Zachary Quinto is a man of many talents. The out and proud gay actor will be producing and starring as Dr. Oliver Wolf in NBC’s newest offering Brilliant Minds.
The 47-year-old will play a character that is deeply inspired by the life of neurologist and writer Dr. Oliver Sacks, who came out publicly in 2015 through his autobiography On the Move: A Life. The show will be based on Dr. Sacks’ book Awakenings. Back in 1990, the book was also adapted into the Oscar-nominated film of the same name, where Robin Williams portrayed the life of Dr. Sacks.
The plot of the show reads:
“Zachary Quinto stars as an eccentric yet incredibly gifted neurologist in this intriguing new medical drama. His rare condition – face blindness – gives him a unique perspective on care, fueling his mission to change the way people see his patients. Alongside a team of brilliant young interns, he’ll solve some of the world’s most puzzling psychological cases while navigating the complicated relationships that come with the job.”
Quinto first rose into prominence with his role as the main villain and serial killer in Heroes, followed by his portrayal of Spock in the Star Trek film reboot. Since the early 2000s, the actor has been a fixture in our screens and on stage.
The actor has starred in many notable, queer-positive films, series, and plays including The Boys in the Band, Down Low, and Best of Enemies. It’s prudent to note that Quinto has been vocal about gay actors not being afforded the same opportunities to play straight roles in comparison to straight actors being offered gay roles. He shares with The Independent:
“There’s still a tremendous amount of fear around particularly openly gay men in our industry. There is this long-held and stubborn belief that to identify as an openly gay man on some level means you’re inherently less masculine, inherently less believable as a straight character. There are still actors who believe their careers are better served by not acknowledging their authentic selves. That’s their prerogative, but I think we’re part of a movement that is unstoppable.”
After his successful stint as queer man Gore Vidal in Best of Enemies, Quinto shares that he is grateful to be able to play a version of Dr. Sacks in the modern world:
“To play an openly gay character on a primetime network show is an incredibly significant honor for me. “I’m deeply grateful for this experience to tell these stories and to use Oliver Sacks’ life as the origin point for those stories. Oliver Sacks was somebody who was deeply influenced by the time in which he came of age and the social restrictions on people being able to live fully who they were.” He adds, “to play a character who’s embracing that aspect of himself in the modern world, and in a way that’s vital and contemporary and forward-looking, is really special.”
Related: Quinto Felt Hypocritical In Not Acknowledging Being Gay As Teen Suicides Surged
Catch Zachary Quinto on Brilliant Minds at 10/9c on NBC starting September 23.
Sources: The Independent, PHOTOBOOK