Cate Blanchett and Rose Byrne star in Mrs AMERICA
Foxtel presents the new nine-part FX limited series MRS AMERICA, based on the true events of the movement to ratify the American Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) and the unexpected backlash led by a conservative woman named Phyllis Schlafly, played by Cate Blanchett in her first US television role.
The series explores one of the toughest battlegrounds in the culture wars of the 1970s which helped give rise to the Moral Majority and forever shifted the US political landscape.
Mrs America features an all-star cast and is depicted by the women of the era from ‘sweetheart of the silent majority’ Schlafly, to the second wave feminists such as Gloria Steinem (Rose Byrne) the most recognizable leader of the women’s movement, who played a major part in the effort to pass the ERA.
Sarah Paulson (American Horror Story) plays “Alice,” a fictional character and Phyllis’ best friend who joins her to block the ERA.
Margo Martindale (The Americans) plays Bella Abzug, a three-term US Congresswoman, trailblazer in the feminist movement and leader in the effort to pass the ERA.
Uzo Aduba (Orange is the New Black) plays Shirley Chisholm, the first African American Congresswoman and, when she launched her unprecedented 1972 campaign, the first African American candidate to run for President from a major political party.
Elizabeth Banks (The Hunger Games) plays Jill Ruckelshaus, a pro-choice, socially progressive Republican who was appointed by President Ford to run a presidential commission to advance women’s rights and push for ratification of the ERA. She fought to keep the Republican Party from being taken over by the Religious Right.
Tracey Ullman plays Betty Friedan, the author of The Feminine Mystique and founder of the National Women’s Political Caucus. She was an active proponent of the ERA.
The series also stars John Slattery, Ari Graynor, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Melanie Lynskey and Kayli Carter.
MRS AMERICA is executive produced by Emmy Award winner Dahvi Waller, who serves as creator and showrunner, Academy Award nominated Stacey Sher, Coco Francini, Cate Blanchett and Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck, who directed four of the nine episodes, including the first two.
MRS AMERICA will debut on Tuesday, April 21 at 8.30pm, with weekly episodes available to watch on FOX SHOWCASE. MRS AMERICA is also available to stream for Foxtel subscribers On Demand via internet connected IQ boxes, on smartphones and tablets using the Foxtel GO app, and via Foxtel Now.
Mrs America: Tuesday, April 21 at 8.30pm on FOX SHOWCASE
