Lucy Boynton Came for Emma Roberts’ Mean Girl Crown in This Netflix Show

Emma Roberts is one of television’s reigning mean girls. After showing off her claws in shows like Scream Queens and American Horror Story, Roberts has been one of Ryan Murphy‘s most famous leading ladies with an ever-so-sharp tongue. But she’s not the only one who has earned fans based on her ability to cut down her foes with a few choice words and a death stare. Lucy Boynton also took up this mantle when she starred as a supreme mean girl in Murphy’s Netflix hit, The Politician.

The series, which premiered in 2019 and ran for two seasons, showcased Boynton’s talents for defeating her enemies with a cutting remark (and looking fabulous while doing it). As Astrid Sloan, Boynton delivered a stellar performance that quickly earned her fans and attention from critics. The actor had already shown off her chops in projects like Murder on the Orient Express and the Freddie Mercury biopic Bohemian Rhapsody. But it was The Politician that proved Boynton can easily blend comedic acting with heart-wrenching drama (even within the same piece of work). Any mean girl needs to have an underlying strength that stems from intelligence and wit, and Boynton pulled that off while making it look exceedingly simple. While Roberts might still get cast in Murphy’s projects as a mean girl in the future, Boynton proved she can surpass the mean girl label and create more complex leading roles.

The Politician

A high school in affluent Southern California becomes the battleground for a fiercely competitive student body president election. The central figure, a young man with outsized ambitions, navigates the cutthroat politics of school and home life. His relentless drive not only tests his own morals but also affects the lives of everyone around him, as each decision brings him closer to realizing his ultimate political aspirations.

Release Date

September 27, 2019

Main Genre

Comedy

Seasons

2

Story By

Ryan Murphy, Ian Brennan, Brad Falchuk

Streaming Service(s)

Netflix

Directors

Gwyneth Horder-Payton , Ian Brennan , Brad Falchuk

‘The Politician’ Was a Hit Satire For Netflix

There were many great elements to Murphy’s hit show, including a fun premise and an insanely good cast. Ben Platt played the protagonist, Payton Hobart, a wealthy teenager who would do anything to reach his goal of becoming President of the United States. His first plan of action was to become student president at his preppy Santa Barbara high school. In the first season, he enlists the help of his girlfriend, Alice (Julia Schlaepfer), and his running mate, Infinity (Zoey Deutch), to win over the hearts and minds of his classmates/potential voters. With Payton’s often questionable morals and downright ruthlessness, each episode proved he would stop at nothing to achieve his goals.

The Politician put a satirical spin on getting ahead in high school largely due to its impressive cast, which boasted legendary actors such as Gwyneth Paltrow, Jessica Lange, Bette Midler, and Judith Light. The series also benefited from not staying with one plot line for too long. It progressed from Payton’s high school years in Season 1 to him attending New York University and trying to secure a New York State Senate position in Season 2. This evolution allowed the characters to grow (and to find themselves in even zanier situations). In its two seasons, The Politician earned rave reviews and critical acclaim (Midler even won an Emmy nomination for her role in the series).

Related

Ben Platt & Lucy Boynton on ‘The Politician’ and Ryan Murphy’s Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

Plus, they reveal what TV show they’d love to guest star on.

Lucy Boynton Stole the Spotlight as Astrid

Because of all the big names represented in the cast, it would have been easy for Boynton to go unnoticed. She had some acting credits before the series, but the British/American actor didn’t have the same following as Platt or Lange. However, her depiction of Astrid quickly cemented her place in Murphy’s pantheon of impressive actors. As Astrid, Boynton delivered a stellar performance with her perfect wide-eyed, deadpan delivery and ice-queen dramatics. Like any mean girl with an agenda, Astrid began with a focus on gaining status and prestige when she encouraged her boyfriend, River Barkley (David Corenswet), to run against Payton for class president. But when he died, Astrid was more than happy to run in his place.

But there was more to Astrid than just that power-hungry drive and persistence. By the beginning of Season 2, she has run away to New York to start a new life as a carefree waitress. Her character arc only deepened in complexity when she became pregnant with Payton’s baby in Season 2, offering one of the series’ more heartbreaking storylines. Aside from her wealthy background and stunning wardrobe, Astrid also provided some of the show’s best lines (such as “Money just makes the important stuff easy.”) With her ability to blend perfect comedic timing effortlessly and her character’s quest for true happiness, Boynton was able to secure her status as one of Murphy’s best mean girls who are known for their dark, biting wit and often hidden vulnerabilities.

Much like Roberts’ iconic characters Chanel Oberlin (in Murphy’s silly yet scary anthology series Scream Queens) and Madison Montgomery (seen in the Coven and Apocalypse seasons of American Horror Story), Astrid existed originally in the series as a mere foil to the protagonist. But with further exploration into her character, viewers discovered that Astrid delighted in putting down others (especially if it helped her get what she wanted) simply because she was deeply insecure. But the mean girl doesn’t always have to stay two-dimensional. With high-quality writing, such as in The Politician, they can morph into characters who display personal growth and potentially strong morals. They can use their intelligence to get ahead (instead of just using their put-downs to silence their foes). Like Roberts, Boynton used her insights into what draws people into a character to make Astrid more realistic and to make her an antagonist that the audience could still root for.

Whether she was shutting down her classmates with a cutting remark or faking her own kidnapping, Astrid had no problem keeping things interesting or fighting for what she wanted. When Season 2 ended, Payton was preparing to run for his second term in the Senate and, potentially, Vice President of the United States. Murphy confirmed that his plans for the series were for it to end after three seasons (maybe with Payton running for President), but at this time, there are no firm plans to make a third season of The Politician. As a busy producer, Murphy has many projects going on right now, but since Netflix technically didn’t cancel the series, there’s a chance it could return sometime in the future. If so, seeing where Astrid ends up many years later would be interesting. Of course, with her mean-girl background, she’d likely still be cutting down her enemies and ruling the world in designer clothes.

The Politician is available to stream on Netflix in the U.S.

Watch on Netflix