Netflix today revealed the first six images from its reboot of Armistead Maupin’s Tales of the City, premiering this summer. Laura Linney and Olympia Dukakis reprise their roles as “Mary Ann Singleton” and “Anna Madrigal” with Ellen Page joining them as “Shawna” and Murray Bartlett (Looking) as “Michael ‘Mouse’ Tolliver”.
Other casting: Barbara Garrick is returning as “DeDe Halycon Day.” Paul Gross (Due South, Alias Grace) will be reprising his role as “Brian Hawkins,” ex-husband of “Mary Ann Singleton” and father of “Shawna”; Charlie Barnett (Chicago Fire) as Mouse’s boyfriend “Ben Marshall”; newcomers Josiah Victoria Garcia as “Jake Rodriguez,” a newer resident on Barbary Lane who is a transgender man and a caregiver for Anna Madrigal and May Hong (High Maintenance) as Jake’s long-term girlfriend “Margot Park.”
Announced recurring cast members are: Jen Richards (Her Story, Mrs. Fletcher) playing a young “Anna Madrigal,” Daniela Vega (A Fantastic Woman) as “Ysela,” a trans woman who plays a pivotal role in Anna’s life; Michelle Buteau (First Wives Club) as “Wren,” Brian’s no-nonsense best friend; Ashley Park (Broadway’s Mean Girls) and Christopher Larkin (The 100) as twins “Ani” and “Raven” , two new residents of Barbary Lane; Caldwell Tidicue aka “Bob the Drag Queen” (RuPaul’s Drag Race) as “Ida Best” the manager of a burlesque club where Shawna and Margot work; Matthew Risch (Modern Family, Looking) as Mouse’s ex-boyfriend Harrison; Michael Park (Dear Evan Hansen) as Mary Ann’s husband “Robert”; Dickie Hearts (Grace & Frankie) as “Mateo,” DeDe’s housekeeper; Benjamin Thys (The Meyerowitz Stories) and Samantha Soule (Godless) as queer polyamorous married couple “Eli” and “Inka”; and Juan Castano (The OA, What/If) as Ben’s co-worker “Flaco Ramirez.”
There is also a huge LGBTQ presence behind the scenes in Showrunner / Executive Producer and writer Lauren Morelli (Co-Executive Producer and writer Orange Is the New Black) and Producing Director and Executive Producer Alan Poul (Tales of the City, Six Feet Under, The Newsroom). The writing team — Andy Parker, Patricia Resnick, Marcus Gardley, Jen Silverman, Hansol Jung and Thomas Page McBee — are all queer. LGBTQ directors Silas Howard, Sydney Freeland, Stacie Passon and Kyle Alvarez.
