‘A League of Their Own’: Rosie O’Donnell Will Appear in the Reboot After She Saw the ‘Beautiful’ Pilot Episode – Showbiz Cheat Sheet
It’s been almost 30 years since Madonna, Geena Davis, and Rosie O’Donnell played on a baseball team coached by Hollywood A-lister Tom Hanks. A League of Their Own was based on the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League formed during World War II and debuted in theaters in 1992.
A reboot is currently in the works, with Amazon developing a new original television series. A whole new cast of characters will be joining the production, including O’Donnell. When the former talk show host previewed the “beautiful” pilot episode, she wanted to make her previous character, Doris Murphy, proud.
Rosie O’Donnell’s role in ‘A League of Their Own’ reboot series
In the original film, O’Donnell played third base on the all-girls team. This time around, she is trading in her baseball glove for a shot glass, portraying a bartender at a small-town gay bar.
According to Entertainment Weekly, the Harriet the Spy actor felt the new role is “especially poignant” since she always “interpreted her character of Doris Murphy as a lesbian, despite the fact she was never officially identified as one.”
O’Donnell confirmed her part in the upcoming series during a recent episode of the Everything Iconic with Danny Pellegrino podcast. She reflected on her previous character, saying she always thought Murphy was gay. The Flintstones actor recalled the speech when her character stands up on the bus and says, “I never felt like a real girl. I always felt like a fake girl or not even a real girl. But now there’s a lot of us, and I feel like we’re all okay.” O’Donnell remembered director Penny Marshall saying, ‘Rosie, do it again. It’s not like a gay thing.’”
The former co-host of The View recalled saying, “Pen, did you read the words? The words are totally that she finally feels she fits in amongst this group of tomboys.” Marshall told her not to make it a “gay anything.” O’Donnell told Pellegrino, “I played it the way I played it, but again, to me, that was a gay character.”
Who will appear in the new Amazon television series?
EW reported the new Amazon series would “evoke the joyful spirit” of the classic film “while widening the lens.” The new show will explore racism, sexuality, and topics pertinent to today’s generation of women.
Parks and Recreation alum, Nick Offerman, will be taking on the role of Casey “Dove” Porter, a former Chicago Cubs pitcher brought in to coach the baseball team. In the film version, Hanks played the role of Coach Jimmy Dugan.
The Hollywood Reporter announced other cast members include Chante Adams, D’Arcy Carden, Roberta Colindrez, Priscilla Delgado, Melanie Field, Gbemisola Ikumelo, Abbi Jacobson, and Kelly McCormack. Deadline reports the series is a joint venture between Sony Pictures and Amazon Studios. It is created by Jacobson and Will Graham in association with Field Trip Productions. A release date has not yet been determined.
‘The L Word’
In the podcast interview, O’Donnell confirmed that she agreed to be part of the new Amazon series. After talking with the Broad City women, she wholeheartedly accepted the role. The I Know This Much Is True actor said she read the pilot and felt it was “just beautiful – really well done.”
O’Donnell also recently surprised fans of The L Word: Generation Q by appearing in the long-awaited season 2 premiere. According to Advocate, the Showtime television series follows the lives of a diverse group of LGBTQ characters. The 59-year-old actor guest-starred as Carrie, a public defender who defends Tina in court.
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