David Farnor | On 15, May 2019

Netflix’s Tales of the City premieres this June, continuing Armistead Maupin’s beloved franchise for another generation.

Inspired by Maupin’s books of, the limited series takes us back to 28 Barbary Lane with Mary Ann (Laura Linney) as she forges a new relationship with her daughter (Elliot Page) and reconnects with Anna Madrigal (Olympia Dukakis). We also dive deeper into Anna’s past and meet her ever growing found family as they experience the ups and downs of life in modern San Francisco.

The cast is already impressive, whether you’re a newcomer to Tales or not, but now, we have our first look at two more impressive guest stars: Jen Richards as young Anna Madrigal and Daniela Vega as her best friend, Ysela, from a flashback episode focused on Anna’s arrival in San Fran. The episode depicts the Compton’s Cafeteria Riot in 1966, which marked the beginning of the transgender rights movement.
 
The photo’s above, and you can go behind-the-scenes of the episode with a new featurette:

 

Tales of the City is available on Netflix UK, as part of an £9.99 monthly subscription.

 

Watch: Trailer for Netflix’s Tales of the City

10th April 2019

Netflix is going back to Barbary Lane this summer, as it resurrects Armistead Maupin’s Tales of the City for a new series.

Inspired by the books of Armistead Maupin, the show begins a new chapter in the beloved story, with Laura Linney reprising her role as Mary Ann, alongside returning stars Olympia Dukakis as Anna Madrigal and Barbara Garrick as DeDe Halycon Day. They will be joined by Elliot Page as Shawna, Mary Ann’s daughter.

The books previously inspired a 1993 miniseries on Channel 4 and Showtime, followed by More Tales of the City in 1998 and Further Tales of the City in 2001. Netflix’s series follows Mary Ann as he returns to present-day San Francisco and is reunited with her daughter Shawna and ex-husband Brian (Paul Gross), 20 years after leaving them behind to pursue her career. Fleeing the midlife crisis that her picture-perfect Connecticut life created, Mary Ann is quickly drawn back into the orbit of Anna Madrigal (Olympia Dukakis), her chosen family and a new generation of queer young residents living at 28 Barbary Lane.

Armistead Maupin’s Tales of the City is a Working Title Television and NBCUniversal International studios production for Netflix. Lauren Morelli serves as Showrunner and Executive Producer, alongside Executive Producer/Director Alan Poul, and Executive Producers Armistead Maupin and Laura Linney. Working Title’s Andrew Stearn, Liza Chasin, Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner executive produce.

The series spotlights LGBTQ people both in front of and behind the camera, with a cast that includes: Murray Bartlett (Looking) as the lovable Michael ‘Mouse’ Tolliver – longtime resident at Barbary Lane and Mary Ann’s best friend; Charlie Barnett (Chicago Fire) as Mouse’s boyfriend Ben Marshall; newcomers Josiah Victoria Garcia as Jake Rodriguez, a newer resident on Barbary Lane who is a transgender man and a caregiver for Anna Madrigal, and May Hong (High Maintenance) as Jake’s long-term girlfriend, Margot Park.

Among the talented roster of recurring cast members are: Jen Richards (Her Story, Mrs. Fletcher) as a young Anna Madrigal, Daniela Vega (A Fantastic Woman) as Ysela, a trans woman who plays a pivotal role in Anna’s life; Michelle Buteau (First Wives Club) as Wren, Brian’s no-nonsense best friend; Ashley Park (Broadway’s Mean Girls) and Christopher Larkin (The 100) as twins Ani and Raven who are newer residents of Barbary Lane; Caldwell Tidicue, aka. Bob the Drag Queen (RuPaul’s Drag Race), as Ida Best the manager of a burlesque club where Shawna and Margot work; Matthew Risch (Modern Family, Looking) as Mouse’s ex-boyfriend Harrison; Michael Park (Dear Evan Hansen) as Mary Ann’s husband Robert; Dickie Hearts (Grace & Frankie) as Mateo, DeDe’s housekeeper; Benjamin Thys (The Meyerowitz Stories) and Samantha Soule (Godless) as a queer polyamorous married couple, Eli and Inka; and Juan Castano (The OA, What/If) as Ben’s co-worker Flaco Ramirez.

Now, we have a first look at that cast in action with a string of new stills and a trailer. Watch the teaser below, along with the poster for the series.

 

 

Paul Gross to return as Brian in Netflix’s Tales of the City

18th October 2018

Paul Gross will reprise his role as Brian Hawkins in Netflix’s revival of Tales of the City.

Armistead Maupin’s novels, which have run from 1978 through to 2014, are no stranger to the screen, with a 1993 miniseries on Channel 4 and Showtime starring Laura Linney and Olympia Dukakis as Mary Ann Singleton and Anna Madrigal. That led to More Tales of the City in 1998 and Further Tales of the City in 2001. Earlier this year, Netflix announced its own continuation of the franchise, with Linney and Dukakis both reprising their roles, alongside Barbara Garrick as DeDe Halycon Day. Now, Netflix has confirmed that another familiar face will also appear in the series, with Gross returning as Brian, the ex-husband of Mary Ann Singleton and the father of Shawna Hawkins, who will played by Elliot Page.

This new chapter follows Mary Ann, who returns home to San Francisco and is reunited with her daughter and Brian, 20 years after leaving them behind to pursue her career. Fleeing the midlife crisis that her picture perfect Connecticut life created, Mary Ann returns home to her chosen family and will quickly be drawn back into the orbit of Anna Madrigal and the residents of 28 Barbary Lane.

