Chess, Drugs and Rock N' Roll: Anya Taylor-Joy Haunts in Netflix Psychological Series “The Queen’s Gambit”
The first look at Netflix’s Psychological Series is here with the “The Queen’s Gambit,” and it promises lots of chess, drugs, and rock n’ roll.
“The Queen’s Gambit” is known as one of the most popular opening moves to make when attacking an opponent in chess. If you enjoy the pressure, competition, and attacking, it’s the opening move to make and this is what we see in Netflix’s first look at “The Queen’s Gambit.” The Adapted Series coming in October to the giant’s streaming site.
Anya Taylor-Joy goes head to head in a competitive chess match.
Anya Taylor-Joy stars as the lead in the series playing Beth Harmon, a young orphan whose world is ripped wide open as she begins playing Chess. Climbing the ranks, Beth reaches the US Open Championship but as her skills strengthen, she finds herself spiraling in the midst of the professional circuit and spotlight, caving towards the temptations and pressures to relieve her.
Addicted to the feeling of success to avoid her past demons, Beth becomes obsessed with the competition, fueling her addiction to perfection. In a statement from Netflix, “The Queen’s Gambit” portrays a young woman “haunted by her personal demons and fueled by a cocktail of narcotics and obsession, [she] transforms into an impressively skilled and glamorous outcast while determined to conquer the traditional boundaries established in the male-dominated world of competitive chess.” The first trailer promises twisty, psychological story-telling of a woman struggling with addiction to overcome the stereotypes of a woman achieving success in a man’s world.
Based on the book of the same name by Walter Trevis, “The Queen’s Gambit” has been adapted for streaming by Scott Frank (“Godless”), the two-time Academy Award Winner for his wins in the Best Adapted Screenplay Categories. Frank serves as Co-Creator, Executive Producer, and Writer/Director on the Series and is joined by William Horberg (“Talented Mr. Ripley) and Allan Scott (“Don’t’ Look Now”) as Co-Creator collaborators.
Taylor-Joy’s move to streaming is one that can be expected as we have seen similar jumps from well-established actors into the television and streaming space. Taylor-Joy is most known for her role in the Blockbuster “Split” (2017) and her leading role in this year’s Jane Austen Adaptation of “Emma” (2020). She is also appearing in the widely-polarizing “New Mutants” movie as part of the new X-Men Franchise that is due out this weekend. There used to be definitive lines between movie and television divisions and the actors the participated in those projects. However, as streaming services start to launch, those lines are beginning to blur.
“The Queen’s Gambit” will premier as a mini-series on Netflix, comprised of six episodes debuting on the streaming site on October 23rd.