Emmy Rossum told Insider "Angelyne " is "an absolute love letter" to billboard icon, Angelyne.- Angelyne was originally an executive producer on the
Peacock show but will receive no formal credit.
Emmy Rossum told Insider that her new Peacock series, "Angelyne," is "an absolute love letter and a tribute" to the eponymous LA billboard icon.
Angelyne is a cult icon in LA, known for her larger-than-life appearance, pink Corvette, and appearances on numerous billboards across the city in the 1980s and 90s.
"Angelyne," which follows the star's rise from obscurity to becoming a household name, stars Rossum in the title role, alongside Martin Freeman, Alex Karpovsky, and Lukas Gage.
Rossum told Insider that she had the chance to meet Angelyne before shooting and "talk with her for many hours," which she says took her performance "to a whole other level."
After meeting with Angelyne, Rossum was able to get "her blessing to play the role, and have her participate in granting us her rights and trademarks."
When asked if Angelyne, who originally boarded the series as an executive producer, was a hands-on producer, Rossum said she was "not." The Hollywood Reporter recently interviewed Rossum and stated that Angelyne "will have no formal credit on the series" and "there is no official answer for why Angelyne bowed out."
"There were things that she asked us to remove from the show, which we did out of respect," Rossum said. "But any more than that, I can tell you she's making her own documentary which I will be the first person in line to buy."
Rossum told Insider that after Angelyne met with the writers' room and directors, the billboard icon said to her, "I want you to be able to tell the story you want to tell as long as it doesn't interfere with the story I'm trying to tell, which is my story. So, whatever you see in me, that's the story that you should tell."
The former "Shameless" star added that as "somebody who has made pay equity such a near and dear thing to my heart," she wanted to make sure Angelyne was "compensated for her contributions to the show."
"And not only that, but her immense contribution to pop culture throughout the last five decades," Rossum said.
Angelyne has not spoken publicly about the series but she has replied to fans in her Instagram comments, saying the series was "canceled" and "fraudulent."
"I hope that when she finally sees the show, she will see that this is an absolute love letter and a tribute to the woman that she is," Rossum told Insider. "I have nothing but love and respect in my heart for her. And I think that the show is a lot of fun and we'll honor her magical essence."
"Angelyne" premieres on Peacock on Thursday, May 19.