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PEOPLE & ARTS Thursday 29 december 2016

‘Nashville’ returns with transgender actress, new plot lines

KRISTIN M. HALL Zwick, who created the shows. We’re not in the
Associated Press show “Thirtysomething” movies.”
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) and were executive Herskovitz said the show will
— The new season of producers on “My So- address Richards’ gender
“Nashville” starts with Called Life.” later in the season, but
traditional songs rooted “We wanted to explore said many people likely will
in gospel and folk music the diversity of music that’s not even notice in the first
rather than big production going on in Nashville,” episodes.
country songs. Herskovitz said. “To bring “I don’t think ‘Nashville’
Rayna, played by Connie in people of different is a political show and it’s
Britton, finds a revelation ethnicities and from not meant to be a political
after hearing a blind different backgrounds just show, but I think it would
man singing “Wayfaring felt important.” be very hard to look at
Stranger,” an Appalachian Richards, who earned an Jen and say, ‘Oh, that
tune estimated to be two Emmy nomination for her person should use a man’s
centuries old. And Juliette, web series, “Her Story,” bathroom,’” Herskovitz
played by Hayden said word spread quickly said. In this July 27, 2012 file photo, cast members Connie Britton and
Panettiere, sees an angelic within the transgender Richards said being the first Hayden Panettiere attend the “Nashville” panel at the Disney
vision in white singing the acting community that open transgender actor ABC TCA Day 2 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, in Beverly Hills, Calif.
Associated Press
hymn “God Shall Wipe All “Nashville” was casting on CMT is hugely significant
Tears Away.” because there are so few to changing perceptions middle America and in seen one or met one
Cancelled by ABC after television roles available. about the transgender the South, it’s going to or gotten to know their
four seasons, the new “I only get called in for trans community. reach people who might stories,” Richards said. “So
season of “Nashville” roles and then I lose those “Something like ‘Nashville,’ not have known anything this kind of thing can make
on CMT , which begins parts to men because they which is very popular in about trans folks or ever a big difference.”q
Jan. 5, aims to reflect think I look too much like a
more diversity in both the regular girl to play a trans
music and the cast. The part,” Richards said.
new season also will be The casting of a recurring
available on Hulu. transgender role on a
In recurring roles this show set and shot in the
season: Grammy-winning South is extremely timely.
banjo player and singer Last year, Tennessee
Rhiannon Giddens and lawmakers considered
writer-actress-producer a so-called “bathroom
Jen Richards, the first out bill” that would require
transgender actor on a public school students
CMT series. to use the restrooms
“I have spent so much corresponding to their
of my life studying and gender at birth. Viacom,
playing music that has the parent company of
gone into country music: CMT, condemned the
the banjo, the fiddle, the bill in Tennessee, which
string band tunes,” said ultimately failed to pass.
Giddens, the lead singer However, when Richards
of the African-American goes to visit her family
string band Carolina in North Carolina, it’s a
Chocolate Drops. different story. Lawmakers
Fans of contemporary there failed to repeal a
country music may law that limits protections
recognize Giddens, who for LGBT people and
sings the hymn in the first includes a provision
episode, from her duet about which bathrooms
with Eric Church on the transgender people can
Country Music Association use. Lionsgate, which
Awards show in November. produces “Nashville,”
“It is time for the real history pulled production out of
of country music to have North Carolina on another
more of a highlight, for series because of the law.
people to know that there “That law was only
were lots of black people possible, people could
who played the banjo, only draft that and put
that the string band itself it through and actually
came from plantation vote for it and support it
culture,” said Giddens. because they don’t know
The changes behind trans people,” Richards
the scenes include new said during an interview
showrunners Marshall on set in Nashville. “It’s
Herskovitz and Edward because we’re not on TV