + Entertainment, said in a statement, “With only a single sentence, Haliey Welch went from an unknown young woman having a night out on the town to ‘enjoying’ 15 minutes of fame to global phenomenon who cemented her status in the pop culture lexicon. There are very few people who know what it is like to achieve this level of fame and live under the 24/7 microscope known as social media. This documentary will serve as both an inspiring and entertaining story of Haliey’s journey, and a lens into what it means to navigate the risks and rewards that come with living in the public’s eye.”
Pamela Anderson in a LaBatt’s print ad, 1989
LaBatt’s
(The randomness of Welch’s ascent can perhaps be compared to Pamela Anderson’s sudden rise to fame in a much earlier, pre-internet era. In 1989, Anderson was spotted by cameras at a BC Lions football game in Vancouver, British Columbia, while wearing a LaBatt’s Beer t-shirt. Eventually, LaBatt’s hired her as a spokesperson, launching her career).
The documentary will include interviews with Welch and others close to her. “Initially avoiding the spotlight due to embarrassment and shame, Welch eventually leaned into her newfound celebrity, proving she was more than a fleeting meme,” a release states. “With sharp wit and undeniable charisma, she turned virality into opportunity—launching a top-charting podcast (second only to Joe Rogan Experience), a successful merchandise line, a dating app, a music venture and her own charity, Paws Across America… Most recently, Welch faced and navigated a bizarre crypto-related controversy, adding yet another unexpected chapter to her story.”
Haliey Welch in New York City on July 12, 2024
Gotham/GC Images
Welch has quickly amassed 1.8 million followers on TikTok and even more on Instagram – 2.5 million.
“I hope y’all been enjoying the crazy stories about ‘my life’ unfold on social media,” says Welch. “First, I was dead. Then pregnant. Now I’m wanted by Interpol and in jail! Luckily, we’ve been working with Bungalow to start spilling the tea and the truth is actually even more bizarre than you think.”
“Haliey Welch’s journey has sparked a frenzy of online takes, but truth beats imagination here,” said Jonnie Forster of The Penthouse, Welch’s management company, who will serve as executive producer on the project. “Paired with Bobby [Friedman] and the Bungalow team, this documentary will reveal a pop culture saga too big for the internet alone.”
Release plans for the documentary are expected to be announced at a later date.
