Bono opens up about grappling with fame in his artist's statement for his new AppleTV+ film The U2 rockers reveals he spent the past five years trying to find himself Bono: Stories of Surrenderpremiered on May 30 Bonois getting candid about his experience living under the spotlight — and how that led to an identity crisis. On Friday, May 30, PEOPLE has an exclusive first look at the U2 rocker's artist's statement for his new AppleTV+ filmBono: Stories of Surrender, which is out now. In the statement, Bono, 65, opens up about grappling with fame. Between "wanting to be known and wanting to be hidden," Bono spent the past "five years" trying to "expose" who he really is. A result of that self-exploration was his 2022 memoirSURRENDER: 40 SONGS, ONE STORY,which eventually led to a stage adaptation — and now a documentary. Apple TV+ "Bono: Stories of Surrenderis a vivid reimagining of Bono's critically acclaimed one-man stage show,Stories of Surrender: An Evening of Words, Music and Some Mischief…,"reads the documentary's description."As he pulls back the curtain on a remarkable life and the family, friends and faith that have challenged and sustained him, he also reveals personal stories about his journey as a son, father, husband, activist and rock star." It adds, "Along with never-before-seen, exclusive footage from the tour, the film features Bono performing many of the iconic U2 songs that have shaped his life and legacy." Read Bono's artist's statement below. The great conflict that follows becoming famous is between wanting to be known and wanting to be hidden. The more exposed you are, the more you want to hide — which leads to masks and makeup and adopting a series of false faces. If you manage to succeed at that subterfuge for a few years, some part of you starts to resent being misunderstood (though you are yourself the author of those misunderstandings). Part of you wants to show your audience who you really are. It is a frightening prospect. What if you reveal your true face and they reject it? Then again, what if they don't? What if those people who cheered your image embrace your true self? You follow that thought until another one hits you. Do you even know anymore who you are? Has the public mask become your face? If you step into the spotlight and remove the disguise, will there be anything beneath it? Apple TV+ The past five years have been an extended period of my trying to expose my real face. When the planet locked down, I picked up a spade and began the work of excavating my own memories. Writing it all down. I told myself it was for myself. No one else would ever need to read it. As if I were not by trade and habit an exhibitionist! I came out of that long process of self-examination with a cinderblock of a hardcover book called SURRENDER: 40 SONGS, ONE STORY. I agreed to send it into the world. I was asked to record an audiobook and that became its own distinct production. Then, what had started out to be a conventional book tour with my reading a few paragraphs and signing (hopefully) more than a few copies, evolved into a tour of theatres across a couple of continents… admittedly on the smallest stage set Willie Williams would direct me on in 40 years… BUT this then became that… A stage adaptation written by one of my favorite writers/people, Bill Flanagan… AND I'm now on the road with this scripted one-man theatrical event, a cellist (Kate Ellis), a harpist (Gemma Doherty) and a musical magician (The Jacknife Lee ensemble) who all helped me reimagine U2 songs I thought I understood… Why stop there? Apple TV+ When the good people at Apple offered to film the theatre piece, it was easy to say yes. The show was up and running — "just bring in a few cameras and play it through on an off day." Enter the cinematic master that is Andrew Dominik. But — it was inevitable he would ask — "should a film not be a film? Something different from a play, with some bits moved and some other bits removed and new parts added and — while we are at it — a new set and lighting design?" And if the film of the tour of the original book has revealed new aspects of the story — should that not mean rewriting the book for the paperback release? And giving the revised book the name of the film: STORIES OF SURRENDER. Oh I'm so sorry… What a hall of mirrors we erect when we set out to show our real face. "We" and "our" being plural because in the end I look at this film and see a man of a thousand faces (at least…) Perhaps a man who is still unsure which one is true. A man still confused about who he is, who might have begun to know who he was, but who certainly has a clearer knowledge of where he came from. Read the original article onPeople
