Movies and TV shows get rewrites all the time, and it’s about time Hollywood history got one as well. Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan team up once again for Hollywood, a new Netflix limited series that follows a group of aspiring actors and filmmakers in post-World War II Hollywood as they try to make it big. The show stars many actors and actresses who are no stranger to the Ryan Murphy Television Universe — Darren Criss as Raymond, Patti LuPone as Avis, David Corenswet as Jack, Dylan McDermott as Ernie, Jim Parsons as Henry Willson, and Joe Mantello as Dick. The series also features notable appearances from the Golden Age era, including Gone With the Wind’s Vivien Leigh, played by Katie McGuinness.
Each character in Hollywood offers a unique glimpse into Hollywood’s Golden Age, shedding light on the unfair systems and biases across race, gender, and sexuality that are still prevalent today. Hollywood exposes the decades-old power dynamics in Tinseltown and what the entertainment industry might look like if they had been dismantled. “I want to take the story of Hollywood and give it a rewrite,” Jeremy Pope’s Archie says in the trailer.
Raymond declares, “If we change the way movies are made, I think you can change the world.” But it’s not going to be easy. The changes are met with pushback, but the characters persevere against the odds.
The series also stars Laura Harrier as Camille, Samara Weaving as Claire, Holland Taylor as Ellen Kincaid, Jake Picking as Rock Hudson, and Maude Apatow as Henrietta. Hollywood will begin streaming on Netflix on May 1.