FOX knows a star when they see one, and with the juggernaut success of “Empire,” created by Danny Strong and Academy Award and Golden Globe nominee Lee Daniels, the intelligent FOX executives have given Daniels room to create lightning in the bottle—again—and this time it might be so explosive that it makes the Lyons’ “Empire” look tame.
The new show is “Star,” and Daniels has partnered with Tom Donaghy (“The Whole Truth”) to give a look behind the music curtain before stardom hits.
We see the darker side of the climb to fame as we follow three talented singers who are desperate to become famous. Unafraid of the cutthroat music business, the bold leader Star, played by newcomer Jude Demorest, jumps out of the foster care system, tracks down her sister Simone, played by Brittany O’Grady, and along with a new Instagram bestie, Alexandra, played by Ryan Destiny, the three journey to Atlanta with one goal—to become musical superstars.
The new show also stars Academy Award nominee and Emmy Award, Grammy Award and Golden Globe Award winner Queen Latifah in the role of Carlotta, a peppery surrogate mother to the young crew, and Emmy Award nominee Benjamin Bratt (“Law & Order”) as Jahil, a down-on-his-luck talent agent looking to revitalize his career. The series will also feature guest star and Grammy Award winner Lenny Kravitz, Naomi Campbell and Tyrese Gibson.
At the “Star” tastemaker event, held last month, Daniels asked me an important question, one that I had to really ponder before answering. He asked me if I actually liked “Star,” and then he paused, looked at me and waited for the answer.
There is something about the way Daniels looks at you. He doesn’t blink and in this stance you can clearly see where the character of Cookie is drawn from. I took a gulp.
I said, “No, Lee. I don’t like ‘Star,’ I love it. I want more.”
“Good,” he replied. “There is more.”
“Star” will debut Dec. 14, immediately after the Season 3 midseason premiere of “Empire.”