Barbara Walters Is Trending Again: 7 Groundbreaking Moments That Made the TV Legend Unforgettable

Barbara Walters is back at the center of the cultural conversation, and this time the legendary broadcaster is the subject instead of the interviewer. ABC News Studios has released the first trailer for “Barbara Walters: Tell Me Everything,” a feature-length documentary executive-produced by Imagine Entertainment’s Brian Grazer and Ron Howard that will stream on Hulu and debut later this summer. The preview teases Walters’ most headline-making sit-downs—Donald Trump, Taylor Swift, Martha Stewart and Fidel Castro among them—while promising never-before-seen outtakes and new interviews with colleagues, family members and the bold-faced names she once grilled. Social media reaction was instant: clips of her needling a pre-presidency Trump on 20/20 rocketed across TikTok and X within hours, racking up millions of views and re-igniting debate over Walters’ fearless interview style. Why her story still resonates • Trailblazing legacy: Walters shattered television’s glass ceiling as the first woman to co-anchor a network evening news program in 1976 and later co-created The View, a daytime juggernaut that is still appointment TV. • Celebrity flashpoints: From asking Monica Lewinsky “What will you tell your children?” to her icy exchange with Vladimir Putin, Walters’ questions often became news themselves. • Enduring relevance: The resurgence of archival footage spotlights how her sharp, meticulously researched approach contrasts with today’s hot-take culture, fueling nostalgia among older viewers and discovery among Gen Z. What the documentary covers According to ABC, “Tell Me Everything” weaves Walters’ professional milestones with rare glimpses of her guarded personal life, including candid discussions about balancing motherhood with an unforgiving news cycle. The film also explores persistent rumors about behind-the-scenes tensions at The View, a topic that recently resurfaced when former co-host Jenny McCarthy recalled noticing early signs of Walters’ dementia during the show’s commercial breaks. Streaming details and release date • U.S. premiere: Hulu, late July (exact date to be announced). • International rollout: Disney+’s Star hub in select markets, followed by ABC network rebroadcast in the fall. • Running time: 1 hour 55 minutes. The film lands two and a half years after Walters’ death at age 93, allowing producers access to her extensive personal archive and the cooperation of her estate. SEO tip-sheet: How to watch “Barbara Walters: Tell Me Everything” 1. Sign up for a Hulu subscription (ad-supported or ad-free). 2. Set a reminder in the Hulu app by adding the title to “My Stuff.” 3. For cord-cutters outside the U.S., use Disney+; dates will populate in the “Coming Soon” carousel as regional premieres are confirmed. Reaction from the journalism community PBS NewsHour anchor Judy Woodruff called the documentary “a master class in curiosity”; CNN’s Christiane Amanpour tweeted that Walters “paved the way for every woman on television who came after.” That sentiment is echoed throughout the film, with Oprah Winfrey appearing in new interviews to credit Walters for “asking the questions nobody else dared.” What’s next for the Walters brand With renewed interest, ABC is planning a limited theatrical release of the remastered 1977 Barbara Walters Special featuring Katharine Hepburn, while Hulu is reportedly considering a spin-off series spotlighting the making of her most controversial interviews. Publishers also confirm that Walters’ 2008 memoir “Audition” has returned to Amazon’s Top-20 biographies list this week, and audiobook downloads have jumped 320 percent. Takeaway “Barbara Walters: Tell Me Everything” is poised to introduce the pioneering journalist to a streaming-first generation while giving longtime viewers a nostalgia-laden reminder of her unparalleled influence. Expect search traffic around “Barbara Walters documentary,” “Tell Me Everything release date,” and “how to watch Barbara Walters Hulu” to surge as the premiere approaches—and plan your watchlist accordingly.