The True Story Behind Ryan Murphy's Netflix Series ...

From Anna May Wong to Rock Hudson, here are the true stories behind Ryan Murphy's new Netflix series, 'Hollywood.' Entertainment Television TheTrueStoriesBehindRyanMurphy'sNewNetflixSeriesHollywood TheTrueStoriesBehindRyanMurphy'sNewNetflixSeriesHollywood By CadyLang and AnnaPurnaKambhampaty May1,20207:00AMEDT InRyanMurphy‘snewNetflixlimitedseriesHollywood,post-warTinseltownisreenvisionedwithanimaginative“whatif?”approach.TheshowtellsafictionalnarrativeaboutagroupofactorsandfilmmakerstryingtobreakintotheindustryfollowingtheendofWorldWarII.WhilecharacterslikeDarrenCriss’directorRaymondAinsleyandDavidCorenswet’sactorJackCostelloarenotbasedinhistory,muchofthestoryisdrawnfromorinspiredbyrealpeople—includingheartthrobRockHudsonandOscarwinnerHattieMcDaniel—andeventsfromthegoldenageofHollywood. “IwantedtodosomethingwhereIgavesome,ifnotallofthesepeopleahappyending,”MurphytellsTIME.“HowdoImakeacommentaryonthepowerofHollywoodtochangeheartsandminds?Idecidedtoputtogetherafictionalalternative-universeHollywoodandthenpopulateditwithsomerealpeople,andotherfictionalcharacterslooselybasedonrealpeople.”Below,readabouttheaspectsofHollywoodbasedinhistory.AnnaMayWong AnnaMayWongcirca1930;MichelleKrusiecasAnnaMayWongin'Hollywood' SilverScreenCollection/GettyImages;SaeedAdyani/Netflix— WhenviewersfirstencounterAnnaMayWong(playedbyMichelleKrusiec)inHollywood,shetellsCriss’directorRaymondAinsleythataudiences“don’twantaleadingladythatlookslikeme.”“Myentirecareer:oversexed,opium-addledcourtesans;dangerouslyexoticFarEasterntemptresses—that’swhattheywantedtoseefromsomeonewholookslikeme,”shesays.Inreallife,AnnaMayWongwasalsoextremelyvocalaboutthediscriminationsheexperiencedasthefirstChinese-AmericanstarinHollywood.Wongfoundfameinsilentmoviesduringthe1920s,butshealsofoundherselfsidelinedbytheraciststructuresinplaceinherindustryandbeyond.“TheAnnaMayWongstoryisoneofthemostshockingstoriesinHollywoodhistory,andsomanypeopledon’tknowabouther,”Murphysays.“Herewasawomanwhowasclearlyanincrediblybeautifulandtalentedmoviestar,whowasrelegatedtothesesidekickroleseventhoughshehadshownthatshehadgreattalentandrange.”Duetothemiscegenationlawsthatpreventedeventhesuggestionofinterracialrelationshipsonscreen,Wongwasoftencastasdragonladies,villainsorsubmissiveslavegirlsorservants,whileleadroleswenttowhiteactressesinyellowface.ThemostegregiousoftheseinstanceswaswhenWongwaspassedupfortheroleofO-LaninTheGoodEarth,despiteanexcellentscreentestand,crucially,beingtheonlyChinese-AmericanactressinHollywoodatthetime.TherolewenttoLuiseRainer,whowonhersecondconsecutiveOscarforherperformance.“Shewassignificantinthatshewasactuallyoutspokeninthetimewhenthereweren’tanyrolesforher,”sayssociologistNancyWangYuen,theauthorofReelInequality:HollywoodActorsandRacism.