Is 'The Prom' actress Jo Ellen Pellman dating anyone? Meet the star of Ryan Murphy's debut musical feature film
Spoilers for Netflix's 'The Prom'
Jo Ellen Pellman who's played Bree in 'Deuce' (2019) and Mary Brandt in 'The University' (2019), plays the wonderfully delivered role of Emma Nolan in the new Ryan Murphy directed Netflix musical feature film 'The Prom' (2020). The movie, if you've watched it, is fantastic in its inclusivity and representation. From actors of color to championing for the LGBTQIA+ community, it's definitely a winner. The star of the movie is Emma Nolan played by Pellman who's school cancels her prom refusing to allow her and her girlfriend to attend. Who is this newcomer Nolan who had the opportunity to star alongside the likes of Meryl Streep, Nicole Kidman, Kerry Washington and James Corden?
Born on October 29, 1996, in the US, Pellman was hand-selected by Ryan Murphy to star in the Tony-winning Broadway musical adaptation. She plays a strong highschooler who just wants to dance with her prom date. In the movie, she makes a wonderful pair with her girlfriend, Alyssa Greene (Ariana DeBose), but in real life, is she dating anyone? For now, there has been no revelation that Pellman is in a relationship, but there are many interesting facts you may not know about her. According to reports, the budding actress worked as a Michigan's South Asia Fellows for an NGO where Popsugar reveals she held theater workshops for human trafficking survivors and women in jail.
The actress has been in a few roles such as 'The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel' and has also expressed that playing a Queer Woman on 'The Prom' meant a lot. In an interview with Motionpictures.org, Pellman said this of her character: "I think what’s so remarkable about the character of Emma is the optimism that she has in the face of all of this inequality." In another interview with The Queer Review, the guitar playing actress said that the "wonderful" part of the experience of playing this role was knowing she brings her "authentic" self to the role - "not only be accepted but celebrated," she added. Pellman's unique zhuzh when it came to delivery Nolan's character was no joke, but that came with some practice we presume. The actress reportedly majored in musical theatre and minored in creative writing at the University of Michigan. She's also been part of more than a few musical productions!
In the Motionpictures.org interview, Pellman spoke of what the audience should take away from watching 'The Prom'. She said, "If there’s one thing that young audiences especially walk away from this, which cannot be understated, it’s the importance of a chosen family." Pellman was effortless in the film, with director Ryna Murphy calling Pellman and co-star Ariana the "beating hearts of the movie" in an Instagram post that showed Pellman hearing she had got the part of Nolan in the film. In fact, Pellman is friends with Corden. Cinemanblend reported that Corden had even face-timed Pellman's grandmother when she was in the hospital.
In The Queer Review, when asked if there was someone that made it feel like it was okay to be herself when growing up she revealed that it was her mother. “I would have to say my mom. My mom is gay and so I really did grow up in this very unique experience that I’m so fortunate to have had where queerness was the norm. Not only was I able to start to see more and more queer characters on television and in film and in music, but also it was just the norm in my household and I have this wonderfully complex, strong mother to look up to. Thank you mom is all I can really say!" Pellman said.
Pellman's Nolan is sweet in the aches of relatable realities faced in the LGBTQIA+ community, and the comedy brings unexpected smiles for sure. In 'The Prom' the school's policy states that should a student bring a date, it was to be of the opposite sex. While the principal of the school Tom Hawkins played by the famous Keegan-Michael Key was rallying for Nolan's right to go to a high school prom like every girl gets to, the PTA of the school was not having it. After Hawkins decides to get the state attorney involved making this a civil rights case, it attracted the attention of "narcissistic" Broadway Stars who decide to help Emma in the efforts of becoming "Broadway activists". Basically, they help Emma for free publicity since they were destroyed by the reviews of their recent Broadway musical.
'The Prom' is now available to stream on Netflix.
