Screening event for Betty White’s 100th birthday will go on

By Marianne Garvey, CNN

Betty White was weeks away from her 100th birthday and planned a big celebration.

White, who died Friday, would have turned 100 on Jan. 17. A movie event planned prior to her death to mark the occasion will go on as planned, according to producers of the film “Betty White: 100 Years Young — A Birthday Celebration.”

“Our hearts mourn today with the passing of Betty White. During the many years we worked with her, we developed a great love and admiration for Betty as a person, and as an accomplished entertainer,” film producers Steve Boettcher and Mike Trinklein said in a statement to CNN. “We are thankful for the many decades of delight she brought to everyone. Betty always said she was the ‘luckiest broad on two feet’ to have had a career as long as she did. And honestly, we were the lucky ones to have had her for so long.”

The film explores White’s career and follows her day-to-day life, including her work, entertaining at home, and her advocacy for animals. It is set to screen at 900 theaters nationwide through Fathom Events and was originally going to show live footage of White’s actual birthday party.

“We will go forward with our plans to show the film on January 17 in hopes our film will provide a way for all who loved her to celebrate her life—and experience what made her such a national treasure,” Boettcher and Trinklein said.

A star-studded cast of friends including Ryan Reynolds, Tina Fey, Robert Redford, Lin Manuel- Miranda, Clint Eastwood, Morgan Freeman, Jay Leno, Carol Burnett, Craig Ferguson, Jimmy Kimmel, Valerie Bertinelli, James Corden, Wendy Malick and more were originally scheduled to participate.

“Who doesn’t love a party?!? This one is gonna be GREAT!” White said in a statement to CNN last week.

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