Kim Kardashian closed out the Sunday matinee of The Fear of 13 with an emotional speech directed at death row exoneree Nick Yarris, on whom the Broadway show is based. The reality star, 45, looking resplendent on stage in a vintage Dior dress and sleek hairdo, appeared to fight back tears as she praised Yarris for giving 'everyone hope' while the play's headlining stars, Adrien Brody and Tessa Thompson, looked on.
Kardashian's Heartfelt Words
'To Nick, who I had the pleasure of meeting for the first time tonight, thank you for sharing your story,' Kardashian told Yarris, as seen in footage posted to Instagram. 'It's so important. You give everyone hope. You're such an inspiration for me who fight for people who are deserving to be home. You're beautiful, everyone here is,' she added, glancing at Brody and Thompson on her left. 'The power starts - it's extremely important,' finished the mother of four, who was joined at the event by her mother Kris Jenner and sister Kylie Jenner, who brought along boyfriend Timothee Chalamet.
A Co-Producer with a Cause
Kardashian, who has advocated for the release of prisoners she believes are wrongfully convicted since early 2018, is a co-producer on the production that premiered at the James Earl Jones Theatre on April 15. The Fear of 13 is a drama that tells the true story of Nick Yarris (played by Brody), who spends 22 years on Pennsylvania's death row for a murder he didn't commit. Through conversations with a volunteer named Jackie (Thompson), Yarris' intellectual awakening in prison begins. They confront the justice system, which leads to the overturning of his conviction through forensic DNA analysis.
Yarris Returns the Praise
After her short but heartfelt speech, Kardashian turned the microphone over to Yarris. 'I am so grateful that I get to be the voice of so many people that have been wronged,' Yarris told the crowd. 'A lot of people would never appreciate this about Kim,' he went on with grateful glances at Kardashian. 'This isn't a social media moment for her. She saved Julius Jones' life.' He was referring to the advocacy role Kardashian played in the case of an Oklahoma man convicted of murder in 1999 who spent over 20 years on death row while maintaining his innocence. She didn't get Jones released, but she helped to stop his execution and commute his sentence to life without parole in 2021 by bringing attention to his case and lobbying officials, as well as visiting him in prison.
Yarris continued: 'She's put out there this energy of care and love. When I found out that she passed the mini bar exam – yes, that's how price she is – she became my hero. Because she didn't have to do that. She dedicated a portion of her life to caring for people she might never get thank you from. In a crazy world when life of hers, come on man, please everyone,' he concluded, encouraging everyone to applaud her.
Kardashian's Commitment to Justice
Kardashian announced her role as a producer of the play two days before its Broadway premiere last month. 'My commitment to criminal justice reform has always been about more than just policy – it's about people,' she said in a statement at the time. 'I've learned that sometimes the most effective way to change minds is through a powerful story. The Fear of 13 is that story. It's a raw, honest look at Nick Yarris' wrongful conviction and the systemic failures that kept him behind bars for twenty years. I couldn't be prouder to make my Broadway producing debut with a project that carries such vital weight,' she added.