The rest of the cast has also been assembled, and the line-up of talents and characters is impressively diverse and inclusive.

Murray Bartlett (Looking) will play the lovable Michael ‘Mouse’ Tolliver – longtime resident at Barbary Lane and Mary Ann’s best friend; Charlie Barnett (Chicago Fire) will play Mouse’s boyfriend Ben Marshall; newcomers Josiah Victoria Garcia will play the role of Jake Rodriguez, a newer resident on Barbary Lane who is a transgender man and a caregiver for Anna Madrigal, and May Hong (High Maintenance) as Jake’s long-term girlfriend, Margot Park. Among the talented roster of recurring cast members are: Jen Richards (Her Story, Mrs. Fletcher) as a young Anna Madrigal, Daniela Vega (A Fantastic Woman) as Ysela, a trans woman who plays a pivotal role in Anna’s life; Michelle Buteau (First Wives Club) as Wren, Brian’s no-nonsense best friend; Ashley Park (Broadway’s Mean Girls) and Christopher Larkin (The 100) as twins Ani and Raven who are newer residents of Barbary Lane; Caldwell Tidicue, aka. Bob the Drag Queen (RuPaul’s Drag Race), as Ida Best the manager of a burlesque club where Shawna and Margot work; Matthew Risch (Modern Family, Looking) as Mouse’s ex-boyfriend Harrison; Michael Park (Dear Evan Hansen) as Mary Ann’s husband Robert; Dickie Hearts (Grace & Frankie) as Mateo, DeDe’s housekeeper; Benjamin Thys (The Meyerowitz Stories) and Samantha Soule (Godless) as a queer polyamorous married couple, Eli and Inka; and Juan Castano (The OA, What/If) as Ben’s co-worker Flaco Ramirez.

Currently in production, the series spotlights LGBTQ people both in front of and behind the camera. Showrunner / Executive Producer and writer Lauren Morelli (Co-Executive Producer and writer Orange Is the New Black) and Producing Director and Executive Producer Alan Poul (Tales of the City, Six Feet Under, The Newsroom), who are both part of the LGBTQ community, have assembled an entirely queer writing team, comprised of Andy Parker, Patricia Resnick, Marcus Gardley, Jen Silverman, Hansol Jung and Thomas Page McBee to create the authentic and multigenerational LGBTQ characters and stories. Talented directors who are also part of the LGBTQ community including Silas Howard, Sydney Freeland, Stacie Passon and Kyle Alvarez bring the vibrant, warm and colourful world of Barbary Lane to life.

Transgender people involved in the production include: Josiah Victoria Garcia (Jake), Jen Richards (young Anna Madrigal), who starred in and was a writer and producer on the Emmy-nominated web series Her Story, about dating as a trans woman, Daniela Vega (Ysela), the lead of the Academy Award-winning film A Fantastic Woman, writer Thomas Page McBee, and directors Silas Howard and Sydney Freeland.

Armistead Maupin’s Tales of the City is a Working Title Television and NBCUniversal International studios production for Netflix. The 10-part Netflix original limited series will debut in 2019.

 

Armistead Maupin’s Tales of the City heads to Netflix

25th April 2018

Armistead Maupin’s Tales of the City novels are heading to Netflix for a new series.

The novels, which have run from 1978 through to 2014, are no stranger to the screen, with a 1993 miniseries on Channel 4 and Showtime starring Laura Linney and Olympia Dukakis as Mary Ann Singleton and Anna Madrigal. That led to More Tales of the City in 1998 and Further Tales of the City in 2001. Now, Netflix is getting the gang back together for another run, with Linney and Dukakis both reprising their roles, alongside Barbara Garrick as DeDe Halcyon Day. They will be joined by Elliot Page as Shawna, Mary Ann’s daughter.

A Working Title Television and NBCUniversal International studios production for Netflix, this next chapter – Armistead Maupin’s Tales of the City – follows Mary Ann (Laura Linney), who returns home to San Francisco and is reunited with her daughter (Elliot Page) and ex-husband Brian, 20 years after leaving them behind to pursue her career. Fleeing the midlife crisis that her picture perfect Connecticut life created, Mary Ann returns home to her chosen family and will quickly be drawn back into the orbit of Anna Madrigal (Olympia Dukakis) and the residents of 28 Barbary Lane.

Lauren Morelli (Orange is The New Black) serves as showrunner/executive producer and writer of the series, with Maupin executive producing, alongside Linney, director Alan Poul, and Working Title’s Andrew Stearn, Liza Chasin, Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner. Michael Cunningham will serve as a consulting producer.

“I couldn’t be more excited about this new brand-new incarnation of Tales. It’s set in present-day San Francisco with all the joys and complications that might suggest for the residents of 28 Barbary Lane,” says Maupin. “Mrs. Madrigal’s tenants, both old and new, will be entangled in delicious new adventures and ever-expanding possibilities for love.”

“The magical, vivid world that Armistead Maupin built in Tales of the City is one that offered so many – particularly the LGBTQ+ community – a home for the first time. For many, Tales was the first time they saw themselves on screen,” adds Morelli. “I am humbled to now find my own home within Tales and to continue telling Armistead’s stories.”

Poul comments: “For me, the opportunity to come back to a series I started work on 25 years ago is the homecoming of a lifetime. There’s never been a better moment to reignite Armistead’s timeless take on family and community, and I’m thrilled to be collaborating with such a brilliant mix of old friends and new.”

Netflix has ordered a 10-episode series, which is expected to start production later this year and debut in 2019.

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