Now, like probably many of you, I saw the trailer for “The Favorite” starting Olivia Colman, Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz when it came out back in September. I remember it looking amusing, and loving the cast. But I also remember being a little concerned about the aggressive women-on-women rivalry aspect. Like, oh great, it’s about women but all they do is fight.
But, seems the trailer left out a key piece of information. According to The Hollywood Reporter, this isn’t just an “female-fronted absurdist period piece.” This is a female-fronted absurdist royal lesbian love triangle period piece.
See, now, doesn’t that pique your interest a tad more?
So here’s the rundown. Olivia Colman (who you mat recognize from “Broadchurch” and will soon recognize as The Queen in “The Crown”) plays Queen Anne, who reigned over England, Scotland and Ireland in the early 1700s. Rachel plays her longtime, close personal adviser Sarah Jennings Churchill (yes, great-great-grandmother to thatChurchill). And then enters Emma as Abigail Masham, Sarah’s cousin with an eye at becoming The Favourite instead.
Now all these women are real and really existed and had real power struggles. But the movie’s story is called “partly true, partly made-up.”
Now I don’t know if it’s the lesbianism that was made up or not. (hey, English history scholars, wanna help me out here?) But I do know that the accompanying THR article doesn’t get into exactly how much lesbian is in this royal lesbian love triangle. Like, um, how gay are we talking here, folks?
One tidbit does say Emma’s character Abigail is discovered naked in bed with Olivia’s Queen by Rachel’s Sarah. And, you know, boobies are flashed. Also, adding to its lesbo street cred, before Rachel was cast as Sarah, the role was offered to Kate Winslet and Cate Blanchett. Yeah, I know.
So thoughts? Concerns? Pretty much it sounds like a lesbian All About Eve for the 18th Century to me. And, I’m not mad at that. Not at all.