See Sarandon channeling Bette Davis and Lange looking suave as Joan Crawford in the first look of FX's new anthology series.
- Jan 20, 2017
AceShowbiz - The first look at Ryan Murphy's new anthology series "Feud" has arrived. Gracing the cover of the new issue of Entertainment Weekly, Susan Sarandon and Jessica Lange look suave as they channel Bette Davis and Joan Crawford respectively.
The two Hollywood legends' intense rivalry is the focus of the first season of the FX series. Their feud began during their heydays in the '30s and '40s. Despite their tension, they agreed to star in 1962's film "What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?"
Your exclusive first look at Ryan Murphy�s addictive series starring @SusanSarandon & Jessica Lange is here! https://t.co/IFbGrajPG8 #FeudFX pic.twitter.com/d7Bmd7HSwJ
— Entertainment Weekly (@EW) January 19, 2017
As she did research for the role, Sarandon discovered that she and Davis had a lot in common. "I never saw myself as being one of the beautiful girls... So I kind of understood and related to that," she says.
Lange, on the other hand, sees Crawford as her "polar opposite." She explains, "She lived with that always. That great fear of poverty. She used sexuality as comfort, as a bargaining tool, as punishment."
Murphy says the show is not just capturing the feud, but also "an astute and occasionally shattering study of two women victimized by men, by the media, by the studio system; a cautionary, compassionate feminist tale," according to EW.
He says, "I wasn't interested in just doing this broad, campy [show]. I was interested in the idea of sexism, ageism, misogyny. Turning 40, 45, 50 and feeling like you're at the height of your powers and people saying, 'Well, you're done.' "
"Feud: Bette and Joan" is set to premiere Sunday, March 5 at 10 P.M. ET on FX. Sarah Paulson, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Stanley Tucci and Alfred Molina also star in the first season.
FX has just released a promo for the upcoming series, teasing how ugly the two divas' rivalry can be.
