‘Lessons in Chemistry’ Trailer: Brie Larson Shatters Boundaries (and Glass Beakers) in New Series

Samantha Bergeson
·2 min read
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Brie Larson is breaking down baking to a science in Apple TV+ limited series “Lessons in Chemistry.” The eight-episode show stars Larson as Elizabeth Zott, whose dream of being a scientist is put on hold in a patriarchal society in the early 1950s. When Elizabeth finds herself fired from her lab, she accepts a job as a host on a TV cooking show, and sets out to teach a nation of overlooked housewives — and the men who are suddenly listening — a lot more than just recipes.

The series is based on Bonnie Garmus’ bestselling novel of the same name, with Oscar winner Larson executive producing. Lewis Pullman, Aja Naomi King, Stephanie Koenig, Kevin Sussman, Patrick Walker, Rainn Wilson, and Thomas Mann co-star.

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“Lessons in Chemistry” is produced for Apple TV+ by Apple Studios. Seven-time Emmy Award-nominee Lee Eisenberg (“WeCrashed”) serves as showrunner, with Academy Award-nominee Susannah Grant (“Erin Brockovich”) executive producing along with Jason Bateman and Michael Costigan for Aggregate Films.

Sarah Adina Smith serves as director and executive producer of the first two episodes. Natalie Sandy executive produces through Piece of Work Entertainment alongside showrunner Eisenberg. Louise Shore also serves as executive producer.

Lead star and fellow EP Larson told Harper’s Bazaar that she felt fully immersed in the style of the period piece. “The only time I was myself was in the car and asleep. And after two weeks, I really had to sit there and go, ‘My name is Brie. It is 2022. Right outside that door it is downtown Los Angeles and no one knows about what’s happening in here. No one cares,'” Larson said.

“Lessons in Chemistry” author Garmus told Audible that the novel is about “trying to find a woman’s place in the world, trying to reclaim our space as women in the world. … She’s a woman who has decided to live without the limits that are imposed by society. When I was writing her, I was really writing my role model and so allowing her to speak as she would, to clearly define what her boundaries were and then say them out loud.”

As for the series, Garmus said, “I feel very confident in Brie Larson. I think that she’s an amazing actress and, from what I’ve seen, I think that she embodies that kind of Elizabeth that I was thinking of and I was looking for. So, I’m very excited that she wanted to be Elizabeth Zott and that she liked the book enough that she wanted to executive produce it.”

“Lessons in Chemistry” premieres October 13 on Apple TV+. Check out the series’ trailer below.

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