Queer as Folkwas an LGBTQ+ drama that centered around the lives of three gay men living in Manchester, England. The show first aired in the U.K. in 1999 and ran for ten episodes on Channel 4.Queer as Folkrevolutionized gay representation onscreen and is regarded as one of thebest LGBTQ+ TV showsof all time. Created by Russel T. Davies, the show was based on Davies’ personal experiences of the gay community on Canal Street, which ran the gauntlet of emotions. Gay characters on television up until that point were sanitized for mainstream approval.Queer as Folk, however, depicted a more authentic and relatable version of the gay community. In the year 2000, Showtime premiered an American reboot ofQueer as Folkbased on Russell T. Davies’ source material. The pilot episode was groundbreaking, airing the first sex scene between two men ever shown on American television.Queer as Folksoon became the number one show on Showtime and highlighted many important topics for the gay community, including coming out, same-sex marriages, adoption, artificial insemination, HIV/AIDS, sex work, and workplace discrimination. The revolutionary series that gave a voice to so many is now on track for another American reboot, which has already announced its primary cast and some intriguing guest stars including Kim Cattral, Ed Begley Jr., and Juliette Lewis. According to an August 2021 announcement inVariety, theQueer as Folkreboot could hit our screens as early as spring 2022. The series is created by Canadian writer-director Stephen Dunn, with original creator Russell T. Davies as executive producer. Here’s how the reboot is already looking better than the original.
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Set In New Orleans
The third iteration of the popular LGBTQ+ drama will take notes from the British original by examining the lives of queer characters who live in a well-established gay community. The 1999 original was set in Manchester England, on Canal Street, which was the hub of the city’s gay village. The highly anticipatedQueer as Folkrebootwill be set in the Big Easy itself, New Orleans. Also known as the gay capital of the South, New Orleans is known for its thriving gay community, vibrant nightlife, bustling live-music scene, and its popular celebrations such as Mardi Gras, Essence, and various jazz festivals. The location alone gives the reboot an advantage over the original, as it sets the stage for a huge party scene surpassing that of the original and presents opportunities for even more debauchery. Another reason we are excited about the new location is because of New Orleans’ rich history, so it is certain to make for some beautiful shooting locations in and around the city, highlighting New Orleans’s gorgeous French and Spanish Creole architecture. The location was decided by Dunn as an homage to his late friend drag queen Chi Chi DeVayne.
Breaking Even More Barriers
The reboot promises to not only carry on with its groundbreaking nature but to push boundaries even further. Society has progressed a lot in the 20 years since the British debut, and the reboot will be capable of much more than its predecessors on that basis alone. Of course, there is always room for improvement where queer representation is concerned. Previous iterations ofQueer as Folkmay have depicted the trials and tribulations experienced by the gay community, however, the actors playing these ostracized members of society were predominantly cisgender, straight, and white. In an interview withXtra Magazine, Dunn recently spoke about the significance of authentic casting for LGBTQ+ roles. “There’s a plethora of actors, emerging and established, who can perform these roles. This is a no-brainer for me.” TheQueer as Folkre-imagining will star Jesse James Keitel as a transgendered former party girl struggling with the transition into adulthood. Keitel made history as the first non-binary actor to star in a non-binary lead role in the primetime crime dramaBig Sky. You can also catch them in the Netflix filmAlex Strangelove, which was produced by Ben Stiller. In addition to Keitel, Candace Grace, Johnny Sibilly, Devin Way, Fin Argus, and Ryan O’Connell have been confirmed to be joining the newest version ofQueer as Folk.
Another reason the reboot is looking better than the original is creator Stephen Dunn is making strides towards better onscreenrepresentation for people with disabilities. Dunn has cast Ryan O’Connell as a pop culture fanatic with Cerebral Palsy, longing for some independence, as well as Eric Graise as a cynical bar star, and deaf activist Nyle DiMarco as a charismatic grad student. Graise, a bilateral amputee from birth, starred in the horror seriesLocke & Key, while DiMarco is best known as the Season 22 winner of bothAmerica’s Next Top ModelandDancing With the Stars. As if an explosion of representation for the underrepresented weren’t enough, Dunn has also made a point of featuring more BIPOC characters in his version of Queer as Folk compared to earlier editions.
Related Link:Exclusive: Skyler Davenport Says ‘See For Me’ is a ‘Step in the Right Direction’ For Characters with Disabilities.
The Reboot Won’t Be a Carbon Copy
TheQueer as Folkreboot is not intended to be a carbon copy of either of the prior versions, but instead promises a fresh take on the original Russel T. Davies series. In an interview withCBC News, Dunn states: “To be able to work on such an iconic property and re-envision it with my community in mind, it’s surreal.” Stephen Dunn wants to share with others whatQueer as Folkdid for him when he was coming of age, further stating, “I finally saw my community reflected in a way that empowered me to be able to be comfortable exploring my sexuality [and] finding myself, and ultimately was one of the things that led me to become a filmmaker. In a separate interview withNBC News, Dunn shared: “When the show originally aired, the idea of unapologetic queer stories on TV was so provocative that I felt I could only watch ‘Queer as Folk’ in secret,” he said. “But so much has changed in the last 20 years and how wonderful would it be if the next generation didn’t have to watch ‘Queer as Folk’ alone in their dank basements with the sound muted, but with their family and friends and the volume cranked all the way to the max.”
