Kristen Wiig’s casting as the lead in “Palm Royale,” a new comedy on Apple TV+ that is set in Palm Beach high society in 1969, was approved “yes across the board.” The show emphasizes the vibrant glitz of the time period in everything from the set design to the clothing. In the film, Wiig portrays Maxine, a social climber attempting to make her way into Palm Beach’s elite circles. Along with Laura Dern, who refers to Wiig as the “perfect Maxine” and the only candidate they had in mind for the part, she also serves as executive producer.
In a recent interview with CNN, Wigg said of the project, “From getting a call from Laura Dern to reading the scripts and meeting everyone involved, it was really just, yes, across the board.” It was really just an instinctive choice, as I had never portrayed a role quite like Maxine before. In some situations, you can almost tell if the answer will be yes or no. And the answer was simply a resounding yes. Josh Lucas, her costar who co-stars alongside Wiig as Douglas, her pilot spouse, described working on the series with the former “Saturday Night Live” cast member as a “dream.”
We must not exaggerate it, Lucas said CNN. “Everything about it, from the lavish, spectacular production design to the costume design, immersed us in this world that is, in a sense, fictional but entirely grounded in the real world of Palm Beach’s opulent late 1960s uber-wealth mixed with the historical period that’s taking place, all of it.” “Palm Royale” also stars Carol Burnett, Bruce Dern, Allison Janney, Amber Chardae Robinson, Julia Duffy, Leslie Bibb, Kaia Gerber, Mindy Cohn, and Ricky Martin. It is a comedy, satire, and mystery film.
In the show, Martin plays Robert, a man who works at the upscale beach club and is initially skeptical of Maxine. He claims it was motivational to work with Wiig. “It was lovely to simply read lines with her every day when I walked into the makeup room.” Martin stated, “That set would set the tone for the rest of the day.” She’s just really giving, so I’m really grateful. She was there, and her presence was so reassuring, even while I was feeling anxious. And for that, I will always be incredibly grateful. On March 20, “Palm Royale” will debut on Apple TV+.
