Ryan Murphy's 'The Prom' Has Cast Its Queer Lead!

Ryan Murphy’s adaptation of The Prom has finally found its lead!

The Prom follows the story of Emma, a teenage girl in a close-minded town in Indiana who wants to attend her high school prom with her girlfriend. The school won’t let her, so a group of washed up Broadway actors decide to turn the event into a PR stunt to fix their careers and get Emma the prom she wanted.

After a nationwide search, Jo Ellen Pellman, a relative newcomer who has had small parts in The Deuce and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, will be taking on the role of Emma in the movie version of the hit LGBTQ musical. 

“To this team that has welcomed me with open arms, to Ryan for trusting this lil queer actor from Ohio with the role of a lifetime, to my team in New York cheering me on, and to my mom, for believing in me when I was just learning to believe in myself,” Pellman said on Instagram when her casting was announced.

The film will also star Meryl Streep, Nicole Kidman, James Corden, Awkwafina, Keegan-Michael Key, and Kerry Washington.

But despite the big names, the adaptation has already received criticism for casting a slew of straight actors in a film that could have provided an opportunity for queer actors to play queer roles.

The Prom is set to be released on Netflix in the fall of 2020.