ollywood (miniseries)

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Hollywood

Genre Drama

Ryan Murphy
Created by
Ian Brennan

Starring David Corenswet

Darren Criss

Laura Harrier

Joe Mantello

Dylan McDermott

Jake Picking

Jeremy Pope

Holland Taylor

Samara Weaving

Jim Parsons

Patti LuPone

Country of origin United States

Original language(s) English

No. of episodes 7 (list of episodes)

Production

Executive producer(s) Ryan Murphy

Ian Brennan

Alexis Martin Woodall

 Janet Mock

Eric Kovtun

Ned Martel

Darren Criss

Jim Parsons

David Corenswet

Producer(s) Todd Nenninger

Lou Eyrich

Eryn Krueger Mekash

Cinematography Simon Dennis

Blake McClure

Editor(s) Butch Wertman

Andrew Groves

Suzanne Spangler

Lousine Shamamian

Running time 44–57 minutes

Production company(s) Ryan Murphy Television

Prospect Films

Release

Original network Netflix

Original release May 1, 2020

External links

Official website

Hollywood is an American drama web television miniseries starring

an ensemble of David Corenswet, Darren Criss, Laura Harrier, Joe Mantello, Dylan
McDermott, Jake Picking, Jeremy Pope, Holland Taylor, Samara Weaving, Jim
Parsons, and Patti LuPone. The series was created by Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan.
It was released on May 1, 2020, on Netflix.[1]
The miniseries is about a group of aspiring actors and filmmakers during the Hollywood
Golden Age in the post-World War II era trying to make their dreams come true. The
series received mixed reviews from critics who praised the performances of the cast
and production value, but criticized its tone, writing, and the artistic license taken.
 Contents

 1Premise
 2Cast
o 2.1Main
o 2.2Recurring
o 2.3Guest
 3Episodes
 4Production
o 4.1Development
o 4.2Casting
 5Reception
 6References
 7External links

Premise[edit]
The series follows a group of aspiring actors and filmmakers in post-World War
II Hollywood (1947-1948) as they try to make it in the movie industry — no matter what
the cost. Each character offers a unique glimpse behind the gilded curtain
of Hollywood's Golden Age, noting entrenched power, challenges to that power, and
biases of many kinds that continue to this day. The show is described as exposing and
examining decades-old power dynamics, and what the entertainment landscape might
look like if they had been dismantled.[2]

Cast[edit]
Main[edit]

 David Corenswet as Jack Castello, a World War II veteran who moves

to Hollywood in hopes of becoming an actor
 Darren Criss as Raymond Ainsley, a half-Filipino aspiring film director hoping to
break boundaries in Hollywood, and Camille's boyfriend
 Laura Harrier as Camille Washington, an up-and-coming black actress facing
prejudice because of her race, and Raymond's girlfriend
 Joe Mantello as Richard "Dick" Samuels, a studio executive at Ace Studios who
is a closeted gay man
 Dylan McDermott as Ernest "Ernie" West, a pimp, based on Scotty Bowers, who
runs his business out of a gas station and recruits Jack
 Jake Picking as Roy Fitzgerald / Rock Hudson, a fictionalized version of the
actor, and Archie's boyfriend
 Jeremy Pope as Archie Coleman, a black aspiring screenwriter facing prejudice,
and Rock's boyfriend
 Holland Taylor as Ellen Kincaid, a studio executive and mentor for aspiring actors
at Ace Studios
 Samara Weaving as Claire Wood, an up-and-coming actress, Camille's rival, and
the daughter of Ace and Avis Amberg
 Jim Parsons as Henry Willson, a fictionalized version of the Hollywood talent
agent whose clients included Rock Hudson
 Patti LuPone as Avis Amberg, wife of Ace Amberg, the head of Ace Studios, and
a former actress
Recurring[edit]

 Maude Apatow as Henrietta Castello, Jack's wife who is pregnant with twins and
works as a waitress
 Mira Sorvino as Jeanne Crandall, a successful actress, Ace's mistress, and
Camille's scene partner
 Michelle Krusiec as Anna May Wong, a fictionalized version of the Chinese-
American actress who Raymond tries to help
Guest[edit]

