Cate Blanchett Takes First American TV Role in FX’s Phyllis Schlafly Drama ‘Mrs. America’
Steve Greene
To the list of international megastars who have made the jump to TV, add Cate Blanchett. FX announced Tuesday that Blanchett will star in the planned drama “Mrs. America.” The limited series will focus on the ’70s-era fight for the Equal Rights Amendment.
Blanchett will play Phyllis Schlafly, headlining a roster of pivotal figures during the legal and public battle to pass the amendment. In addition to being an outspoken opponent of the Equal Rights Amendment, Schlafly also took stances against same-sex marriage during her decades in public life as a voice in the American conservative movement.
Tuesday’s announcement also revealed that in addition to Schlafly, “Mrs. America” will feature a number of notable feminist activists from that time, including Gloria Steinem, Betty Friedan, Shirley Chisholm, Bella Abzug and Jill Ruckelshaus.
“Mad Men” and “Halt and Catch Fire” alum Dahvi Waller is developing “Mrs. America” for FX, which is scheduled for production next year and is eyeing nine episodes in total. The show joins a growing list of planned limited series at FX, including Alex Garland’s upcoming “Devs,” a Bob Fosse/Gwen Verdon project starring Sam Rockwell and Michelle Williams, and an adaptation of the 1975 James Clavell novel “Shogun.”
“Mrs. America” marks Blanchett’s first major role in an American series. She appeared on Australian TV at the beginning of her screen career and has gone on to appear in a handful of “Family Guy” episodes. Blanchett also had a previous American TV connection in the 2015 James Vanderbilt film “Truth,” which featured her as former CBS News producer Mary Mapes.
Blanchett most recently served as the president of this year’s jury at the Cannes Film Festival. She’ll most likely be seen next in the upcoming Richard Linklater film “Where’d You Go, Bernadette?”
