‘Mrs. America’ Series With Cate Blanchett Adds a Crop of Talented Actors

Rose Byrne, Sarah Paulson, John Slattery, Uzo Aduba, Ari Graynor, Melanie Lynskey, Jeanne Tripplehorn, James Marsden, Margo Martindale, Kayli Carter and Tracey Ullman are boarding the limited series “Mrs. America.” These actors will be joining Cate Blanchett in her first U.S. TV show, which has been set on FX.

“Mrs. America” comes from Emmy-winning writer and showrunner Dahvi Waller and executive producers Stacey Sher, Waller, Coco Francini, Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck. The nine-episode drama series’ logline indicates that the show will cover “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 Blanchett.” The actress will also have producer credits in the series.

Below are the character descriptions, as per a press release from FX:

ROSE BYRNE as GLORIA STEINEM – Steinem was the most recognizable leader of the women’s movement, who co-founded Ms. Magazine and played a major part in the effort to pass the ERA.

SARAH PAULSON as “ALICE” (Fictional) – “Alice” is Phyllis’ best friend who joins Phyllis’ efforts to block the ERA.

JOHN SLATTERY as FRED SCHLAFLY – Phyllis’ husband was a prominent lawyer, GOP donor and anti-communist.

UZO ADUBA as SHIRLEY CHISHOLM – Chisholm not only made history as the first African American Congresswoman, but also became the first African American candidate to run for President from a national political party when she launched her unprecedented 1972 campaign.

ARI GRAYNOR as BRENDA FEIGEN-FASTEAU – A Harvard-educated lawyer, Feigen-Fasteau was a young feminist in the women’s movement who co-founded Ms. Magazine with Steinem and helped the feminist effort to pass the ERA.

MELANIE LYNSKEY as ROSEMARY THOMSON – Thomson was a homemaker in Schlafley’s inner circle who eagerly joined her fight against the ERA.

JEANNE TRIPPLEHORN as ELEANOR SCHLAFLY – Eleanor is Fred’s unmarried sister and a close confidante of Phyllis. Eleanor is a devoted aunt to Phyllis’ six children.

JAMES MARSDEN as PHIL CRANE – Crane was a conservative congressman from Phyllis’ home state of Illinois and one of her most powerful allies.

MARGO MARTINDALE as BELLA ABZUG – A leading figure in the feminist movement, Abzug was a three-term Congresswoman who spearheaded the effort to pass the ERA.

KAYLI CARTER as “PAMELA” (Fictional) – “Pamela” is a young, impressionable housewife who is an early member of Phyllis’ anti-ERA movement.

TRACEY ULLMAN as BETTY FRIEDAN – Known as the mother of the women’s movement, Friedan wrote The Feminine Mystique and co-founded the National Women’s Political Caucus. She was an active proponent of the ERA.

Filming for “Mrs. America” as begun and the show has a 2020 launch date on FX.