Although Grease is one of the most adored films of all time, the actors of the new prequel series Rise of the Pink Ladies have stated that their project tackles the troublesome aspects of the original film.
The film was set in 1958 and starred John Travolta and Olivia Newton John as Danny and Sandy. It followed the teens’ love story as it unfolded against the background of Rydell High School and introduced viewers to the T-Birds and Pink Ladies. It was released in 1978 and starred John Travolta and Olivia Newton John as Danny and Sandy.
However, in the decades since, talks about the story’s racism and misogyny have spurred numerous discussions about some of its problematic aspects.
It was on the minds of both the authors and actors of Rise of the Pink Ladies, which takes place four years before the events of the film.
Jane (Marisa Davila), Olivia (Cheyenne Isabel Wells), Cynthia (Ari Notartomaso), and Nancy (Tricia Fukuhara) are fed up with the way they are treated at school and join together to form the soon-to-be famous high school group.
But their peers, instructors, and parents all have different views about how the young women should behave, making it difficult for them to be taken seriously.
While there is shaming about everything from aspiration to sexual activity, the girls reclaim control and refuse to let anyone stand in their way of their goals this time.
In contrast to the film, the central characters now reflect the diversity that existed in Southern Californian culture at the time, with Black, Latinx, and Japanese-American students, who were mainly absent from the film, now appearing.
While one of the show’s stars expressed pride in tackling the topics that have caused the film to be criticized, the emphasis was also on simply telling the tales and experiences of the people who lived at the time.
‘It’s amazing but I also think in the 1950s there were these people there, they just didn’t have the spotlight,’ Cheyenne exclusively told Metro.co.uk.
‘In the movie it wasn’t shown, but these people did exist.’
Cheyenne explained that the series’ authors questioned former students who attended institutions in Los Angeles during the 1950s, and that what these people had to say sparked several plots.
Jane’s mixed Italian-Puerto Rican heritage is honoured in her household, but she is urged to avoid mentioning her mother, Kitty (Vivian Lamolli), in public.
During one interaction at a community dinner party, Jane and her sister are informed that because of their mother’s darker complexion, they don’t appear to be connected to her.
Because another prejudiced friend assumes Kitty simply has a “dark Italian complexion,” nothing further is said to correct her, against their mother’s desires.
As Marisa described, the show is going back in time to tell the tales of those who were there.
‘We are not rewriting history,’ she said.
‘The show is all based in a colourful fantastic world of the 50s, but all of the themes [we tackle] were very much alive back then and some unfortunately still exist today.’
The original Pink Ladies exemplified a sass, flare, and confidence that makes the clique recognisable decades later, characteristics that are still present in the series but have been examined in a new manner this time.
‘I think with these characters they all need each other because they are outcasts and refuse to change who they are to please other people,’ Tricia explained.
‘It is quite the opposite of the original Grease, and they are strong and find each other and their strength in what makes them different makes them special.
‘It makes them strong, empowered and confident young ladies in the 1950s… whatever that means to them.’
While none of the four actors playing the title parts had the opportunity to meet any of the original Pink Ladies prior to shooting, one was offered some guidance and encouragement.
‘I had a little video sent to me from Didi Conn [who played Frenchy] and she was so excited to hear we were taking on this project and said she said she was excited to watch it,’ Marisa shared.
Marisa also stated that the quartet received nothing but support from the four women who featured as the Pink Ladies decades ago, adding that Didi remembered some anecdotes about the difficulties of shooting some of the musical acts in the original.
‘We have only heard good things from the people [which also included Stockard Channing as Rizzo, Jamie Donnelly as Jan and Dinah Manhoff as Marty] who came before us in terms of passing the baton and getting to share our side of the story with our own original characters.’
The magic of Grease’s soundtrack remains a distinguishing feature of this series, with the classic Grease (Is the Word) featured in the first episode.
There have also been 30 new tracks composed, with the guarantee of ‘1950s style nostalgia and harmony, but with a current day contemporary flavour’.
Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies is streaming from Friday on Paramount Plus.
