Movies

Is Hollywood inspired by the CIA, or the other way around?

BBG News

At Langley, Virginia’s CIA headquarters, past the elegant granite emblem adorning its entrance and a wall embellished with stars to honor the deceased agents, dedicated professionals are diligently engaged in the challenging duties of espionage: officers skilled in weaponry, computer technicians, virologists, and nuclear scientists.

However, it’s not just spies at the CIA; there are also narrative weavers (storytellers), cosmetics artisans (makeup artists), drama specialists (theater majors), and dancers en pointe (ballerinas). These Americans may have never envisioned their talents aligning with a spy agency’s requirements, but the CIA saw potential.

It’s not always in the limelight, but there’s a constant flow of skilled individuals moving between our top intelligence agency and the entertainment industry. Ideas and impact often travel in both directions.

The agency focuses on attracting professionals who combine artistic and technological skills for hiring, as revealed by CIA officials to The Times, while also maintaining collaborations with major entertainment companies to motivate the upcoming crop of creatively-inclined intelligence operatives.

This month, the agency is helping a New York Times bestselling author write a young adult novel exploring the roots of the CIA, which were established during World War II. Recently, scenes for an upcoming movie were filmed on its campus, an impressive logistical achievement at a secretive intelligence facility hidden in the Virginia suburbs, protected by multiple security zones where officers monitor for Bluetooth signals. Another well-known streaming TV show will return to Langley this fall for filming.

Beyond mere partnership, it’s been revealed that their relationship runs quite profoundly, as authorities have shared. For decades, creative thinkers in the Hollywood scene have played significant roles at the Central Intelligence Agency, coming up with ingenious methods to tackle its most intricate challenges. These include mastering the art of concealment and utilizing a magician’s knack for crafting captivating illusions. In fact, during the 1950s, a New York-based magician named John Mulholland was discreetly enlisted by the agency to compose a manual on sleight-of-hand and deception techniques for Cold War spies.

In this digitally intricate era, I can’t help but appreciate how indispensable creative prowess has become. It’s like a cinematic masterpiece unfolding right before our eyes, where the artists weave stories that not only entertain, but also shape and reflect our ever-evolving world.

Janelle, from the CIA’s public affairs team, emphasized, ‘Your creativity is the only barrier – don’t hold back on your thoughts.’ She added that they are continuously seeking collaborations.

An elusive history

David McCloskey, who served as a previous CIA analyst and penned “Damascus Station” and various other espionage novels, proposed multiple reasons for the possibility of the agency cultivating a strong alliance with Hollywood. He referred to this connection as a “mutual avenue.

McCloskey stated that there are indeed instances where espionage has been utilized in practical, real-world scenarios. While such cases might be rare, they are undeniably powerful or convincing when they occur.

It’s understandable that CIA heads might find Hollywood appealing for various reasons, one being the influence it has over public perception about the agency. However, their primary focus is on gathering information – which often involves meeting individuals who possess secrets. Additionally, building relationships with influential figures is also part of their work.

As you get nearer to Hollywood,” McCloskey pointed out, “it provides a very intriguing opportunity for engaging in numerous captivating discussions.

As a cinephile, I’ve always been fascinated by the fascinating links between the CIA and Hollywood. It’s intriguing to learn about some of the CIA’s most iconic missions, or at least those that have been declassified, which showcase the agency’s deep-rooted history with the film industry. One such mission is known as the Canadian Caper, where undercover CIA agents masqueraded as a film crew to rescue six American diplomats in Tehran during the Iran hostage crisis. This operation bears striking resemblance to the plot of the movie “Argo,” an intriguing tale that moviegoers will recognize.

Brent, a historian working within the CIA, commented that ‘Argo’ seemed so unbelievable, it bordered on fantasy,” or simply, “Brent found ‘Argo’ to be nearly indistinguishable from a Hollywood production.

The Canadian Caper drew inspiration from Hollywood and utilized Hollywood’s skillset, as evidenced by Agent Tony Mendez, a former graphic artist, who contributed his artistic abilities to the operation.

John Chambers, a renowned makeup artist, is another significant figure. He’s the one who designed Spock’s iconic ears in “Star Trek” and received an honorary Oscar for his groundbreaking simian work on “Planet of the Apes.” Interestingly, he was also honored with the CIA’s Intelligence Medal of Merit for his crucial role in a covert rescue operation.

In the recent past, Howard Hughes, a billionaire business magnate known for his ventures in media, cinema, and aviation, consented to collaborate with the CIA on a covert operation aimed at retrieving a sunken Soviet nuclear submarine from the depths of the Pacific Ocean.

