HBO Max has served up a fresh new look at their upcoming dramedy series Julia, which follows the life of celebrity chef Julia Child. With this first footage, we get to see Sarah Lancashire as the cook who set the standard for what it meant to be a famous television personality, all while balancing a strong marriage with her husband, played by Frasier star David Hyde Pierce. The eight-episode series will debut three episodes on March 31, with more coming out through May 5.
Julia follows the rise to stardom of Child, who broke ground as one of the world's first rock star chefs. Through her long-running cooking show The French Chef, Child developed the formula for the modern cooking show, all while standing out with her sense of humor, perseverance, and unique methods in the kitchen. With the rise of cable television as a new cultural pillar, the expansion of feminism and the women's movement, and the increasing influence of the celebrity in culture, she hit the market at the perfect time to become a renowned personality. The series looks to explore this period with a bit of humor, all while portraying the loving marriage at the center of Child's world.
In the trailer, we get a look at how Child's career progressed from daring cookbook writer appearing on national television for the first time, to unwavering, cheery, and unpretentious educational cooking show host who'd go on to win a deluge of awards. Lancashire nails Child's warbly voice and friendly-yet-strong demeanor, as she pushes forward with her show in the face of disapproval from television executives who find cooking unworthy of airspace and Child unladylike for her humor. In her journey to the top though, she's always supported by her husband who appears throughout the trailer to encourage her when she's on set.
Alongside Lancashire and Hyde Pierce, the series stars Bebe Neuwirth, Brittany Bradford, Fran Kranz, and Fiona Glascott, with a bevy of guest stars set to appear throughout as well, including Isabella Rossellini, Judith Light, Robert Joy, Erin Neufer, Jefferson Mays, James Cromwell, and Adriane Lenox. Julia hails from The Society and Party of Five producer Chris Keyser, who acts as showrunner and executive producer with creator Daniel Goldfarb. The two are joined by Erwin Stoff of 3 Arts Entertainment, Kimberly Carver, Charles McDougall, and Erica Lipez. 3 Arts and Lionsgate produce the series. Todd Schulkin is also on board as a Consulting Producer for The Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and the Culinary Arts.
Julia premieres on HBO Max on March 31. Check out the trailer below to see Lancashire in action as television's first rock star chef: