The Beach Boys’ surviving members, including Brian Wilson, all attended a special premiere screening of the band’s new self-titled documentary on Tuesday, May 21, at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood.
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This marked the first public appearance for Wilson since he was placed under a conservatorship after his wife, Melinda, died at age 77 in January 2024. Wilson, who was in a wheelchair, appeared on the red carpet alongside fellow Beach Boys members and alums Mike Love, Al Jardine, Bruce Johnston, David Marks, and Blondie Chaplin.
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The screening also featured a Q&A with Love, Jardine, and The Beach Boys documentary’s co-directors, Frank Marshall and Thom Zimny. The movie will get its TV premiere this Friday, May 24, on Disney+. Wilson was given a standing ovation when he was wheeled to his seat.
More About Wilson Being Placed Under Conservatorship
Earlier in May, it was announced that a request from Wilson’s family that his business manager LeeAnn Hard and publicist Jean Sievers serve as the musician’s co-conservators had been granted. Wilson had recently been diagnosed with a neurocognitive disorder.
Wilson’s Daughters Carnie and Wendy Discuss Their Dad
Wilson Phillips members Carnie and Wendy Wilson, Brian’s daughters from his first marriage, also attended the screening, and they spoke with ET about how their dad has been.
“He is doing great!” Carnie said. “Every day he is in physical therapy. I’m cooking for him, he’s spending a lot of time with his children now, his family. I’m so happy he’s here tonight.”
Wendy added, “I think he’s doing really good under the circumstances that he’s going through right now. But, you know, he’s a survivor. That’s my dad. He’s very tough, a very strong person.”
More About the Documentary
As previously reported, The Beach Boys movie features previously unseen archival footage, as well as new interviews with Wilson, Love, Jardine, Marks, Johnston, and Chaplin. The documentary also includes commentary from ex-Fleetwood Mac member Lindsey Buckingham, Janelle Monáe, OneRepublic’s Ryan Tedder, and producer/musician Don Was.
The Film Will Feature a Special Reunion
A new promo video for the film reveals that it also will feature the surviving members reuniting at Paradise Cove, the California beach where the photo for The Beach Boys’ 1962 debut album, Surfin’ Safari, was taken.
“We got … the original surfboard from that original shoot,” Marshall says in the clip. He adds, “The fact that this group came along and put lyrics and harmonies to surf music… The Beach Boys sound is the sound of joy, so I thought it would be sort of poetic with The Beach Boys getting together where it all started. The whole day was so joyful and memorable. It was really like a family reunion.”
The Beach Boys’ 2024 Tour
As previously reported, The Beach Boys’ current incarnation, led by Love and Johnston, continues to tour regularly. The band currently has more than 70 dates lined up in 2024, spanning from an May 24 concert in Bridgeport, Connecticut, through a September 28 show in Ocean City, New Jersey.
Tickets for The Beach Boys’ concerts are available now via various outlets, including StubHub.
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