Soleil Moon Frye is set to direct “The Carters,” a new two-part documentary that looks at the “extreme highs and tragic lows” of the Carter family, including the musical careers of Backstreet Boys member Nick Carter and pop star Aaron Carter, the latter of whom died in 2022.
The doc, produced by See It Now Studios and Candle True Stories, will be from the point of view of Angel Carter Conrad, Aaron’s twin sister; the “sad and eye-opening tale” features new interviews with close family friends, including Melissa Joan Hart and Scout Willis, as well as never-before-seen home movies. “The Carters” will be available to stream later this year on Paramount+.
“This documentary is a labor of love for my family,” Conrad said in a statement. “By sharing our true story, one shaped by loss, resilience, and healing, I hope to honor our journey and transform our past into a message of hope and purpose for others facing similar challenges.”
Per the official logline, “The Carters” will follow the brothers “who seemed to have it all, but behind their remarkable gifts was a family dealing with mental health struggles, drug addiction, and heartbreaking neglect.”
Conrad “unpacks the complicated family dynamics that led to the untimely deaths of three of the original five Carter kids as well as their father. The often enchanting but ultimately painful story of these engaging siblings begins in childhood as home movies reveal Nick and Aaron’s undeniable and precocious talent. But fame and fortune were accompanied by rivalries, jealousies, and exploitation from those they relied on most, their parents.”
Nick and Angel’s sister Leslie died of an apparent overdose in 2012. Their father died of a heart attack in 2017. Their brother, Aaron, died from accidental drowning in 2022 and their other sister, Bobbie Jean, died of an accidental overdose in 2023. Additionally, Nick has faced a slew of sexual misconduct allegations, all of which he has denied.
“I feel morally responsible to create a safe space for others to share their truths,” Frye, who directed “Kid 90” in 2021, said in a statement. “Angel’s courage in sharing her family’s journey of mental health issues, addiction, pain, unbearable loss, and at the core, love, is a profound testament to who she is. Her mission is understanding how to transform grief and suffering into light that can heal even our most broken parts. This film, we hope, will help others who are struggling to see that through the pain and trauma Angel’s family has endured, meaningful change will come for her, her brother Nick, and the world.”
See It Now Studios President Susan Zirinsky added, “Stepping inside the family’s secrets where no one sees your pain is what Frye felt was a mission for Angel to talk about the fame, expectations, addiction, assumptions and at the heart of it all — critical mental health issues.”
“The Carters” is executive produced by James Goldston, Steven Baker, Cynthia Childs and Soleil Moon Frye. Susan Zirinsky and Terence Wrong executive produce for See It Now Studios; Aysu Saliba and Cara Tortora are supervising producers.