Jaclyn Smith is not impressed by the 2019 “Charlie’s Angels” reboot, and she says so plainly. In a new interview, the actress who played Kelly Garrett on the original series says Elizabeth Banks’ version — starring Kristen Stewart, Naomi Scott and Ella Balinska — failed because it strayed too far from the formula that made the show beloved for decades.
“It didn’t work because what I find is if people love something, they don’t want it to change that much,” Smith told Variety. “They want the original idea.”
Emmy History at a Glance
The Television Academy celebrated the 50th anniversary of “Charlie’s Angels” at the Emmys on Monday night with an onstage reunion of the show’s stars. Jaclyn Smith, Kate Jackson and Cheryl Ladd appeared together on stage, marking a milestone for a series that struggled to win recognition during its original run.
The show ran for five seasons from 1976 to 1981. It received only four Emmy nominations and no wins. Jackson earned two acting nods, and David Doyle, who played Bosley, was nominated once. A sound editing nomination was picked up in 1977.
“It would have been nice to have gotten Emmys, but there was a snobbism about it,” Smith said. “They didn’t like all the glamour. They put us down. We were Barbie dolls. They didn’t see the weight or the depth of the devotion of the girls to each other. They thought it was fluff, and Aaron said, ‘It’s eye candy.’ But he also gave it narrative. He gave it mystery. He gave enough danger to keep you leaning forward. It had a little bit of everything.”
What the Critics Missed
Smith’s argument is that the show’s critics missed the point entirely. The “Charlie’s Angels” formula worked because it balanced spectacle with substance.
The show followed three female detectives working for a private investigator named Charlie, whose voice audiences heard but never saw. Farrah Fawcett played Jill Munroe, while Smith played Kelly Garrett and Jackson played Sabrina Duncan. Ladd joined the series as Jill’s sister, Kris Munroe, after Fawcett left the show following the first season due to contract disputes with Spelling.
John Forsythe was the voice of Charlie. The setup was simple: three women solving cases, often using their looks to gain advantage.
The Sisterhood That Lasted
The cast members credit their bond off-screen for the show’s staying power. Ladd described the dynamic between the actresses as warm and supportive.
“We were women that were completely for each other,” she said. “We weren’t like, ‘I’m better than you.'” There was no fighting. “I thought that was just such a great way to bring women together and to give them strength.”
The trio appeared at a 50-year celebration at PaleyFest in Los Angeles earlier this year. Smith reflected on the passage of time and the loss of colleagues.
“It was emotional in the sense that so many years had gone by, and it reminds you of the passage of time, of course, and that we don’t have Farrah, David Doyle and John Forsythe,” she said. “Those were important people and people I love, certainly. But it’s still rewarding to think that when something has some magic, it’s lasting and it still brings joy to many generations.”
Ladd’s Take on the Reunion
Cheryl Ladd echoed Smith’s sentiment about the Emmys moment.
“There was a lot of love in that room for us, and I really appreciated that,” she said. “I could feel it.”
The Movies That Worked
Smith is currently on a nationwide tour promoting her new memoir, “I Once Knew a Guy Named Charlie.” She speaks warmly of the two “Charlie’s Angels” movies that preceded the 2019 reboot.
The 2000 and 2003 films starred Drew Barrymore, Cameron Diaz and Lucy Liu. Smith praised the direction Drew Barrymore took with the concept.
- Drew kept to the winning concept
- Drew took it a step further
- Drew did it beautifully
- The films were more spectacular, with diving off buildings and escaping explosions
- The tone stayed tongue in cheek
Why the 2019 Reboot Failed
Smith’s criticism of the 2019 film is specific. She points to the changes Banks made to the core dynamic.
“She tried to really do a departure,” Smith said, “and it didn’t work because what I find is if people love something, they don’t want it to change that much.”
The key difference, according to Smith, was the relationship between the leads. The original show’s central bond was a sisterhood.
“Our whole essence was, we were a sisterhood, a fellowship. We had each other. It was loyalty before romance,” she said. “We used our sex appeal to help us, and yet it still had a strong feminist backbone. I think it changed women’s roles on television.”
Smith called Banks a “great and talented” filmmaker, but she sees the failure clearly. The 2019 version had multiple Bosleys, and the characters did not get along.
The Legacy Lives On
The original show’s influence is undeniable. Fifty years later, the multigenerational fanbase that Smith described remains intact.
The show’s blend of glamour and mystery struck a chord with audiences.
The Bottom Line
Smith’s point about the reboot’s failure is worth considering. Her current memoir tour shows the demand for the franchise remains.
The 2019 version abandoned the formula that worked. The original “Charlie’s Angels” was a sisterhood, a fellowship, loyalty before romance. The reboot tried something different, and the failure stands as evidence of what the audience wanted.
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