Calista Flockhart has addressed the possibility of reprising her iconic role as Ally McBeal, telling ET: “I think there are some people talking about a reboot, but I don’t know much about it.” Flockhart added that she would be open to returning for the reboot, saying, “Sure, I’m always game.”
What’s the Ally McBeal reboot about?
Flockhart’s response was given at the New York premiere of Feud: Capote vs. The Swans, which features the three-time Emmy nominee in a main role. It comes after several Ally McBeal cast members, including Flockhart, reunited on stage at the recent 75th Primetime Emmys to recreate one of the memorable music moments from the show.
Flockhart’s response also comes well over a year after the announcement of an Ally McBeal sequel series for ABC from writer Karin Gist. The new project was said to center on a young Black woman who joins the law firm from the original series. This new character, fresh out of law school, would be the daughter of Renée Raddick (Lisa Nicole Carson), Ally’s best friend and roommate.
It was reported at the time that Flockhart was approached to reprise her role in some capacity, as well as being an executive producer. Original series creator David E. Kelley, who in recent years created hits like Big Little Lies, would not be directly involved in the new show, although it was mentioned that learned of the pitch and gave it his blessing. It’s unclear if the project is still moving forward.
The original Ally McBeal ran from 1997 to 2002 for a total of five seasons. Along with Flockhart and Carson, the cast included Courtney Thorne-Smith, Greg Germann, Jane Krakowski, Peter MacNicol, Gil Bellows, Lucy Liu, Portia de Rossi as well as musician Vonda Shepard and Robert Downey Jr. in a Season 4 role. The legal dramedy won the Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series and dominated TV conversations for a short time during the 1990s.
