'The Politician': Gwyneth Paltrow, Jessica Lange and Ben Platt Reveal Everything You Need to Know! (Exclusive)
What happens when you take a male-version of Glee's Rachel Berry, a carbon copy of Chanel Oberlin from Scream Queens, and add in a dash of American Horror's Story's leading lady?
Ryan Murphy's newest Netflix series: The Politician.
In this dark, eight-episode dramedy, Payton Hobart (Ben Platt) is maniacally convinced of his destiny to become the President of the United States. But before he can bulldoze his way to the White House, Payton first needs to win another election: to become the student body president at his posh Santa Barbara high school.
To call The Politician a "star-studded" series would be a wild understatement. A-list ladies like Jessica Lange, Gwyneth Paltrow, Judith Light and Bette Midler are woven in and out of the tale while a plethora of "it-girl" actresses like Bohemian Rhapsody's Lucy Boynton and Set It Up's Zoey Deutch also share the screen.
Ready to know more before you binge? ET caught up with some of The Politician's cast to bring you exclusive secrets and behind-the-scenes stories about Netflix's buzziest new show!
It's a Family Affair For Gwyneth Paltrow
"The Politician is a really brilliant, great show. I have a little part in it, my husband [Brad Falchuk] wrote it, he's one of the co-creators," the 46-year-old actress dished to ET's Kevin Fraizer on the Emmys red carpet earlier this week. "They make it look like it's a bigger part than I have, in the poster, but I'm very excited about it. It's very good."
Paltrow's "little part" is actually not so little. The blonde beauty plays Georgina Hobart, the kind and compassionate mother of Payton Hobart.
"When you know you're going to work with somebody like Gwyneth, there's a larger-than-life picture in your mind," Platt shared with ET at The Politician junket in June. "All of our scenes are the most intimate scenes that my character gets to have. He postures a lot for people, but with his mother, I think he's the most himself."
"It was so easy with her because she's connective and warm and dropped in and made me feel that maternal love immediately," Platt continued with a smile. "And it didn't feel like she was holier or greater than. She just felt like my mom."
Jessica Lange Brings the Laughs
Once again, Murphy has recruited one of his favorite leading ladies to join his latest small screen endeavor – and this could be Lange's most outrageous role yet! As the ultra manipulative Dusty Jackson, Lange shares the majority of her Politician scenes with her on-screen granddaughter, Infinity Jackson, played by Deutch.
"She's spectacular," Deutch gushed to ET when asked about working alongside Lange. "I mean, [she's] one of the most psychotically funny people that have ever walked the face of the earth. I don't know if you remember the scene with the bologna cups, but half of that scene didn't actually make it into the show, because Ben and I were crying laughing. The entire crew was like, crying and I don't even know, all she did was explain how the bologna cups were made in, like, a sentence."
"Sometimes you get lucky," Lange said of working with Deutch, "Sometimes there's just a chemistry there and you immediately like the other person. And the stuff we had to do was well-written, so we didn't have to struggle with that."
"Plus, it was a lot of humor and that makes it easier right away," the Academy Award-winning actress added.
They're Upping the Star Power for Season 2!
We're not going to spoil the ending before you binge, but you'll be delighted to know that Judith Light and Bette Midler make brief but brilliant appearances in the season one finale. What's even more exciting? These iconic actresses have already signed on to reprise their Politician roles for season two!
When we asked Platt what he can spill about Payton's next chapter, he was candid about his limitations. "Basically nothing!" he teased. "But just the fact that we have those two extraordinary actresses on board is wild."
Season one of The Politician is now streaming on Netflix.
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