Amber Tamblyn is the latest actress to join the pilot for FX’s Y, the television adaptaion of the acclaimed comic Y: The Last Man. Tamblyn, whose more recent work has been behind the camera not in front of it, is joining the cast which already boasts talent such as Diane Lane, Imogen Poots, Lashana Lynch, and Barry Keoghan.
As people may have noticed, the cast for Y: The Last Man is predominately female. There is a very good reason for that too. The show, like the comic series, takes place in a world where all men have mysteriously died, except for one. So far the casting for Y: The Last Man has stuck closely to the source material and its characters. However, Tamblyn’s character seems to be an all-new creation crafted specifically for the television show.
According to The Wrap, Amber Tamblyn is joining the pilot as Mariette Callows. Mariette is “the daughter of the president of the United States who has been groomed for a career in politics and to uphold her father’s conservative values.” This character description doesn’t sound all that exciting until the specific context of Y: The Last Man (and Y) is considered. The worldwide fatal plague that impacts every human male except the series’ hero, Yorick Brown (Keoghan). This will leave the United States without a President. The description for Tamblyn’s character makes it clear that, prior to the plague, the President was a man, which causes a huge vacuum of power that Mariette Callows will be involved with in some capacity. She could possibly be the only surviving member of the Presidential family.
In the comics, the former Secretary of Agriculture Margaret Valentine becomes President due to everyone else in line of succession being male. It’s very possible that FX will change things for the TV adaption, though. Lane has been cast as the mother of hero Yorick Brown, Jennifer Brown, who has been given promotion from the comics. In the source, she was just a state representative but she’s now been made a senator. It’s possible that Jennifer will be promoted to the Presidency just as Margaret Valentine was in the comics to consolidate the story.
This is only further reinforced by the fact that FX was looking for a name actress for the role. Rumors had it that Jodie Foster was in contention for Jennifer Brown before the pilot officially cast Lane. With that in mind, if Jennifer Brown doesn’t become the President, she’ll obviously have a very big role and be involved in government. It’s safe to assume then that Mariette will mostly be interacting with Lane’s Jennifer Brown. It’s possible that Tamblyn’s Mariette could be an ally for Jennifer. Yet it’s more likely, given the character description and the fact that it would just make for good drama, for Mariette to be more of antagonist.
Interestingly, there’s no direct analogue for the character Amber Tamblyn will be playing in the comics. Y: The Last Man doesn’t deal much with the President’s family at all. There is some contention in the government of Y: The Last Man but it comes from other and outside sources. So, while Amber Tamblyn’s character is a new creation for the pilot, she could be an amalgamation of several characters.
More: The 20 Best FX Network Original Series Of All Time
Y does not yet have a premiere date.
Source: The Wrap
