Mrs. America’s unexpected appeal
Television | Slanted storytelling can’t conceal the charisma of Phyllis Schlafly
by Megan Basham
Posted 4/23/20, 04:18 pm
It’s a curious thing: casting a dynamic performer to play a larger-than-life personality. Even if the portrayal is supposed to be unflattering, it can still create a powerful lure. Such is the case with Oscar winner Cate Blanchett playing conservative icon Phyllis Schlafly in the hit FX drama Mrs. America (rated TV-MA for language).
The show, which currently ranks as one of Rotten Tomatoes’ most popular, follows the rise of the Equal Rights Amendment and its eventual defeat, thanks to Schlafly and her army of homemakers.