HBO’s three-hour slot at the TCAs in Pasadena will shed light on a smattering of new projects, and Movieline will dutifully report what soundbites it can gather amid the hordes of inquiring reporters. HBO first showcased its original biopic Temple Grandin, which chronicles the life of the titular bestselling author and consultant to the livestock industry who also has high-functioning autism. The pantheon of cinema that explores autism is filled with lauded projects (Rain Man, the recent Asperger’s Syndrome romance, Adam). Following the press conference that featured the actual Temple Grandin, star Claire Danes, whose performance in the film as Grandin is sharply rendered, explained to Movieline that the project adds new dimensions to a familiar cinematic streak.

She also hinted that her performance may have been aided by her husband Hugh Dancy.

“Well, my husband played an autistic person six months before I did this, in Adam. So that was curious. But Temple is no ordinary autistic person. She’s a superstar, and she’s a pioneer, and the first person to write about it as somebody who has it. And that was radical. That was, kind of by definition, impossible, because they weren’t able to communicate with others. She managed to do that so well, and with such clarity. I think that’s what defines [the movie] for me.”

Temple Grandin debuts on HBO this February.