The Cleaning Lady is an American crime drama television series developed by Miranda Kwok, based on the 2017 Argentinian television series La chica que limpia. The series premiered on Fox on January 3, 2022. In April 2022, the series was renewed for a second season, which premiered on September 19, 2022. In February 2023, the series was renewed for a third season.
Premise
The Cleaning Lady is a drama that centers on Thony De La Rosa a Cambodian-Filipino former surgeon who is currently working and living in Las Vegas. Her reason for being in the US on an expired visa is her five-year-old son, Luca. Luca has a rare and life-threatening medical disorder for which he needs a cutting-edge bone marrow treatment, which is only available in Las Vegas. Until she gets treatment for her son, Thony makes a living not as a trained physician but as a cleaning service worker, alongside her sister-in-law, Fiona. After Thony accidentally witnesses a serious crime and is discovered hiding by the perpetrator, Arman Morales, she is offered a job both as a cleaner and a doctor within their criminal organization that could pay well enough to help her son and her family. Crossing into a moral gray zone, Thony begins living a double life, keeping secrets from her family, all the while cleaning up murder scenes and dodging the law.
Cast and characters
Main
Élodie Yung as Thony De La Rosa, formerly a surgeon in one of Manila's best hospitals, now trapped in Las Vegas as an undocumented immigrant due to her visa expiring. She becomes a cleaner for the mob in order to gain the connections needed to procure treatment for her sick son. Adan Canto as Arman Morales, a gangster associated with a powerful Armenian crime family operating in Las Vegas. He agrees to protect Thony and help her son in exchange for her services as a cleaner. Oliver Hudson as Garrett Miller, an FBI agent who goes after Thony in his effort to bring down Arman Martha Millan as Fiona De La Rosa, Thony's sister-in-law and closest friend, with whom she and her son live. Sebastien and Valentino LaSalle as Luca De La Rosa, Thony's son. He suffers from a rare autoimmune illness that forces Thony to keep him hidden from the outside world to protect him from contagion. Sean Lew as Chris, Fiona's son Faith Bryant as Jaz, Fiona's daughter Eva De Dominici as Nadia Morales (season 2; recurring season 1), Arman's wife Naveen Andrews as Robert Kamdar (season 2)
Recurring
Navid Negahban as Hayak Barsamian
Ivan Shaw as Marco De La Rosa, Thony's abusive husband and Fiona's brother
Jay Mohr as Councilman Eric Knight
Liza Weil as Katherine Russo
Shiva Negar as Isabel Barsamian
Chelsea Frei as Maya Campbell (season 2) K.C. Collins as Tyler Jefferson (season 2) Ryan Sands as JD Harris (season 2), Jaz's father
Special guest star
Lou Diamond Phillips as Joe Fabroa
Episodes
Series overview
Season 1 (2022)
Season 2 (2022)
Production
Development
On October 22, 2019, it was announced that Warner Bros. Television Studios had acquired the remake rights to the Spanish-language Argentinian television series La Chica Que Limpia and was developing an English-language adaptation for Fox, with a script commitment attached. Miranda Kwok was set to write and develop the series adaptation, with Kwok also attached to executive produce with Melissa Carter and Shay Mitchell. On January 23, 2020, Fox gave the project a pilot order, the first for the network's 2020–21 television season, with Fox Entertainment and Warner Bros. Television Studios set as co-production partners. The series was ultimately pushed back to the 2021–22 television season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with Fox giving a series greenlight consisting of ten hour-long episodes on May 7, 2021. Carter was set as showrunner and executive producer along with Kwok, and Michael Offer was also announced as director and executive producer of the pilot. On May 17, 2021, during Fox's Upfront presentation, it was confirmed the series would premiere as a midseason entry during the 2021–22 television season. On April 7, 2022, Fox renewed the series for a second season. On August 25, 2022, it was reported that Kwok was promoted to showrunner, alongside Carter, for the second season. On February 1, 2023, Fox renewed the series for a third season, and Jeannine Renshaw joined as an executive producer and co-showrunner.