“Peoplecanlookbackonherrolesandmightthink,‘Oh,sheplayedintostereotypes,’butthosewerereallytheonlyrolespossible.”AsforTheGoodEarth,YuenexplainsthateventhoughthecharactersinthefilmwereChinese,“TheyhadalreadycastPaulMuni,andbecausehewasawhiteactor,therecouldn’tbeanyinsinuationsofanyromanticrelationships.” InHollywood,Wonggetsanopportunitytotakearolethatdoesn’tplayintostereotypes.Inreality,shesetoffforEuropein1928,whereshebecamethefirstinternationalAsian-Americanstar,actinginfilmsandplaysandhostingherowncabaret.Inthe1950s,shebecamethefirstAsian-AmericanactortobetheleadinaU.S.TVseries,TheGalleryofMadameLiu-Tsong.Theshow’srevisionisthistorydrawsastarkcontrasttotherealitythatthere’sstillmuchmoreworktobedonewhenitcomesrepresentationinHollywood.Todate,noAsian-AmericanactresshaswonanAcademyawardinaleadactingcategory,androlesintendedforAsianactorscontinuetogotowhiteactors.“AsianAmericansinparticular,weareaninvisibleminority,”KrusiectellsTIME.SheaddsthatthealternateuniverseofHollywoodgivesWong,inaway,achancetobeenseenfortheleadingladyshecouldhavebeen.“[Playingher]wasthisjourneyofherreallybeingseenandbeinggivenachancetohaveherwrongsrighted.”HattieMcDaniel AnimagemadeofaphotographofHattieMcDanielthathangsattheTheateratHowardUniversity;QueenLatifahasHattieMcDanielin'Hollywood' TracyAWoodward—TheWashingtonPost/GettyImages— “Justthink,whatwouldHattieMcDanieldo?”CamilleWashington,anaspiringactressplayedbyLauraHarrier,istoldwhileshootingasceneinwhichsheplaysahousemaid.Camillenodsandredoesthesceneinacaricatured,high-pitchedvoice,pleasingthestudioheads.In1940,McDanielbecamethefirstAfrican-AmericanactortowinanOscar,forherroleasMammy,ahousemaidandformerslave,inGonewiththeWind.Houseservants,cooksandmaidswereoftentheonlykindsofpartsavailabletoAfrican-Americanactors,andoverthecourseofhercareer,McDanieltookonmorethan70suchroles.InHollywood,Camillefacesthisobstacleherself.“That’sawhiterole,honey,”she’stoldwhensheinquiresaboutamoresubstantialpartinacrimedrama.Thoughshewasabletobuildacareerandmakeanameforherself,McDanielwasalsosubjecttocriticism,fromtheNationalAssociationfortheAdvancementofColoredPeopleandothers,forperpetuatingnegativestereotypes.McDanieldisagreedwiththeirassessment.“IhaveneverapologizedfortherolesIplay,”shewroteinTheHollywoodReporter.“SeveraltimesIhavepersuadedthedirectorstoomitdialectfrommodernpictures.Theyreadilyagreedtothesuggestion.IhavebeentoldthatIhavekeptalivethestereotypeoftheNegroservantinthemindsoftheatre-goers.Ibelievemycriticsthinkthepublicmorenaïvethanitactuallyis.” MurphysaysheisfascinatedbyMcDaniel’sstory“becauseitisequalpartstriumphandtragedy.ShewasthedaughterofaslaveandshedidmakeawonderfullivingandwinanAcademyAward,butshewasalsodenigratedandshewasn’tgivenotheropportunities.”Laterintheseries,McDanielcomestolifeinMurphy’sfictionalHollywood,playedbyQueenLatifah.ShebecomesamentortoCamille,anewcomertoanindustryrifewithracism,andtellshernottoletanybodyshameher.ShealsosharesherexperienceofbeingbarredfromthehallwheretheOscarceremonytookplacetheyearshewon,becausethevenuehada“nocolored”policy.Thismuchisauthentictohistoricalevents:the12thAcademyAwardswereheldatTheAmbassadorHotel,whichhadjustsuchapolicy.AspecialfavorhadtobecalledinforMcDanieltobeallowedinthebuildingatall,andonceshewas,shewasseatedatasmalltablefarfromtheaction.CamilleWashington LauraHarrierasthecharacterCamillein'Hollywood';LenaHornecirca1945;DorothyDandridgecirca1955 SaeedAdyani—Netflix;MichaelOchsArchive/GettyImages;DonaldsonCollection/GettyImages— CamilleWashington,playedbyLauraHarrier,isafictionalcharacterinspiredbyLenaHorneandDorothyDandridge,accordingtoMurphy.“[Camille]waslooselybasedontheirstruggle,”hesays.