Ewan McGregor is about to become a fashion darling.
The actor, 47, is set to star in and executive produce “Simply Halston,” a limited series on Legendary Television about the meteoric rise and fall of the first American celebrity fashion designer.
Written by Sharr White (“The Affair”) and to be directed by Dan Minahan (“American Crime Story”), the show will track Halston (born Roy Halston Frowick) as he leverages his single, invented name into a worldwide fashion empire that’s synonymous with luxury, sex, status and fame, literally defining the era he lives in, 1970s and ’80s New York — until a hostile takeover forces him to battle for control of his most precious asset: the name Halston itself.
McGregor, White and Minahan executive produce. Killer Films is producing.
Halston started off as a milliner and rose to fame after designing the pillbox hat Jacqueline Kennedy wore to her husband’s presidential inauguration in 1961. He then segued to womenswear with designs that were deemed minimalist but sophisticated, glamorous but comfortable. He had a slew of celebrity clients including Anjelica Huston, Lauren Bacall, Margaux Hemingway, Elizabeth Taylor, Bianca Jagger and Liza Minnelli. He also designed uniforms for the US Olympic team, Girl Scouts, NYPD and Braniff Airways.
Halston’s company went through various owners and was eventually acquired by Revlon, with Halston gradually losing control. He died in 1990 at the age of 57 from AIDS-related complications.
“Star Wars” alum McGregor recently played the title role in “Christopher Robin” and is set to play Black Mask in “Birds of Prey.” In TV, he won a Golden Globe and earned an Emmy nomination for the FX limited series “Fargo.”
Writer-playwright Sharr has served as co-executive producer on “The Affair” and “Sweetbitter.” His praised play “The True” starring Edie Falco, Michael McKean and Peter Scolari just finished its sold-out off-Broadway run.
Minahan shared a best limited series Emmy award this year for another project about a famous designer, FX’s “Versace: American Crime Story.” His directing credits also include “Game of Thrones” and “House of Cards.”