“Orphan Black” star Tatiana Maslany will not be part of Ryan Murphy’s upcoming drama, “Pose,” when it airs on FX next summer.
The actress had originally been cast as a modern dance teacher who takes a special interest in the talent of Damon (Ryan Jamaal Swain) in the series set in mid-’80s New York City.
However, the role has since been reconceived as a 50-year-old African American woman, to be played by “ER” and “Law & Order: SVU” alum Charlayne Woodard.
Woodard is also set to reprise her “Unbreakable” role as the mother of Elijah Price (Samuel L. Jackson) in M. Night Shyamalan’s 2019 sequel “Glass,” EW reported.
Dance musical series “Pose” — which stars Evan Peters, Kate Mara, James Van Der Beek and a record number of transgender series regulars — looks at the juxtaposition of several segments of life and society in 1980s New York City: the rise of the luxury Trump-era universe, the downtown social and literary scene and the ball culture world. It will debut in summer 2018.
The eight-episode series order was announced earlier on Wednesday, but no mention was made of Maslany in the press release from FX.
A spokesperson for FX told TheWrap that “the role was re-written and needed a different actress.”
“Pose” was written by co-creators and executive producers Murphy, Falchuk and Steven Canals, with Murphy directing the first two episodes. Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson also serve as executive producers alongside fellow executive producers Alexis Martin Woodall, Sherry Marsh and Erica Kaye. Janet Mock and Our Lady J will also serve as producers. The series is produced by Fox 21 Television Studios and FX Productions.
Maslany has played numerous characters on sci-fi series “Orphan Black,” for which she has won an Emmy award and been nominated for a Golden Globe and a SAG.