“Theywerebeautifulandincrediblytalented,moretalentedthanmanyoftheactresseswhoweregettinggreatopportunities,likeLanaTurner,andyettheyjustcouldnotgetbeyondacertainlevel.”InMurphy’sfictionalworld,Camillegetstheopportunitytoplayaleadingrole—thoughnotwithouthavingtofightforitfirst.Thisplotline,Murphysays,imagineswhatitmighthavelookedlikeifDandridgeandHornehadreceivedmoreopportunitiesearlyintheircareers.ThoughDandrigeandHornewereconsideredtrailblazers,bothstruggledtowinqualitypartsformuchoftheircareers.Horne,whowasundercontractatMGMStudios,hadlittleopportunityoutsideofrolesin“racemovies,”filmstargetedatAfrican-Americanaudiences,andmusicalnumberswhichwerecutfromfilmswhentheyplayedintheSouth.Dandridgeappearedinanumberofuncreditedroles,buteventuallyplayedtheleadinBrightRoad(1953)andthenCarmenJones(1954),forwhichshebecamethefirstAfricanAmericantoearnanOscarnominationforBestActress.(ShelosttoGraceKellyforherperformanceinTheCountryGirl.) Hollywood’shappierendingforCamilleepitomizeswhatCriss’character,Raymond,wishesstudioexecutiveswouldrealize:“Moviesdon’tjustshowushowtheworldis,theyshowushowtheworldcanbe.”HenryWillsonandRockHudson HenryWillsonandRockHudson;JimParsonsasHenryWillsonandJakePickingasRockHudsonin'Hollywood' 20thCenturyFox/Kobal/Shutterstock;Netflix— RockHudsonwasoneofthemostsought-afterleadingmenduringthe1950sand1960s,playingoppositestarslikeDorisDay,ElizabethTaylorandLaurenBacall.Buthespentthemajorityofhiscareerandhislifeinthecloset.Hudson,whowasbornRoyScherer,Jr.inWinnetka,Ill.,kepthispersonallifeunderwrapsduetotheintensehomophobiainboththeindustryandtheworldatthetime.“LongbeforehelandedinHollywood,heunderstoodthatifhewantedtobeaccepted,theveryessenceofwhohewaswouldhavetobeeditedoutoftheframe,”writesMarkGriffininAllThatHeavenAllows,abiographyofHudson.Hudson,whomademorethan60filmsduringhiscareer,wasextremelyprivateabouthispersonalaffairs.Hehadashort-livedmarriagewithhisagent’ssecretaryin1955toquellrumorsabouthissexuality.In1985,attheageof59,hebecamethefirstmajorcelebritytogopublicwithanAIDSdiagnosis,whichbroughtworldwideattentiontothedisease.Hediedjustafewmonthslater.ForMurphy,thedecisiontoincludeHudsonasastorylineinHollywoodwasdeeplypersonal.Therevisionistportrayaloftheshowgivestheactor(playedbyJakePicking)thechancetocomeoutatthestartofhiscareer,whichhedoesbyholdinghisboyfriend’shandonaredcarpet.“InordertogetthatsuccessinHollywood,togetthoseromanticcomedieswithDorisDay,heliterallyhadtolivealie,”MurphytellsTIME.“IthinkpeopleintheindustrylikeElizabethTaylorandClaudetteColbert,peoplewhowerehisfriendscertainlyknewhewasgay,buthedefinitelyhadtolivealie.Iwasinterestedin,whatifRockHudsonwasrewardedandnotpunishedforbeingwhohewas?”WhilemuchoftheshowreimagineswhatlifewouldbelikeforHudsonasanoutgayman,there’salsoadarkerstorylinedrawnfromHudson’sreal-lifeexperience.Intheshow,theactorisencouragedtohidehissexualitybyhiscontrollingandpredatorytalentagent,HenryWillson(JimParsons),whousestheirprofessionalrelationshiptosexuallyabuseHudson. Inreallife,Willson—whowascreditedwithstartingHollywood’s“beefcake”crazeofbrawny,hyper-masculinemen—wasknownforbothhisshadydealingsandstar-makingprowessasatalentagent.(InadditiontomakingHudsonahouseholdname,hewasalsoresponsibleforlaunchingthecareersofLanaTurner,TroyDonahue,RoryCalhounandothers.)ItwasanopensecretinHollywoodthatWillsonwasgayandthathehadhisownversionofthe“castingcouch”formanyofhisclients.