Famous Last Words: Everything we know so far about the latest Netflix documentary on the late Jane Goodall

Famous Last Words is one of Netflix's most moving releases, featuring the final interview of the late Jane Goodall, the celebrated primatologist and environmentalist who passed away at the age of 91. The documentary, which was filmed earlier this year, takes a deeply personal look at her extraordinary life and her never-ending love for Earth and nature.

Through this posthumous interview, Goodall shares stories that have not yet been told, where she also reflects on her ideas one last time while also giving out a final message to all of humanity. Famous Last Words looks at how one woman's mission to protect the planet continues to ring out loud even after her death.

The essence of a life examined: The soul of Jane Goodall's Famous Last Words

At the heart of Famous Last Words is an emotional concept, which is people reflecting on their legacies in conversations to be released only after they are gone. For Jane Goodall, this wasn't just another interview. It was her parting gift to the world.

Bloomberg Philanthropies Global Forum 2025 - Source: Getty

Sitting across Emmy-winning producer Brad Falchuk earlier this year, Goodall opened up with rare honesty, discussing everything from her childhood fascination with Tarzan to her reflections on mortality and hope. Falchuk later told Netflix's Tudum that Goodall approached her final moments:

"With the same fearlessness, humor, and joy she carried through life."

The episode is filmed with simple intimacy as it is just Goodall, Falchuk, and a quiet platform being offered up for her to tell her story about every word as she spoke, her beliefs in the afterlife, her regrets, and the lessons she wished the world would carry forward.

The producers revealed that knowing the footage would air posthumously, she was "unfiltered, vulnerable, and deeply human."

Between science and spirituality: Jane Goodall’s reflections on her final chapter

In her documentary Famous Last Words, Jane Goodall moves beyond her scientific legacy into deeply personal territory. Over a shared glass of whiskey, she reflected on her decades studying chimpanzees, her connection to Mother Nature, and the inevitability of death.

2025 Forbes Sustainability Summit - Source: Getty

Her words paint a portrait of a woman unafraid to face the unknown, where she urged people not to lose faith in the power of small actions:

"Even when the planet is dark, there is still hope..."

Goodall's voice, calm yet resolute, bridges science and spirituality. She shared how her early years in Gombe taught her not only about chimpanzees but also about human compassion and patience.

Her final message, delivered directly to the camera after Falchuk left the stage, was both a farewell and a call to action: To protect the planet, to nurture hope, and to believe that life continues beyond death. This was not just an ending, but a continuation of her lifelong dialogue with the world.

The legacy that lives beyond the screen: What Famous Last Words represents?

Famous Last Words is, yes, a documentary, but it is also a time capsule of human wisdom. Based on the Danish series Det Sidste Ord, the format invites cultural icons to reflect on their lives in conversations kept sealed until after their passing. For Goodall, it was the perfect medium.

Renowned Conservationist Dr. Jane Goodall Begins 'Hope Global Tour' In Mumbai - Source: Getty

Her life's work with chimpanzees reexamined the human grasp we have of nature, while her support at the Jane Goodall Institute and Roots & Shoots inspired generations toward taking proper environmental action and care for our planet.

Executive producer Brad Falchuk, along with Mikkel Bondesen, David Goldberg, and showrunner David Friedman, ensured that Goodall's story would be told with the most respect. The documentary looks at her not just as a person of science, but most importantly as a symbol of hope.

As Falchuk shared:

"She was one of the world's greatest and most beloved champions of good."

Through Famous Last Words, Goodall's understanding of humanity and the environment, along with conviction, reaffirms her belief that:

"Every single life makes a difference."

Jane Goodall's Famous Last Words is a legacy in the form of a documentary. It looks at a woman who has lived and died a life filled with empathy, curiosity, and purpose, and it looks at the life of a woman who has left this world strongly believing in humanity's power to heal and save it.

Netflix's documentary shapes her final thoughts into a strong message: That even in the face of loss, hope stays. Through Famous Last Words, Jane Goodall continues to remind us that the fight for a better world is far from over.