Ewan McGregor Trades His Lightsaber for Orchids and a Sewing Machine in Netflix’s ‘Halston’

(Credit to Netflix)

**Some spoilers**

Ewan McGregor made news earlier this week when he confirmed he was actively filming “Kenobi.”  During the interview with Jimmy Kimmel, Ewan also alluded to a  scene he filmed on May the 4^th, Star Wars Day.  He described it as a special scene, with a special person in his life, but not related to him.  Of course, “Star Wars” fans immediately began to try and solve the riddle and figure out who was in this special scene.

But Ewan’s appearance on Kimmel’s show was not about promoting “Kenobi.”  He was there to discuss the Netflix limited series “Halston”, which premiered today.  While you may recognize ‘Halston’ as an iconic brand, the story of the designer’s rise and eventual fall is one you probably did not know. Ewan McGregor’s incredible portrayal of the larger-than-life designer and influencer is a must-watch, and a departure from his current role as Obi-Wan Kenobi.  You can watch Kimmel’s interview with McGregor here.

Roy Halston Frowick was born in 1932 in Indiana. He initially fell into the public eye when he designed a pillbox hat for Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.  The series, based on Steven Gaines’ book, “Simply Halston: The Untold Story,” follows Halston’s rise in the fashion industry during the 1970s.  The designer was the first celebrity designer.  He spent time with Liza Minelli, Bianca Jagger, Betty Ford, and Andy Warhol.  He frequented all the trendy places, including the famous Studio 54 nightclub in Manhattan. He understood the power of self-promotion and brand building.  Most importantly, he understood woman.  Costume designer Jeriana San Juan said in an Elle Magazine interview with Veronique Hyland that Halston understood minimalism and the importance of how clothing feels as well as how they look.  Women think, “I want to go out and celebrate.  I want to look glamorous.  I do not want to look like I’m trying too hard, and I want to be comfortable.  That’s Halston,” San Juan said.  In an interview with Netflix, she went on to add “It was all about ease and softness, and that approach is still influencing fashion today.”

The first two episodes capture Halston’s meteoric rise in the fashion industry.  Unfortunately,  Halston’s fall is catastrophic. The series spends much of its’ time focusing on the fall, and the relationships that supported him, as well as those that encouraged his spiral into drug addiction and self-destruction.

Actress Krysta Rodriguez plays Liza Minnelli in the series. Liza was Halston’s closest friend.  Rodriguez gives an inspired performance in this pivotal role. Liza supports Halston throughout all of his highs and lows.  So important is Liza to understanding Halston, Ewan met with the singer in preparation for the role.  “I just wanted her to know that he (Halston) was in safe hands with me,” McGregor told Minnelli and referenced the conversation in an interview with the Associated Press.

Newcomer Gian Franco Rodriguez plays grifter Victor Hugo, Halston’s companion, and lover. Hugo introduces Halston to cocaine, turning him to the ‘dark side’ that would contribute to his fall. The series spends significant time focusing on this relationship.  This is the first feature role for Rodriguez. His performance of the loud Venezuelan escort and artist, Victor Hugo, is pitch perfect.

All of the supporting cast deliver strong performances. These include Bill Pullman, Rebecca Dayan, David Pittu, Rory Culkin, and Vera Farmiga. Farmiga’s performance as perfumer Adele, is riveting.  The viewer will wish we had more of Adele in the series as her scenes with Halston are some of the best and most revealing

Visually, the series is meticulous and stunning.  From set design to costumes, every detail was considered.  The lighting and color choices in each frame demonstrate producer Ryan Murphy’s signature attention to detail.

Ultimately, Halston is Ewan McGregor’s series.  McGregor and Netflix were getting criticized for casting the motorcycle riding, lightsaber yielding McGregor in the role.  Some believed the role should have been played by a gay actor.  McGregor is no stranger to playing gay characters.  He portrayed the gay inmate, Phillip Morris, opposite Jim Carrey in “I Love You Phillip Morris” in 2009.  In addition, he played gay or bisexual characters in “The Pillow Book,” “Velvet Goldmine,” and “Scenes of a Sexual Nature.”  Series director Daniel Minahan said he could not imagine anyone else in the role.  “I felt that Ewan was the best person for the job.  I just can’t imagine anyone else doing it,” said Minahan, who is gay.  Some former friends of Halston’s were skeptical as well until they saw it.  One said they felt as if they were watching the real Halston. The pronunciation of his words, the way he held his cigarette-McGregor transformed himself.  Not only did Ewan need to capture Halston’s odd affect and mannerisms, but he also needed to make the audience feel for the character, which was difficult because there was a lot to dislike about Halston.

He was often abusive to his staff and models.  He was sarcastic, stubborn, and egotistical. In one scene, while being forced to choose a bottle for his cologne, Halston says “no” eight times in the span of about thirty seconds.  Prone to extremes and excessive spending, Halston’s annual orchid budget was about 150 thousand dollars per year.  Halston claims that the expense was justified because you cannot put a price on inspiration.  McGregor’s layered performance offers the viewer a window into Halston’s motivations and attributes. McGregor admitted it was a challenging role because Halston was complicated and extreme, but those are the roles the Scottish actor enjoys the most. A lesser performance could have made the series tedious and the character unsympathetic.

The series does sometimes feel lost and disjointed, but that may be because the story of Halston just occurs that way.  Once Halston starts using cocaine, the series seems to morph into a different show temporarily. In addition, the viewer may notice a slight change in McGregor’s accent by the last half of episode five. This was likely by design.  Halston’s affect and accent were always an act in itself.  Halston acted a part. McGregor noted that was a particular challenge.  He was playing a character that was himself playing a character.  After Halston loses his name, he begins to lose the persona he built as part of his brand.  Halston contemplates the value of his name, after making a deal to get out of his contract.  Despite being paid a million dollars a year for doing nothing, he regrets his decision. He says to his longtime confidant Joe  “We’re given one name Joe, just one, and that’s all we have while we’re on the earth and I wasn’t precious enough with mine. I sold it cheap.” He admitted he would pay double of the millions he was given to get his name back.

Halston has a moment of redemption at the end of the series.  Designing costumes for Martha Graham’s production of “Persephone,” he gets the critic praise he so clearly yearned for yet always belittled.  The camera lingers on Halston while his mask falls away and tears form.  It is at that moment when the viewer realizes they care about Halston, and maybe even understand the complicated designer.  The series does not spend a lot of time on Halston’s HIV diagnosis and eventual death.  Instead, it leaves the viewer thinking about his legacy.

While Ewan is back with the force and filming the most anticipated new Disney project, “Kenobi,” he will not soon forget Halston.  He said to Leanne Italie, “I loved playing him so much.  I don’t think there will be any Halston in Obi-Wan but there will be a little in me.  I think he saw beauty everywhere.”  “Halston” is streaming now on Netflix.  You can watch the trailer here.

https://youtu.be/yCgdWHwEnrg

Look for Ewan in the film, “The Birthday Cake,” set to premiere next month, on June 18th.

 

Lynn Makes

Hi, I’m Lynn, and I Make.

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