 Rob Reiner as Ace Amberg, the head of Ace Studios and the husband of Avis
 Brian Chenoweth as Lon Silver, Ace's attorney
 Jake Regal as Erwin Kaye, a man Henrietta works with and has an affair with
 William Frederick Knight as Harry Golden, a veteran film editor at Ace Studios
 Queen Latifah as Hattie McDaniel, a fictionalized version of the actress who
gives Camille advice
 Katie McGuinness as Vivien Leigh, a fictionalized version of the actress
 Paget Brewster as Tallulah Bankhead, a fictionalized version of the actress
 Harriet Sansom Harris as Eleanor Roosevelt, a fictionalized version of the First
Lady and Avis's friend
 Daniel London as George Cukor, a fictionalized version of the director and
producer known for his grand house parties
 Billy Boyd as Noël Coward, a fictionalized version of the playwright, composer,
director, and actor
 Alison Wright as Ms. Roswell, the gatekeeper to Ace Studios

Episodes[edit]
No. Title Directed by

1 "Hooray for Hollywood" Ryan Murphy

In post World War II, veteran Jack Castello moves to Los Angeles in order to make his big break in Hollywood. However, Jack
wanting to buy a house. At a bar, Jack meets Ernie West who offers him a job at his gas station which Jack accepts. Ernie revea
Ernie tries to force him to service a male customer, but gets his job back when he finds out Henrietta is pregnant with twins. Lat
first day on the job, Archie services aspiring actor Roy Fitzgerald. After servicing a casting director, Jack finally gets an acting j

2 "Hooray for Hollywood: Part 2" Daniel Minahan

Ernie bails out Jack from jail. Jack later services again his first client, Avis Amberg, whose husband owns the studio where he w
recruits Anna May Wong to be his leading lady. He meets with studio executive Dick Samuels who warns him about casting W
contract. Meanwhile, aspiring black actress and Raymond’s girlfriend Camille Washington finds herself only able to get parts as
a script written by Archie about a woman who jumped off the Hollywood sign. Archie also continues to service Roy and the two
on as a client on the condition that he submits to Wilson’s sexual desires and that his name be changed to Rock Hudson. Samue

3 "Outlaws" Michael Uppendahl

Ernie reveals to the attendants that they have been invited to an exclusive Hollywood party hosted by George Cukor to service t
for the role. Henry invites Rock to join him at the Cukor party in order for Rock to socialize with Samuels, who will be at the pa
test for Peg while Camille attempts to convince Raymond to give her the part and offers him ideas on how to tweak the script. A
laments about how he has always had to play a role and hide who he really is, before telling Roy to stop allowing Henry to cont
her the star of Peg. Samuels, inspired by his interaction with Rock, and Ellen agree to fight for Camille to be the lead.

4 "(Screen) Tests" Janet Mock

Ace Amberg, the head of the studio, greenlights Peg but demands that Archie be taken off the project due to the scandal an Afri
Ace incapacitated, Avis is put in charge of the studio. Samuels tells Archie the bad news about being removed from the movie, b
Camille prepare for her screen test, with Raymond directing her to put more emotion into it. During his screen test, Roy constan
great performance in her test, Avis worries about casting a black woman and reluctantly chooses Claire. Jack is cast as the male
rousing and inspiring speech to Avis on why she should cast Camille in the lead role.

5 "Jump" Michael Uppendahl

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Avis is still wary about hiring Camille for the movie, but is finally convinced by Samuels and Ellen. Claire tells her mother she
the movie. The movie’s title is changed to Meg. Camille is congratulated by famous actress Hattie McDaniel, but warns her of t
Archie also tells Roy that he has been cast the movie too. Samuels takes command of production making sure everything is und
convince them to change the ending, so Meg lives. Later, the studio finds out a local gossip magazine finds out about Jack’s arre
favor. Henry has the magazine writer brutally beaten by some mafia thugs and the reporter agrees not to run the story. In return,
budget redo; Samuels berates him and forces him to pay for it himself. Ellen makes a pass at Samuels who rebuffs her telling he
friend she has grown quite close to and she is moving away with him. Jack moves in with Archie.

