Emmy Rossum On Meeting Billboard Icon Angelyne For The First Time: 'Beacon Of Positivity'

Emmy Rossum has recalled a meeting she had with Los Angeles billboard star Angelyne before she started working on Peacock's limited series about the blonde singer and model.

"By that point I had read every interview she had ever had, I'd watched her in every film that she had made and documentaries that had been made about her and I had bought her meditation tapes on eBay and basically memorized them in multiple bubble bath sessions," Rossum told ET in an exclusive interview.

Rossum said she had fully prepared herself for their meeting, which happened at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. Angelyne arrived on time and spent a few moments with her fans, which Rossum "loved."

"I was over-prepared for the meeting, I think you could say, and I showed up an hour early. She was on time, but she got delayed because she was selling merch out of the trunk of her car to fans that were waiting, which I loved," the 35-year-old actress said.

"And when I sat down, she said, 'OK, why do you have such a hard-on to play me?' And I just thought, That's why, because she's not only a savvy businesswoman and completely authentic and completely unconventional. But, she is also this beacon of positivity and fun and fairy tale. She described herself as a mirror and told me that whatever I saw in her, however, I was inspired by her image and by her stories that is the show that I should make," she added.

"Angelyne" will drop on Peacock on May 19. The limited series explores the story of the 80s Hollywood billboard diva and is based on an investigative report by The Hollywood Reporter in 2017. Aside from Rossum, who is also an executive producer of the show, the series also stars Alex Karpovsky, Lukas Gage, Michael Angarano and Charlie Rowe.

"It's not a straight forward biopic. It's a story inspired by everything Angelyne represents and so it's a magical story, a hopeful story, a story about becoming the person you were meant to be and believing in your own inner strength to manifest your dreams," showrunner and executive producer Allison Miller had earlier said.

Rossum also revealed that she had blisters from wearing fake breasts while shooting the series.