Gillian Anderson & Lily Rabe Bring Eleanor Roosevelt’s Queer Love Story to Life in “The First Lady”
The Crown, Gillian Anderson is set to star as another powerful historical woman, Eleanor Roosevelt — and this time the role is decidedly queerer.There’s been plenty of debate about just how intimate the former first lady’s relationship was with trailblazing journalist Lorena Hickok (Lily Rabe) but in the upcoming Showtime anthology series The First Lady that debate is settled.Showrunner Cathy Schulman confirmed to reporters at the TCA in February that the series will explore their romantic relationship. “It was time to do it,” she explained.In the trailer, the audience can get a handful of glimpses of what’s to come this season.
At one point, the two dance and in another Roosevelt takes Hickok’s face in her hands. It’s intimate, sweet, and very gay.#TheFirstLady does show that Eleanor Roosevelt had relationships with Lorena "Hick" Hickock.
Cathy Schulman says "it was time to do it." #TCA22— Diane Gordon (@thesurfreport) February 23, 2022ER and Hick, as they called one another, were first acquainted when Hickok became convinced — and assured her editors at the Associated Press — that Roosevelt would make for a great story. “The dame has enormous dignity, she’s a person,” Hickok told her boss after seeing the first lady at the 1932 Democratic convention.
She lobbied the publication for the White House beat and not only got it, but so much more. The two became so close that Hickok resigned from her position at the AP because she could no longer be objective about her subject.Much of what is known about their relationship comes from intimate letters between the two of them, where they shared how they were always in one another’s thoughts.