6 "Meg" Janet Mock

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The Ku Klux Klan and other white supremacists begin sending messages to those involved in the movie. Ace’s lawyer threatens
Henrietta apologize to one another and say a final goodbye. To repay Ernie for his help, Jack and Archie offer him a part in the
with the cast and crew loving it. Archie asks Roy to move in with him which he accepts. Jack and Claire fall for each other and
loves the movie. Samuels threatens to quit unless the movie is released and tells Ace that he is gay. Henry feels unsatisfied by th
longer runs the studio and now must be a housewife. She demands to co-president the studio and Ace agrees to it. The two recon
leaving her grieving. Amberg’s lawyer has reel for Meg burned.

7 "A Hollywood Ending" Jessica Yu

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Avis fires the lawyer who had the movie print burned. At Ace’s funeral, the film’s editor reveals he made a copy for safekeepin
and confess their love. Ernie reveals his terminal lung cancer but she accepts him anyway. Jack and Claire sleep together and sta
some advice: sit in the front: the most important thing is to be in the room. Hattie tells Camille that only got servant parts, so ow
with Roy, making it their official coming out. Roy fires Henry as his agent after he berates him for coming out with Archie. Wh
win. Jack loses but proposes to Claire who accepts. Hattie congratulates Camille on her win. A year later, Henry is sober and ap
homosexuals and offers him the lead role. Samuels has also died and everyone involved in Meg attends his funeral. Henry asks
and Archie’s new movie.

Production[edit]
Development[edit]
On February 23, 2019, it was announced that Netflix had given the production a
straight-to-series order. The series was created by Ian Brennan, and Ryan Murphy.
Brennan and Murphy were also set to executive produce the series alongside Darren
Criss and David Corenswet.[3] The series was released on May 1, 2020. [1]
Casting[edit]
On September 3, 2019, it was reported that Patti LuPone, Holland Taylor, Criss, Jeremy
Pope, Dylan McDermott, Jim Parsons, Corenswet, and Joe Mantello had been cast in
series regular roles.[4][5][6][7]

Reception[edit]
On Rotten Tomatoes, the series holds an approval rating of 57% based on 100 reviews,
with an average rating of 5.89/10. The site's critical consensus reads: "With its heart on
its sleeve and style to spare, Hollywood is anything but subtle -- if only its good
intentions were paired with a less convoluted story." [8] On Metacritic, the series has a
weighted average score of 55 out of 100, based on 32 critics, indicating "mixed or
average reviews".[9]
Writing for the Chicago Sun-Times, Richard Roeper gave the series two-and-a-half
stars out of four, saying: "It's a fascinating blend of fact (or least stories based on factual
characters) and fiction, and the performances from the cast of rising stars and reliable
veterans are dazzling — but like many a motion picture, Hollywood can't overcome
script problems that surface about midway through the story." [10]
Conversely, Hugh Montgomery of the BBC described the series as "spineless and
inert", giving it one out of five stars and saying "A show about Tinseltown that chose to
confront and prod at these continuing, dispiriting realities rather than concoct its own
vapid, hubristic fantasies would be worth 10 times this one." [11] Similarly, The Guardian's
Lucy Mangan criticized its "counterfactual history", giving the series a two out of five-
star review, writing: "This should be the perfect set-up for a scabrous look at prejudice,
corruption, the trading of sexual currency, coercion, the well-oiled machinations that
underlie an industry and how it all shapes history — all through a #MeToo lens. But it
becomes a mere wish-fulfilment fantasy that, whether it intends to or not, suggests that
if a few people had just been that bit braver, then movies — and therefore the world! —
would be a glorious, egalitarian Eden. It is a show that is smug and obtuse enough to
believe la la land’s self-regarding idea that celluloid art directly shapes our lives." [12]