Jaclyn Smith says 2019 Charlie's Angels film 'didn't work' due to departure from original
The original trio of "Charlie's Angels" reunited on stage at the Emmys this week, and per Variety, Jaclyn Smith used the moment to reflect on the show's legacy and a recent misfire.
Smith told the outlet that the Television Academy displayed "snobbism" towards the Aaron Spelling series during its original 1976-1981 run, which yielded only four Emmy nominations and zero wins. "They put us down. We were Barbie dolls," she said, arguing critics missed the show's depth and the devotion between the characters.
She praised the 2000 and 2003 film reboots starring Drew Barrymore, Cameron Diaz, and Lucy Liu, saying Barrymore "evolved" the winning concept beautifully with more spectacular stunts while keeping its tongue-in-cheek spirit.
However, Smith was less kind about the 2019 reboot directed by Elizabeth Banks, which starred Kristen Stewart, Naomi Scott, and Ella Balinska. While calling Banks "great and talented," Smith stated the film "didn't work."
She argued the departure from the core formula was the problem. "If people love something, they don't want it to change that much," Smith said. She noted the 2019 film had "several Bosleys" and depicted the Angels not getting along, which contradicted the original's essence of sisterhood and loyalty.
Smith, currently promoting her memoir "I Once Knew a Guy Named Charlie," reflected on the show's lasting power with co-stars Cheryl Ladd and Kate Jackson, noting the emotional passage of time since their heyday.
