She’s perhaps one of the most beloved figures of American history and the culinary world at large, with countless books, articles, and specials dedicated to her incredible life and times. And now, HBO Max has released its own take on famed cookbook author and television personality Julia Child, an eight-episode fictionalization starring British actress Sarah Lancashire in the leading role and “Frasier’s” David Hyde Pierce as her loving husband, Paul. Titled “Julia,” the series chronicles the period following the publication of Child’s game-changing 1961 cookbook, “Mastering the Art of French Cooking,” as the jovial gourmet takes on the small screen by way of her revolutionary demonstrational culinary program “The French Chef.”
Executive producer Kimberly Carver (who is also behind the Food Network’s “The Julia Child Challenge”) was inspired to create the show in large part thanks to the 2009 dramedy “Julie & Julia.” She explained to host Kerry Diamond on the “Dishing on Julia” podcast, “I love ‘Julie & Julia.’ Meryl Streep, just every time she was on camera portraying Julia Child, I just loved it. And I realized that you know, the story needed to continue. It ended really with her getting her cookbook. I really wanted to tell a story about a woman who really found her purpose in the second half of her life and how she became the most celebrated television food personality.”
The series is certainly a fresh take on Child, showcasing her pioneering spirit, dogged determination and eternal positivity as she forges her own path in the male-dominated world of 1960s public broadcasting to create one of the very first cooking shows. And it is a pure delight to watch!
Though some blatant liberties were taken with the narrative, the production team kept the setting truthful by shooting in Boston, Mass. and its environs, where Julia resided for the better part of her later years. A few Beantown spots showcased include Adams Shore Super Market in the suburb of Quincy, Union Oyster House in downtown Boston (one of America’s oldest operating restaurants and a favorite haunt of the Childs in real life), Wilson’s Diner in Waltham, the picturesque Public Garden, the Denholm Building in Worcester and a charming house in Dedham that stands in for Paul and Julia’s residence.