“HenryWillsonwassortoftheoriginalHarveyWeinstein,inmanyways,justanabsolutemonster,”Murphysays.“RockHudson,bytheway,trieddesperatelyfor20yearstogetawayfromHenryWillson,anditwasveryhardforhimbecauseHenryWillsonwasveryclosetoalotofstudioexecutivesandalsopeopleinthemob.Sonotonlydoyoufearforyourwork,youfeellikeyou’regoingtobekilled.”TheMid-AtlanticAccent SaeedAdyani/Netflix Ifyou’veeverwatchedanoldHollywoodmovie,andcertainlyalmostanythingstarringKatharineHepburn,andthought,wait,whyaretheytalkinglikethat?,asceneofanelocutionclassatAceStudiosinHollywood‘ssecondepisodehastheanswer.“It’snotIhavea‘doody.’It’sduty.Liquid‘u.’Andthearticle‘a’ispronounced‘ah,’”studioexecEllenKincaid,playedbyHollandTaylor,teachestheclass.Then,sheaskswherethemid-Atlanticaccentcomesfrom.
“ThemiddleoftheAtlantic,”respondsClaireWood(SamaraWeaving).“AndwholivesinthemiddleoftheAtlantic?”Kincaidfollowsup.“Noone,”Camillechimesin.KincaidgoesontoexplainthattheMid-Atlanticaccentismade-up.“Nooneactuallyspeaksthiswaynaturally,butittakesonsomeBritishinflectionsthataddsomerefinementtotheotherwiseflatandgratingAmericandialect.Youladieswilldoverywelltospeakinthisdialectatalltimes.”Thoughtheaccentisnotanorganicone,itwaswidelyusedbytheAmericanupperclass.AlsocalledtheTransatlanticaccent,itwasamiddlegroundbetweenBritishandAmericanaccents.Itrequiredspeakerstodropthe“r”whenitwasthelastletterofanyword(“mister”wouldbecome“mistah”),emphasize“t’s”andloseanyharshvowels(“ah”ratherthan“a,”asKincaidinstructs).Itwasoftentaughttostudentsinelocutionclassesatprivateschoolsandbecameaposhwayofspeakingassociatedwiththewell-off,whousedittocomeacrossassophisticatedandworldly.ItcanalsobeheardinFranklinDelanoRoosevelt’sfiresidechats. Mid-AtlanticwasofficiallycodifiedbylinguistEdithSkinnerinher1942bookSpeakWithDistinction.Fromthenon,itwasthedialectofchoiceforHollywood.Buttheaccenteventuallydwindled,astheAmericanmiddleclassgrew,andanewwaveofdirectorslikeFrancisFordCoppolaandJohnCassavetessetouttomakefilmsthatweremoregroundedintherealitiesofthatmiddle-classlife.Ernie’sGasStation DylanMcDermottin'Hollywood' SaeedAdyani/Netflix— “Thegasstationwastheportalthateventuallytookmeintoanexclusiveworldwherehigh-classsexwaseverything,”wroteScottyBowersinhismemoir,FullService:MyAdventuresinHollywoodandtheSecretSexLivesoftheStars.Bowers,whocalledhimselfa“fixer,”waslikelyMurphy’sinspirationforDylanMcDermott’scharacter,Ernie.Intheshow,Ernierecruitsgood-lookingHollywoodoutcaststryingtomakeitbigtoworkathisgasstation.Butwhenacustomerrollsup,morethanlikelyinaluxurycar,andutters,“IwanttogotoDreamland,”it’smorethanjustgastheworkerswillhavetoserveuptotheA-listclientele.Inreallife,BowersmovedtoLosAngelesafterservinginthewarandendedupworkingataRichfieldOilgasstationonHollywoodBoulevard.Oneday,CanadianactorWalterPidgeondroveuptothestationandaskedBowers,“Whatareyoudoingfortherestoftheday?”ThusbeganBowers’roleasHollywood’spimp.Commonlyreferredtoas“Mr.Sex,”Bowersdevelopedanetworkofsexworkers,andPidgeonhelpedspreadtheword.BowersclaimedtohavesetuptrystsforanumberofA-listcelebrities,includingCaryGrant,KatharineHepburn,BetteDavisandRandolphScott,andevenarrangedorgiesforColePorter,whoisdepictedasacustomerinHollywood‘sfirstepisode.Bowers,whodiedin2019,wouldendupplayingacrucialroleintheLGBTQcommunity.Atatimewhereactorshadtoabidebymoralityclauses,gaysexwasillegalandqueerpeoplewereshunnedbysociety,Bowershelpedstarsliveouttheirsexualidentitieswhilekeepingtheencountersconfidential.In2018,WestHollywoodhonoredBowersbypresentinghimwithaproclamationrecognizinghiscontributionstoLGBTQhistory. PegEntwistle