In the summer of 1969, beehives are high, Richard Nixon is president and the who’s who of American society flock to Palm Beach. Welcome to the world of Palm Royale!
Loosely based on Juliet McDaniel’s 2018 novel Mr And Mrs American Pie, this eight-part series boasts a dream cast, led by Bridesmaids star Kristen Wiig.
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She plays the social-climbing Maxine, who – desperate to cross the line that separates the haves from the have-nots – schemes her way into the exclusive Palm Beach society set.
But keeping Maxine at bay is a group of wildly glamorous socialites. The reigning queen bee is Evelyn, played by Allison Janney, while Iron Man star Leslie Bibb portrays up-and-comer Dinah.
Allison, 64, tells TV WEEK it was fun to play high-society gatekeepers.
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“You get to be someone who’s so not like you at all,” she says. “Even though Evelyn is very insecure and fearful underneath, she covers it up masterfully.”
The 1960s sets and costumes also make this series a visual feast.
“Every inch of every set made you feel like you’d been transported in time to 1969,” Leslie, 49, says.
“Walking out on set and seeing everyone [in costume], we all looked like we’d stepped out of a Slim Aarons [the US photographer famed for his images of socialites, jet-setters and celebrities] photograph,” Allison adds. “You couldn’t help but feel like you were these ladies.”
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Leslie also raved about the “talented” female-led cast – which boasts Carol Burnett, Laura Dern and Kaia Gerber – and described some of their scenes together as being “like a masterclass in acting”.
Pop icon Ricky Martin also busts out his acting chops with a regular role as mixologist Robert.
The stars say the fun didn’t end when the cameras stopped rolling. Allison says she bonded with legendary comedian Carol, now 90, over their shared daily Wordle battles.
“We’ve done it every day since we started this show two years ago,” she says.
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Meanwhile Leslie says she and Kristen have “become really good friends”.
“This whole show rested on her shoulders… and she did this job with so much grace,” she enthuses. “If she doesn’t win an Emmy [in 2025], I’m going to punch somebody!”
Palm Royale will premiere in Australia on Apple TV+ on March 20, 2024.
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