 In 1996 , actress Lili Taylor played Solanas in the film I Shot Andy Warhol , which focused on Solanas 's assassination attempt on Warhol . Taylor won Special Recognition for Outstanding Performance at the Sundance Film Festival for her role . The film 's director , Mary Harron , requested permission to use songs by The Velvet Underground , but was denied by Lou Reed , who feared that Solanas would be glorified in the film . Six years before the film 's release , Reed and John Cale included a song about Solanas , " I Believe , " on their concept album about Warhol , Songs for Drella ( 1990 ) . In " I Believe " , Reed sings , " I believe life 's serious enough for retribution ... I believe being sick is no excuse . And I believe I would 've pulled the switch on her myself . " Reed believed Solanas was to blame for Warhol 's death from a gallbladder infection 20 years after she shot him . 
