An all-new version of Queer as Folk is currently streaming on Peacock, with some big differences from the two past incarnations. This 2022 production is a reimagining of the two previous series—one with a British cast from 1999 created by Russell T Davies and the other placed in Pittsburgh for Showtime Networks.
Babylon is back, but this time the club's location is in New Orleans. Following a horrible tragedy, a group of friends navigates what it means to be queer in the world today while searching for love and acceptance.
Fin Argus stars as Mingus and answered questions exclusively for Windy City Times during a press conference along that included several other cast members from the reboot. Juliette Lewis portrays their mother Judy on the program and Argus divulged that Lewis is their favorite gay ally: "Working with Juliette Lewis was so much fun and she is so talented. She makes amazing choices so that we could play together as a family dynamic. We are both weird and I say that with so much love. Our family was off-kilter and unique. This dynamic was something people haven't seen onscreen before, especially with such an openly queer kid and there is no hiccup between the two at all." Argus went on to say that the conflict between them is from Mingus being a rebellious teenager and "angsty as hell."
Mingus has a powerful David Bowie solo in one segment and described it as "mind-blowing. I'm a huge David Bowie fan both in his music and acting performances. Putting on that makeup was a blast and the song I did was my dad's favorite song. It was a nice full-circle moment. The trailer has a mention of being sexy then shows me wearing the David Bowie outfit. That made me feel a certain type of way!"
Ryan O'Connell not only served as an actor playing Julian Beaumont but also as a writer and co-executive producer on this latest Queer As Folk endeavor. He stated that his Netflix series Special was "much more intense because I was the showrunner. I'm a Virgo, who likes to be busy and find lots to do. I like being both behind the scenes and in front of the camera!"
When asked by WCT what had O'Connell learned from Special that he used on Queer as Folk, he replied, "Make queer things that don't explain things to straight people. Both Special and Queer as Folk did that. We want straight to enjoy the shows but it is not instructional. This is our reality and we want them to dive in, baby! They can make popcorn and have some fun, but we are not going to hold their hand in the process."
Jesse James Keitel plays the trans character Ruthie and mentioned she has known about the original American Queer as Folk series since college. "It had such an impact on queer storytelling. After I booked the show, I did a deep dive and was hooked."
CG embodies the non-binary professor Shar also portrays a rock star in one Queer as Folk story arc. They confessed not being familiar with Queer as Folk before, but the characters made them a fan after watching past episodes.
One takeaway from the current version for Keitel was that she learned a great deal about herself, "It takes a lot to be intimate and vulnerable as an actor. We explore some things on this show that pushed my boundaries creatively and also my own comfort levels. I am immensely proud of the things we did together."
CG conveyed a similar experience of being comfortable both inside and outside of the set of Queer as Folk, "It was eye-opening for me."
When questioned about Kim Cattrall's professional behavior in the recurring role of Brenda Beaumont in Queer as Folk, Keitel remarked, "I'm the diva, she's the sweetheart. She walks into a room with so much wisdom, poise and grace. She played soft jazz in her trailer and was just lovely."
Trans storyline developer Jaclyn Moore worked on Queer as Folk as both a writer and executive producer since Canadian director Stephen Dunn first began with the project. Moore described meeting the writers on Zoom calls to plan out the story from start to finish. "So often I am the only LGBTQ+ person in the room and everyone there was queer. These are stories only we could tell and Ruthie's story is my story. It was wonderful working with someone like Jesse James Keitel for that particular character. It was remarkable to make this project with everyone!" Esteemed author Roxane Gay was one of the writers mentioned and when asked about this diverse panel of creatives Keitel simply stated, "The proof is really in the pudding. Anyone can watch Queer as Folk and see it was written by queer people, both in front and behind the camera. That makes a huge impact on the storytelling. It feels beautifully authentic because it truly is." She followed that by wanting to tell our readers that they won't be disappointed with this new series and to "buckle up."
When asked about Pride plans Keitel exclaimed, "I am going to embrace everything that is Queer as Folk and hopefully go to a parade or two!"
All eight episodes of Queer as Folk can be streamed at PeackockTV.com today .
