Margaret Nagle

Interview with The Good Lie’s Writer Margaret Nagle

By Raquel Lesser

Edited by Eric Leaver

From 1983 to 2005, a divided Sudan fought a brutal civil war which led to the deaths of an estimated two million people and left thousands of children orphaned and alone. Over 3,500 of these “Lost Boys and Girls” were resettled in America. This is the story of The Good Lie, which hit theaters last year and is spreading awareness about the ongoing unrest in Sudan and South Sudan.

The movie centers around three Sudanese children who walk hundreds of miles to refugee camps. Thirteen years later, they are moved to Kansas for resettlement. Sudanese actors Arnold Oceng, Ger Duany, Emmanuel Jal and Nyakuoth Weil, many of whom were also children of war, star alongside Academy Award winner Reese Witherspoon to tell a story of separation and strength.

In an interview with Margaret Nagle, the writer of the film, I was intrigued to find out how she became interested in South Sudan.

“I was given an open assessment”, Margaret Nagle said, Which inspired Margaret Nagle to write the movie, The Good Lie. “The more I researched the more I wanted to learn.” Margaret has written a show on HBO about the Polio epidemic but this is her first time writing a show about Sudan. Margaret says the topics are very similar because they both involved a lot of research.

Margaret spent almost ten years making this film. But because the issue of Sudan is so complicated, I wondered how did she ensure the depictions of the children and the situation in Sudan were accurate?

She used real life Lost Boy’s during the film. She did a lot of research and the more she did the more she was interested. She found the Lost Boys very smart and endearing.

Did the movie turn out like she pictured it?

She likes how it turned out. She didn’t know what to expect from the film because she had no knowledge of Sudan before researching for the film. She learned a lot from making this film.

What impact does she think this movie will have on the current situation in Sudan?

What surprised me most about this film was how resistant people are to the topic. Many feel they don’t understand the conflict well enough--fear of the unknown scares people away. Conflicts in Sudan and South Sudan have been going on for years and most people don’t do anything to help stop violence. I hope this movie is an awakening to the people about Sudan.

What is one piece of advice she would give someone who wants to help in a crisis but doesn’t know where to start?

From the sounds of what Margaret is doing, she probably wants someone to stand up for what they believe in and follow their passion just like she did. The advice is reflected from the work she has done. Margaret Nagle is an inspiration to all. She would like people to have powerful faith and studied this all over the world.

The Good Lie is a story of sacrifice and resilience, exemplifying how there can be light in even the darkest of moments. Margaret didn’t just write a terrific screenplay but she has made a life-changing story come to life. She has taken events that a slew of people had no idea about and she has brought them to the peoples attention. Now, it’s our turn to act.