In 2006 Nikki Finke, on the brink of insolvency, and having scared off prospective employers with her turbulent and litigious nature, launches the brazen online venture Deadline Hollywood Daily—taking the towns' two storied showbiz newspapers by surprise.

Never one to play by the rules, Nikki chooses a side during the 2007 Hollywood writers’ strike, surging Deadline’s readership. And she forms some strategic alliances, including one with a studio chief considered to be one of the most powerful people in town.

A look back at Nikki’s privileged yet conflicted upbringing on Long Island, which included a Jewish heritage that her parents did not embrace. After being presented at a waspy New York City debutante ball, Nikki marries “the perfect guy” but exits after less than a year, choosing to live the life of a nomad journalist.

Nikki gets the inside scoop on the biggest showbiz story of the year: the mega merger between the William Morris and Endeavor talent agencies. Were her exclusive reports the result of a clandestine relationship an Endeavor super agent? And did they help him emerge from the merger as king?

From Les Moonves to Michael Ovitz, Nikki goes after Hollywood’s top titans for bad behavior and job performance, generating irresistibly juicy copy and a flood of website hits. Nikki’s reclusivity continues to fuel her mystique and, in a surprise move, she invites a Deadline writer to her apartment for dinner. Meantime critics take aim, accusing Nikki of unethical and shoddy journalistic practices.

After agreeing to be the subject of an in-depth profile by The New Yorker, Nikki changes her mind at the last minute. She tries to intimidate the magazine’s staff into stopping the press—including making a disturbing threat. Are these alarming incidents manipulation tactics or the result of something deeper?

Bourgeoning media titan Jay Penske buys Deadline, giving Nikki the financial stability and recognition she craves. But the relationship is irrevocably damaged after Penske’s acquisitive nature leads him to his next prize.

Fired from Deadline, Nikki tries to reemerge on the Hollywood scene with a new business venture but encounters professional and personal challenges. As her health nosedives, she starts making goodbye calls. Her final days are highlighted by a surprise visitor.