Halston on Netflix is a visual feast for the eyes. The story covers the life of the famed clothing designer from humble beginning to his stratospheric rise to infamy and partying at Studio 54 with best friend Liza Minnelli to the virtual collapse and exit from the clothing brand that still bares his name. Roy Halston was no shrinking violet.
This five part series on Netflix has Halston played by Ewan McGregor, Liza Minnelli is played by the astonishing Krysta Rodriguez and Rebecca Dayan plays famed model and jewelry designer Elsa Peretti. There have been creative embellishments on the story but it does make for some lavish and brilliant entertainment.
The overall brilliance of this series can be pinpointed to Ryan Murphy, who again, has created something that is captivating in highlighting the ups and downs of an individual who was his own worst enemy.
Directed by Daniel Minahan, Halston examines the celebrity that encircled Roy Halston, his excessiveness throughout life but importantly his introduction on the world stage at the famed fundraising event at Versailles in 1973. The event is legendary in fashion circles as it showcased fashion designers at the time and pitted the American designers against the French, with the Americans winning the overall popular vote, a standing ovation and programs being thrown in the air. All was done in the efforts to raise needed funds to restore the famed Versailles palace that is almost ruined by ongoing back of maintenance in the 1970s.
Based off the book, Simply Halston by Steven Gaines, what is explored is the monumental downfall that occurred due to the levels of excessiveness that Halston used to create his garments. The use of a private helicopter to fly food, daily from Manhattan to the Hamptons, the thousands of dollars spent daily on supplying a humongous cocaine habit that fueled his creative genius or the levels of partying that occurred around the clock at Studio 54 that would lead anyone to burn out. Halston, the tv series, helps you understand how and why Roy Halston was removed from his own brand in the 1980s.
Ewan McGregor as Roy Halston is pure joy. He encapsulates the unique character that was Halston. The mannerisms the use of his cigarette holder, the inflection in his voice and the love of turtle neck sweaters. Everything about this performance is joyous to watch.
Stand out for me was Krysta Rodriguez as Liza Minnelli. Being a huge Liza fan there was already a huge hurdle Rodriguez had to overcome to win over this audience member.
Krysta Rodriguez was absolutely fabulous as Liza Minnelli, the entire performance I couldn’t help but think I was watching a young Liza in her heyday living up her life in Manhattan in the 1970s and ‘80s. I would rewatch the series just to watch Krysta Rodriguez in this stand out performance.
Halston is a glitzy glamorous series that delivers a look into a time of history where 1970s Manhattan became the epicenter for arts, culture and creativity and the levels of excessiveness that became legendary.
Halston is currently playing on Netflix.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCgdWHwEnrg