The Disaster Artist: My Life Inside The Room, the Greatest Bad Movie Ever Made

Greg Sestero · Tom Bissell

Oct 2013 · Sold by Simon and Schuster

About this ebook

New York Times bestseller—now a major motion picture directed by and starring James Franco!

From the actor who somehow lived through it all, a “sharply detailed…funny book about a cinematic comedy of errors” (The New York Times): the making of the cult film phenomenon The Room.

In 2003, an independent film called The Room—starring and written, produced, and directed by a mysteriously wealthy social misfit named Tommy Wiseau—made its disastrous debut in Los Angeles. Described by one reviewer as “like getting stabbed in the head,” the $6 million film earned a grand total of $1,800 at the box office and closed after two weeks. Years later, it’s an international cult phenomenon, whose legions of fans attend screenings featuring costumes, audience rituals, merchandising, and thousands of plastic spoons.

Hailed by The Huffington Post as “possibly the most important piece of literature ever printed,” The Disaster Artist is the hilarious, behind-the-scenes story of a deliciously awful cinematic phenomenon as well as the story of an odd and inspiring Hollywood friendship. Actor Greg Sestero, Tommy’s costar and longtime best friend, recounts the film’s bizarre journey to infamy, unraveling mysteries for fans (like, who is Steven? And what’s with that hospital on Guerrero Street?)—as well as the most important question: how the hell did a movie this awful ever get made? But more than just a riotously funny story about cinematic hubris, “The Disaster Artist is one of the most honest books about friendship I’ve read in years” (Los Angeles Times).

Ratings and reviews

If you love The Room as much as I do them you'll really enjoy this book. It gives a ton of insight into how the movie was made and more importantly it sheds light on the very mysterious mastermind of The Room, Tommy Wiseau.

I just finished this amazing book that tells the story of the behind-the-scenes drama and mayhem that went on while filming The Room. Greg Sestero did a wonderful job narrating the audiobook version of this. So many times, I couldn't believe what I was reading about Greg's experience with the infamous Tommy Wiseau. Tommy's unshakeable determination to make his disasterpiece into a realization is truly something to admire.

I thought I would gain some insight on the movie, but I ended up gaining a lot of insight into the man who made it. I still don't understand The Room, but I think even coming close to understanding Wiseau more than makes up for the unanswered questions I still have for his delightfully bizarre creation. This book is well worth the read, even if you aren't a fan of The Room, and is a must read if you are.

About the author

Greg Sestero is a French-American actor, producer, and writer. He costarred in the cult phenomenon The Room.

Tom Bissell is the author of several books and a winner of the Rome Prize and a Guggenheim Fellowship. He writes frequently for Harper’s and The New Yorker.