The late Gwen Shamblin Lara‘s legacy as a diet guru and church leader is set to be explored in a new documentary project.
On Thursday, Sept. 23, HBO Max debuted the trailer for the five-part docuseriesThe Way Down: God, Greed and the Cult of Gwen Shamblin. The footage featured interviews with people about Gwen’s Christian diet plan,The Weigh Down Workshop, along with the Tennessee-based Remnant Fellowship Church, which she later founded.
HBO Max’s description of the series stated in part, “Despite a carefully curated image, Lara and the church soon fielded accusations of emotional, psychological and physical abuse, and exploitation for their alleged cult-like practices.”
The trailer included a previously filmed clip of Gwen saying, “God revealed to me that the key to permanent weight control is a matter of the heart.”
Among the individuals featured in the trailer is one man who told the camera, “You taught your kids about drugs and alcohol, but you never think to coach your kids on a cult.”