Hot on the stylish heels that the Charlie’s Angel film franchise will undergo yet another reboot, the original television Angels are set to reunite next month at PaleyFest L.A. 2026. Actresses Jaclyn Smith, Kate Jackson, and Cheryl Ladd will reunite for a special celebration commemorating the 50th anniversary of the television debut of Aaron Spelling’s Charlie’s Angels. In 1976, Smith and Jackson originated the roles of Kelly Garrett and Sabrina Duncan, respectively, during the show’s first season. Ladd joined in season two in the role of Kris Munroe, the sister of Jill Munroe, played by Farrah Fawcett. Fawcett departed the series after the first season but made special appearances throughout the show’s five-year run. Tragically, Fawcett passed away in 2009 from cancer.
While Charlie’s Angels was often criticized for being “jiggle television” for some of the ways the show would emphasize the sex appeal of it’s leading ladies, it was instrumental in showing the entertainment industry that a television show carried by three female leads who were never just the love interest or damsel in distress could be a ratings success. The show joined the ranks of Lynda Carter’s Wonder Woman and Lindsay Wagner’s The Bionic Woman in ushering in a new wave of feminist television that has been carried throughout the decades by the likes of Cagney & Lacey, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Charmed, and Rizzoli & Isles.
The show’s pop culture imprint was so profound, it inspired a film franchise in 2000 with Drew Barrymore, Cameron Diaz, and Lucy Liu stepping in as the new trio of Angels. A sequel, Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle, was released in 2003, which also included a cameo by Smith reprising her role from the original television series. She also briefly appeared in the 2019 film reboot that centered around the Angels becoming a worldwide security firm. This version, which featured Kristen Stewart, Naomi Scott, and Ella Balinska with Elizabeth Banks at the helm, wasn’t as profitable as the previous installments.
PaleyFest L.A. will take place at the Dolby Theatre April 4-12, 2026. The Charlie’s Angels actresses will lead a commemorative panel on April 6th.
GurlCulture.com 