Trio’s search for girl-group glory on new Fox series
EFORE Lee Daniels gave us the runaway hit “Empire,” he received Oscar nominations for producing and directing “Precious” — a searing portrait of a poor girl who relied on the New York City Department of Social Services to escape the hell hole in which she lived.
Daniels’ new series, “Star,” combines themes from both “Empire” and “Precious,” taking as its main character another young woman whose struggle to survive sends her bolting from the foster-care system in search of her sister — and musical stardom. Along with a third friend, they form a vocal group. The big difference? In “Precious,” Precious (Gabourey Sidibe) was African-American. Star Davis (Jude Demorest) in “Star” is white. For Daniels, it’s all about social issues.
“It’s not just about the girls finding family. We’re talking about race,” he told The Post. “At the time, Trump was not president. But I knew we were at civil war. I wanted this girl in this girl group to be white. I wanted her to have a sister who was half-black. And I wanted the black girl to be rich. And then I wanted them to tear each other apart because you know there are no girl groups.
“The reason that there are no girl groups is that they only last a couple of years.”
“Star” tracks the journey of the young women — Star, her sister Simone (Brittany O’Grady) and Alexandra Crane (Ryan Destiny) — to Atlanta, both the center of a thriving urban music scene and the home of the Davis sisters’ godmother, Carlotta (Queen Latifah). The girls think their date with stardom is imminent, but churchgoing Carlotta has other ideas, and puts the women to work in her popular beauty salon.
Daniels wouldn’t have brought Latifah on board if he wasn’t going to let her sing, so he gives Carlotta a musical storyline of her own — as half of the forgotten duo Mixed Harmony, whose former manager, Jalil Rivera (Benjamin Bratt), plays a pivotal role in the pilot.
“Jalil had a moment in the sun with Mixed Harmony,” says Bratt. “As they ascended, they each had problems that sent each of them into a tailspin. The group was disbanded. Jalil fell on hard times. When you meet him, his moment is long past. He sees Star and sees her potential and [sees] the opportunity to rise like a phoenix.”
Demorest, who learned to sing in church in her native Detroit, was terrified at the prospect of meeting “Bessie” star Latifah, but, when it finally happened, she wasn’t intimidated.
“We were filming outside,” says Demorest. “And I heard, ‘Jude!’ And I turned around and it’s Queen Latifah. She said, ‘Hey, I’m Lah.’ Coolest human being I ever met. She was so pleasant but she makes you feel like you might also be somebody.”
For “Star,” Daniels has lined up some of his favorite performers for future “Star” episodes, including Lenny Kravitz — who had a small role in “Precious” — and Naomi Campbell, a villainess on “Empire.”
“The second episode is to die for,” Daniels says. “Lenny and Naomi play Alexandra’s parents and they come to snatch their daughter from the salon. Naomi says, ‘You’re getting out of this pig sty now.’ Carlotta and Naomi have a showdown that’s beyond showdowns.”
Maybe there’s more “Empire” in “Star” than we’ve been led to believe.
“It’s not just about the girls finding family. We’re talking about race.”— Co-creator Lee Daniels commenting on his new series, “Star.”