Pose: Is the Ryan Murphy drama based on a true story? Details explored

The significance of Pose, the Ryan Murphy TV show that dives into the world of ball culture and vogueing, is truly undeniable. Besides the visual depiction of the storylines, there is also an in-depth exploration of the time. All of these elements are brought to life in the series.

The realistic depiction of the cast members often brings up one question among the viewers. It is whether Pose is actually based on a true story or not. Though the series takes inspiration from the history of the time, it is a fictional series.

Is Pose, the Ryan Murphy drama, based on a true story?

Though Pose is a fictional series, the series takes its inspiration from multiple elements of history. In the storyline of the series, the aspect of Houses is inspired by the actual Houses. These were significant during that time in history. There is also the aspect that Grandfather Hector was a crucial consultant for the series, helping the creators make the TV show bring the history to life.

Grandfather Hector was from the House of Xtravaganza, which was the first Latino house. The African-American underground ball scene thrived there. This underground subculture of New York became the main theme of Pose. The houses became the safe haven for mostly Black and Latino gay along with transgender youth and gender-nonconforming youth. These aspects of history have been highlighted in the series in a distinct, nuanced manner, making the series a must-watch.

It cannot be denied that the distinct approach of the series adds to the intrigue of the viewers regarding whether the series is based on a true story. Ryan Murphy pointed out that he wanted this series to be a documentary; however, he eventually decided not to progress with the idea.

Paris Is Burning became the inspiration for this series. Ryan Murphy also added that the characters in Paris Is Burning were “rock stars” to him growing up. Initially, he was working towards making this series into a documentary; however, as time progressed, he “felt that it was very difficult.” He did not want to take these “iconic” people and make sort of fictionalized versions of their lives”.

Pose dives into the story of Blanca Rodriguez, whose life takes a drastic turn after she finds out about a diagnosis. Blanca wants to change the trajectory of her life completely. She sets her goal to start House of Evangelista. The very talented Michaela Jaé Rodriguez helms the role of Blanca Rodriguez in Pose. Besides this series, some of Michaela Jaé Rodriguez’s projects that deserve a place in your watchlist are Saturday Church, Rent, Little Shop of Horrors, American Horror Story: Delicate, Loot, etc.

Besides Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, Dominique Jackson is also present in the series. Jackson brings life to the role of Elektra Abundance-Evangelista. Some of the other cast members of Pose are Billy Porter as Prayerful "Pray" Tell, Ryan Jamaal Swain as Damon Richards-Evangelista, Indya Moore as Angel Vasquez-Evangelista, etc.

James Van Der Beek, who helms the role of Matt Bromley in the series, indicates that the “greater understanding of the humanity and the complexities of the scene” makes this series truly inspiring.

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