It looks like the Queer as Folk reboot is officially moving forward because the show has cast its first actor – nonbinary star Jesse James Keitel.
According to Variety, Keitel, who stars on ABC’s popular drama Big Sky, has been cast as a “trans, semi-reformed party girl who is struggling to grow up.” The reboot, based on the landmark 1999 series from Russell T. Davis, will take place in New Orleans and follow a diverse group of friends “whose lives are transformed in the aftermath of a tragedy.”
Episodes will be available to stream on NBCUniversal’s Peacock platform.
In a Instagram post, Keitel wrote, “I’m still so gagged — Honored, thrilled, and in genuine disbelief to be joining this iconic show, Let’s make some magic, y’all.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CSsSvk4r25U/
Keitel made history when they were cast in Big Sky as the first nonbinary actor to play a nonbinary series regular on primetime television. They play Jerrie Kennedy, a transfeminine sex worker who dreams of becoming a singer.
Their additional credits include the Showtime original film Fluidity, the Netflix original Alex Strangelove, and they were recently a part of a Disney+’s virtual Pride concert, singing “When Somebody Loved Me” from Toy Story 2.
The Queer as Folk reboot will be created, written, and executive produced by Stephen Dunn, who is also directing the pilot. Dunn’s first feature film, Closet Monster, won the award for Best Canadian Feature Film at the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival.
Production will begin this fall.
The original Queer as Folk aired on the UK’s Channel 4 and followed the lives of three British clubgoing gay men in 1999. Showtime adapted the series a year later, which ran for five seasons to culture-defining effect.
OMG. A gay show has a drag character? Groudbreaking.
I cannot and will not form an opinion until I actually watch it. That said, I really wish the reboot included as much of the original cast as possible, while weaving in new generation.
Reboots are never good and if I want to watch QueerAsFolk I want the original version not some reboot
This is too bad