BettmannArchive InHollywood,writerArchieColeman(JeremyPope)baseshisscreenplayPegonthereal-lifestoryofPegEntwistle,theaspiringBritish-bornactresswhomadeheadlinesforjumpingtoherdeathoffthe“H”inthethen-Hollywoodlandsignin1932.Coleman,ablackscreenwriter,explainsthathisrationaleforcenteringhisscreenplayonPeg,awhitewoman,isthathecanidentifywithherfearsofneverbeingabletobreakintoanexclusivefilmindustry.BornMillicentLilianEntwistle,theactressfoundsuccessonBroadwayinthe1920sand’30s(accordingtotheBBC,somuchsothatBetteDaviscitedherasoneofheractinginspirations).EntwistledecidedtomovetoLosAngelesinthehopesofbecomingamoviestar,butthefilmindustryprovedmuchmoredifficulttobreakintothanthestagehadbeen.WhenEntwistlefinallylandedaroleinDavidO.Selznick’sThirteenWomen,shebelieveditwouldchangeherluck.ButbecauseEntwistle’sparthadalesbiansubtext,itwasmostlycutfromthefinalfilmafterpreviewswhenthemoralisticHayscodedeemedthestorylineoffensive,adevastatingprofessionalblowfromwhichsheneverrecovered.Entwistlereportedlyfellintoadepressionandbegandrinking,beforetakingherownlifebyclimbingthemaintenanceladderonthe“H”ofthefamedsignandjumpingtoherdeath.Thefollowingday,ahikerfoundherbody,alongwithhershoe,ajacketandherpurse,whichcontainedasuicidenotethatread:“Iamafraid,Iamacoward.Iamsorryforeverything.IfIhaddonethisalongtimeago,itwouldhavesavedalotofpain.P.E.”“Shewasareallyhardworker,shefinallygotapartinamovie,anditwasgoingtohopefullyleadtootherroles,”saysMurphy.Butwhenthatdidn’thappen,shebecame“thatcautionarytale,thatpersonthatHollywoodateupandspitout,thisvictimwhocouldn’ttakeitanymore.” MoreMust-ReadStoriesFromTIME Column:KetanjiBrownJackson’sConfirmationWasaReferendumonWhoGetstoHavePowerinAmerica WeHavetheTechnologytoSolveClimateChange.WhatWeNeedIsPoliticalWill. TheInformalInternationalNetworkGettingDisabledUkrainiansOutoftheWarZone ByEmbracingPutin,Pakistan’sImranKhanMayHaveSealedHisOwnDemise 'ACrisisPoint.'SchoolsAreFightingtoExtendaMealProgramThatKeepsMillionsofKidsFed HowtheCompanyBehindTikTok'sViral3D-PrintedHousesWantstoHelpSolvetheAffordableHousingCrisis EverythingEverywhereAllAtOnceMayBeTooTrippyforItsOwnGood—ButMichelleYeohStillDazzles WritetoCadyLangatcady.lang@timemagazine.comandAnnaPurnaKambhampatyatAnna.kambhampaty@time.com. SHARETHISSTORY ReadMoreFromTIME YouMayAlsoLike ReadNext TheParksandRecreationReunionWasaSweet,SlightDispatchFromanAlternateUniverse NextUp:Editor'sPick TheSecretHistoryoftheShadowCampaignThatSavedthe2020Election EDITPOST Youhavereachedyourlimitof4freearticles. Loading... Paywall-Icons-DevicesGetunlimitedaccesstoTIME.com Paywall-Icons-NewsletterInsideTIMEdeliveredtwiceweekly Paywall-Icons-DigitalMagazineAccesstotheTIMEDigitalMagazine SubscribeNow Alreadyaprintsubscriber? Goheretolinkyoursubscription. 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