Ricky Martin’s role decision was taken by showrunner

Ricky Martin feels content on returning to ‘Palm Royale’

The series lead Maxine Dellacorte-Simmons (Kristen Wiig) and Robert (Ricky Martin), a closeted barman at the upscale Palm Royale beach club, have a rough beginning to their relationship, but as time goes on, they forge an unlikely bond that is explored in greater detail than in the show’s source material, Juliet McDaniel’s novel Mr and Mrs American Pie.

“She was our muse for the theme of found family, which is so at the core of this piece,” Laura Dern, executive producer and star of the series, tells The Hollywood Reporter of the world the author established in her book. “[McDaniel] created this central protagonist who’s desperately trying to create family in this marriage, in this world of wealth, and this club that she’s not a part of, while Robert is the one that really sees her and is truly like family and would never betray her.”

The decision to develop Robert’s character through his connections with Maxine and Norma (Carol Burnett), the wealthy socialite for whom he had been a companion and carer before the latter’s arrival, was made by writer and showrunner Abe Sylvia, who adapted McDaniel’s novel for the series.

“This was a time that it was illegal to be gay,” Sylvia told the outlet in a previous interview. “He’s got this wonderful relationship with Maxine, but also with Norma, and I’ve seen time and time again in my life, relationships where a gay man and an older woman see themselves in one another and they form unlikely bonds.”

After playing fashion designer Antonio D’Amico in FX’s The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story in 2018, Martin is making his TV series debut as Robert. The musician and actor claims that he would have been “stupid” to pass up the opportunity.

“Let’s just be honest, to be in front of the camera with Kristen Wiig, Carol Burnett and Laura Dern? It doesn’t get better,” he tells the outlet.