Under the pretense of mining operations, the CIA secretly recovered much of the Hughes’ Glomar Explorer vessel, until a news report by The Times exposed their mission – a revelation that thwarted their endeavors, as referred to within the CIA as “the story that sank our efforts.

Additionally, another task was successfully accomplished due to an invention by a skilled photographer – a piece of equipment that would later inspire an extravagant sequence in the hit movie “The Dark Knight,” titled Batman.

As part of Operation Coldfeet, I found myself in a challenging predicament: CIA operatives were gathering intel from a Soviet outpost precariously perched atop an icy float in the Arctic. The problem was, how could we extract our agent without risking a plane crash on the treacherous ice?

The solution was a “sky-lift”: An agent donned a harness, which had a rope connected to it, that balloons hoisted upwards into the heavens. A CIA aircraft seized the rope, enabling the agent to escape to safety.

In “The Dark Knight,” Batman uses an intriguing balloon-supported harness for his thrilling getaway.

‘The superhero spy’

The CIA’s leadership frequently asserts that joining their organization is more difficult than enrolling at prestigious universities like Harvard and Yale combined. However, the agency still encounters difficulties in sourcing the specific talent they require. This can be due to either identifying individuals with unique abilities or persuading them to abandon stable, financially rewarding, comfortable careers for a clandestine lifestyle dedicated to public service.

As someone deeply appreciative of the challenges faced by those in your line of work, I can empathize with the complexity of balancing agency duties and family life, a fact acknowledged even by esteemed CIA officials. The decision on when and if to reveal one’s true identity to their children is an ongoing struggle that many face. However, Janelle shared that the CIA advises potential recruits about a middle ground, which allows them to maintain significant aspects of their existing lives without complete sacrifice.

Janelle stated that it’s not necessary for individuals to switch jobs to aid their nation or collaborate with the CIA, she added, ‘They choose to be here because they deeply care about their country and believe they can effect change.’

Janelle is on a team that frequently collaborates with creative individuals who aim to depict the agency or spies authentically.

Janelle noted that while some producers and directors express concern about accuracy, they often selectively decide on what elements will best suit their movie or TV production.

Former CIA analysts sometimes choose to venture into the entertainment world, penning books and scripts that are inspired by their past roles but avoid direct mirroring of their experiences.

As a fellow film enthusiast, I can share that Joe Weisberg, an ex-agent turned writer and producer who brought us “The Americans,” and McCloskey, a novelist working on his fifth book centered around U.S. and British intelligence, both have a unique perspective on their craft due to their shared background at the CIA. In our line of work, before we could embark on our writing journeys, our works needed to be vetted.

“There’s a whole publication and classification-review process,” Brent said.

That process can be a bit of a slog, McCloskey said: “They quite literally redact in black ink.”

But it is far more difficult for nonfiction writers than novelists.

McCloskey stated, “There might be references to secret techniques, hidden resources, or individuals within the organization that would be unacceptable. However, writing novels can often bypass these restrictions when crafted carefully.

Despite their best efforts, film studios persistently perpetuate inaccuracies regarding the CIA, even after being corrected. For instance, they frequently confuse ‘officers’ with ‘agents’, a significant distinction. Furthermore, it might be disheartening for fans of spy thrillers, but most officers are not authorized or equipped to use weapons.

Janelle noted that Hollywood frequently misrepresents the concept by suggesting a single officer handles everything, but in reality, it’s more like a team game.

The 2012 Academy Award-winning film “Zero Dark Thirty” gained widespread praise for its portrayal of the manhunt for Osama bin Laden, the Al Qaeda leader. However, it faced criticism from certain members within the intelligence community due to the way it seems to attribute the finding of bin Laden to a single, fictional CIA analyst.

McCloskey sympathizes with the writer’s dilemma.

He stated, “A team of 35 isn’t feasible for me from a narrative perspective.” Recognizing that the world of espionage often doesn’t translate authentically onto screens, despite having numerous ex-agents ready to lend their expertise.

He stated, “There’s no shortage of resources for accuracy,” but what he meant was, “It’s not a matter of having the information; it’s more about the fact that the characters like Jack Ryans and Jason Bourne, portrayed in Hollywood, are largely how spies are depicted.

Despite any exaggeration or sensationalization, the agency aspires that the output from Hollywood might continue spinning the revolving door, attracting unique individuals to join their team.

Brent mentioned that we have individuals specializing in architecture, woodworking, and logistics management,” he said. “What some may not appreciate is the diverse set of talents present here at CIA.

In much the same way the Canadian Caper demonstrated, at times, espionage involves theatrical skills. The tools essential for the upcoming operation might not be marine biology or data extraction, but rather, perhaps, costume making or even another ballet dancer.

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2025-07-06 13:31

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