Dirty Diana is an audio drama podcast produced by QCode about a woman who hosts an erotic website. A sex-positive exploration of a woman's troubled marriage, it stars Demi Moore and Claes Bang.
Contents
Production
Demi Moore has had a long career as an actress playing sexy roles. Both MovieWeb and Los 40 noted that Demi Moore is known for her "alluringly raspy" and "ragged voice," which David G. Maciejewski attributes to her habit of smoking Red Marlboros. Demi Moore saw the podcast as an opportunity to explore sexuality and made a distinction between the podcast's sex positive message and adult entertainment or pornography. According to MDZ Online the podcast is a feminist podcast. Shana Feste is the director of the podcast. The podcast was created entirely over Zoom due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Demi Moore recorded the show from her bathroom.
Main cast and characters
Demi Moore as Diana Wood
Claes Bang as Oliver Wood, Diana's husband
Betsy Brandt as Susan, Diana's therapist
Mackenzie Davis as Amanda, a stripper that Oliver sees somewhat regularly (also records a fantasy for Episode 6)
Carmen Ejogo as Petra, an heiress client at Diana's accounting firm
Dayo Okeniyi as James, a veteran returned from Afghanistan who fills in for Liam
Dolly Wells as Laurenne, Diana's friend
Penelope Ann Miller as Cassie, Diana's friend
Jon Tenney as Allen, Diana's boss as her accounting firm
Rhys Wakefield as Liam, Diana's assistant running the website
Lesley Ann Warren as Jean, Diana's disavowed mother
Max Greenfield as Doug, Diana's co-worker; and as Jake, a chance bar encounter
Cameos
Andrea Riseborough as Jasmine, recording as "Liz" (Episode 1)
Lena Dunham as Lux (Episode 2)
Melanie Griffith as Carrie (Episode 3)
Gwendoline Christie as Evie (Episode 4)
Rosa Salazar as Jada (Episode 5)
Ava Grey as Erika (Episode 6)
Chris Diamantopoulos as Brady, a real-estate client of Oliver's
Lili Taylor as a marriage therapist for Diana and Oliver
Format
Each episode spends about half an hour focused on a single character's erotic fantasy.
Adaptions
Novels
Following the success of the podcast, co-writers Jen Besser and Shana Feste signed a deal with Dial Press (US) and HarperCollins (UK) to adapt the podcast into a trilogy of novels (Dirty Diana; Diana in Love; and Diana Says Yes). The trilogy was set for release in 2024-2025.
Television
In September 2020, Amazon announced that it won the rights to a television series adaptation. Demi Moore will return to star in the series, which also brings back writers Jen Besser and Shana Feste, who will also direct.
Reception
The show won the 2021 Ambies award for "Best Scriptwriting".