'Pose' season 2: Broadway legend Patti LuPone to star in upcoming instalment, may not play Madonna
Ryan Murphy's groundbreaking series 'Pose' is silently gearing up for season 2 and, from what we know, the upcoming installment is going to tell the story from around the time when Madonna's 'Vogue' brought the underground drag ballroom culture to the mainstream with her 1990s' hit.
The question if Madonna will make a cameo in season 2 is still not answered but the indicators suggest it is highly unlikely since Murphy has made it clear that the show isn't about "stunt casting." Murphy proved his words on Saturday when he announced that Broadway legend Patti LuPone will guest star on the upcoming season of the FX drama.
"We’ve come up with this great role for Patti LuPone. She loves the show and we wrote this part and she said, ‘Yes, I want to do it,’ so she’s coming to play with us in a couple of weeks," Murphy revealed while moderating the 'Pose' panel at PaleyFest at Dolby Theatre.
Patti LuPone is a two-time Grammy Award winner and a two-time Tony Award winner, and she is best known for her stage musicals. No further details about the 69-year-old legendary actress's character were revealed but, according to reports, the news delighted the cast and the fans, especially MJ Rodriguez, who plays the leading role, Blanca, in the critically acclaimed drama.
A hardcore fan of LuPone, Rodriguez was "gagged," when Murphy broke the news that Blanca and Billy Porter will be sharing plenty of screen time with LuPone.
The question is, how will the entry of a Broadway star change the course of the show set in the backdrop of Reagan era New York where LGBTQIA+ community was seen as a group of outcast who thrived on drag ballroom culture while battling plaguing HIV/AIDS and struggling with identity on a daily basis?
If LuPone were to play herself, then by 1990s, she already had a recurring role as defense attorney Ruth Miller on 'Law & Order.' She had already been nominated twice for an Emmy Award and had a cameo as herself on an episode of 'Saturday Night Live' hosted by Kelsey Grammer.
Even if she is given a new character, it will still be a delight as Dominique Jackson, who plays the leading role of Elektra Abundance, said in the same event: "I have no idea what’s going on, but for Season 2 I honestly trust in the writing and realize that sometimes we have to let go."
Fans have taken upon themselves to throw a wild guess at what her role could be. A Reddit user wrote: "Patti LuPone as Madonna? I’m here for that," while another user opined that this "seems like a guest role, I’m sure it won’t take her more than a couple of weeks to shoot."
If you're wondering whether she is going to play the 'Material Girl,' then let's rewind to 2017 when the veteran Broadway star roasted Madonna on 'Watch What Happens Live.' When a caller inquired if she and Madonna had ever discussed their two iconic performances as Evita, Argentina's former first lady, Eva Perón, whose portrayal won LuPone a Tony Award in 1980 and Madonna a Golden Globe, LuPone said "Madonna is a movie killer. She's dead behind the eyes. She cannot act her way out of a paper bag."
So, maybe, she isn't Madonna after all.
And given that the new season is about the divide in the drag community after Madonna’s dance single came out, conflict seems to be the cards. At that time, The House of Ninja felt the singer had stolen Willie Ninja’s style, while the House of Xtravaganza was employed by Madonna for several years.
The new cast also includes Sandra Bernhard as a series regular. Season 2 is believed to air in June this year. Here's a trailer for season 1 and click here to know everything we know about the upcoming season.
