Elizabeth Banks Joins Cate Blanchett In FX Limited Series 'Mrs. America'
Elizabeth Banks will join her sisters in arms for equal rights in the FX limited series Mrs. America, which is (sadly) not a sequel to Mistress America. Banks joins the Mrs. America cast as Jill Ruckelshaus, a pro-choice, socially progressive Republican who was involved in the movement to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment during the 1970s in FX's nine-episode limited series from Emmy-winning writer Davhi Waller. But she'll be butting heads with Cate Blanchett, who plays a prominent conservative who leads the unexpected backlash against the amendment.Variety reports that Elizabeth Banks has joined the cast of Mrs. America, starring opposite Cate Blanchett in the FX limited series written and executive produced by Waller, who will also serve as showrunner. Blanchett produces alongside Oscar-nominated producer Stacey Sher. FX Productions will be developing the series which tells the true story of the Equal Rights Amendment movement. Here is the synopsis per Variety:
The series tells the story of the movement to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), and the unexpected backlash led by a conservative woman named Phyllis Schlafly, played by Cate Blanchett. Banks will play Jill Ruckelshaus, a pro-choice, socially progressive Republican who was appointed by President Ford to advance women's rights and fought to keep the Republican Party from being taken over by Phyllis Schlafly and the Religious Right.
Other prominent second-wave feminists like Gloria Steinem, Betty Friedan, Shirley Chisholm, and Bella Abzug will also appear in the series which explores "how one of the toughest battlegrounds in the culture wars of the '70s helped give rise to the Moral Majority and forever shifted our political landscape," according to Deadline.
The star-studded cast also includes Uzo Aduba, Rose Byrne, Kayli Carter, Ari Graynor, Melanie Lynskey, James Marsden, Margo Martindale, Sarah Paulson, John Slattery, Jeanne Tripplehorn, and Tracey Ullman.
The stacked cast and the prestigious, but challenging, subject that comes right at the height of the #MeToo movement positions Mrs. America as a perfect Emmy contender. Banks is a solid comedic actress with a few forgetful dramatic roles under her belt, but this may be her ploy for awards love, especially playing a second-wave feminist figure like Jill Ruckelshaus. Could Mrs. America be the next big timely hit next year? We'll have to see.
Filming is scheduled to begin this year, with Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck (Captain Marvel) directing the first two episodes. Mrs. America is slated to launch in 2020.