Meet the Women Behind Julia Child’s Extraordinary Success

Looks like Julia Child had a whole kitchen of women supporting her dreams!

HBO Max’s upcoming comedy series, Julia, which is inspired by Julia’s extraordinary life and long-running television series, The French Chef, premiered on March 31. And now, an E! News exclusive featurette provides an inside look at the chef’s powerful female support system—including Avis DeVoto, Dorothy Zinberg and Judith Jones.

“She had this group of Cambridge [Massachusetts] women that all came together to help her,” executive producer and writer Daniel Goldfarb says in the clip.

Actress Sarah Lancashire, who stars as Julia, added: “Avis [Bebe Neuwirth] was very responsible for helping her to get the mastering books.”

Avis, a cook and food editor, also helped Julia find her Cambridge home, Daniel says, adding that Avis “came on board and became a helper with The French Chef.”

It was the same with Dorothy (Lindsey Broad), who, although she was a new mother, was “finding time because she believed in Julia and she believed in this project,” Daniel says. Meanwhile, editor Judith (Fiona Glascott) is “maybe even more influential than Julia,” he adds.