Jennifer Aniston to star as the first lesbian President in Netflix film ‘First Ladies’
(Jason Merritt/Getty Images)
Jennifer Aniston is set to make history as the first lesbian President of the United States – in a new Netflix film.
In First Ladies, the Friends star will feature alongside writer and comedian Tig Notaro as the first lesbian couple to reach the highest office in the US.
The political comedy will follow Beverly Nicholson as she steps into the Oval Office alongside her wife Kasey, giving audiences an insight to a very different White House than we have seen in recent months.
A description for the film reads: “When Beverly and Kasey Nicholson move into the White House, they’ll prove that behind every great woman… is another great woman.”
(Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)
Co-star and writer Notaro is best known for her stand up comedy, alongside her work as a writer and actress.
She has appeared in TV shows including The Sarah Silverman Program, The Office, Community, Bob’s Burgers, The Life & Times of Time and Dog Bites Man.
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In 2017, she also had her own half-hour special, Comedy Central Presents Tig.
(Rachel Murray/Getty Images for Netflix)
Netflix has reportedly commissioned the series based on a pitch from Notaro and her wife Stephanie Allynne, who will co-write the film.
Two of the minds behind Anchorman, Will Ferrell and Adam McKay, will act as executive producers for the streaming film.
Although there’s currently no date set for production due to Aniston’s other filming commitments, First Ladies has already caused a stir online.
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One excited fan wrote: “THIS IS ALL I EVER WANTED IDK WHAT I DID TO DESERVE THIS BUT THANK YOU.”
Netflix has been waving the rainbow flag fiercely and ferociously in recent months, paving the way for LGBT representation in a whole host of shows.
From controversial drama 13 Reasons Why to the utterly heartwarming makeover show Queer Eye, the streaming giant has invested in shows targeted at the LGBT community, picking up some global rights to RuPaul’s Drag Race as well as commissioning shows like Sense8 and Orange is the New Black.
Former Doctor Who star Freema Agyeman, who plays a lesbian dating a transgender woman on Netflix series Sense8, previously opened up about diversity in the streaming giant’s shows.
(Netflix)
She said: “My inbox is flooded with people expressing gratitude, which blows my mind.
“I feel so honoured and proud to tell a story that people feel is truly representative of them in an area that’s so lacking in television.
“There are a lot of channels that would argue they have LGBT relationships but we’re not talking about touching on it and moving on, it’s about fully exploring it.
“Netflix is out there dancing to its own drumbeat. I can feel a momentum shift. TV is becoming so much more complex than it once was.”
Sense8 is the first big-budget show on television to feature a transgender character played by a transgender actress (Jamie Clayton) written by a transgender writer.
Jamie Clayton (Netflix)
The acclaimed Netflix series, created by transgender sisters Lana and Lilly Wachowski, follows eight pansexual individuals around the globe with an apparent psychic connection.
Fans were left devastated when Netflix confirmed that the show had been cancelled after two seasons last year, despite winning praise for its brilliant inclusion of LGBT characters and themes.
After protests from the show’s fans, Netflix reversed the decision and renewed the show for one further two-hour special.
