Amber Chardae Robinson Plays Black Feminist In ‘Palm Royale’

Palm Royale is the brand new series set to premiere on Apple TV+ Wednesday March 20 and we had a chance to chat with the show’s stars and creators ahead of their debut.

Palm Royale follows Maxine Simmons (Kristen Wiig) as an ambitious social climber, giving everything she’s got to break into Palm Beach high society. Set in 1969, Palm Royale offers a look at the world of privileged housewives, competing to be the most charitable in their communities, all while wasting a fortune on handbags and shoes. While Maxine is doing everything in her power to join the ranks of the uppity upper crust, she happens to meet a woman who is leading the local charge for feminism — and it’s at a bookstore gathering led by that woman that we meet Amber Chardae Robinson’s character Virginia.

“Virginia doesn’t really fit into Palm Beach,” Robinson told BOSSIP. “She’s a fish out of water, being a Black woman in 1969 and in the feminist movement and in Palm Beach is wild. There’s not many people that look like me and getting people to understand why she’s there or what she’s there for is an interesting thing to grapple with. I think as Black women we struggle to see ourselves in the feminist movement, and so that’s kind of what intrigued me to this role. What does this look like for us? What does it look like for somebody in 1969 where Civil Rights is still actively happening? People are still fighting for our rights — and how does she take up space in this environment where there aren’t people that look like her? What does that feel like for her? What does that look like for somebody who looks like us?”

Robinson’s character Virginia also plays a part in one of the more serious plotlines of Palm Royale, which involves one of the women securing an abortion. The irony of women being left with little to no reproductive rights in 1969 wasn’t lost on Robinson, who noted how little has changed for women so many decades later.

“That’s another thing that kind of intrigued me for Virginia, because I was like this is so prevalent in today’s society, like I feel like not much has changed for women,” Robinson told BOSSIP. “Not much has changed for Black women. I was really curious on telling a story that might help society today, but it’s set in a society back in the day. I think it’s important to show how much stuff has not changed, what has changed, what is still the same and what these societies may have masked or hidden under the rug. I just thought that was an interesting outlook on being Black in 1969 versus me being Black in 2024.”

When you enter the world of Palm Royale, be prepared to be dazzled by the style of 1969. Amber sports a beautiful afro for her role, but she told BOSSIP she was a little disappointed that the bookstore crew didn’t have quite the same options when it came to wardrobe.

“I loved the fashions,” Robinson told BOSSIP. “I love clothes, so to see the difference between the bookstore crew versus the high society women and how they were dressed, I found myself sometimes being a little jealous. I was like, ‘Ooh look at the pastels and the jewels honey! See OK I wanna wear the little stiletto pumps that she got on over there.’ I love that aspect of it. I love the colors. I love the set — just seeing how much can coexist at the same time, just the pastels and how these people are living versus the earth tones and how grounded these people are really was an exciting thing to watch come to life.”

Robinson also spoke about how working with Laura Dern as a scene partner gave her courage to use her voice more on set.

“It was amazing, she is a master class in herself, she is such a graceful person, such an empathetic person just and she’s a feminist in her own right,” Robinson said of Dern. “I remember being on set and I’m new here and she’s been in the game since she was five. She would look at me and be like, ‘Do you want to do another take? I’m like [nods] and she’s like, ‘It’s okay to ask for what you want.’ ‘Come on! Teach me how to use my voice. Teach me how to speak up for myself, but still be graceful.’ It’s just beautiful to watch. She’s a person that takes up space but in a very airy kind of way.”

We’re so excited for you to see for yourself when the series airs Wednesday!

Palm Royale begins streaming on Apple TV+ March 20, 2024.