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From show creator Stephen Dunn, the Peacock re-imagining of Queer as Folk, inspired by the groundbreaking British series from Russell T. Davies, follows a group of queer and trans friends in New Orleans as they figure out all the messy parts of life and love. When they find themselves reeling after a tragedy, new relationships and resurfaced insecurities lead to even more drama that they’ll have to deal with, in order to move forward.
During this interview with Collider, co-stars Jesse James Keitel (who plays Ruthie, a trans woman who’s trying to reconcile her party girl past with her new role as a mother) and CG (who plays Shar, the non-binary spouse of Ruthie and the one that just gave birth to their newborn twins) talked about how they were kept in the dark about where their relationship would end up, how this new reimagining is really reflective of today’s climate, what they most enjoyed about working with each other, why episode six was one of the most rewarding acting experiences Keitel has had, and what Kim Cattrall brought to the show.
Collider: I particularly enjoyed the relationship between your characters and following them on their journey, which is quite drama filled journey this season. How much of that did you guys know, going into this? Did you have any idea where they would end up? Did you have no clue what was coming?
JESSE JAMES KEITEL: We got snippets and little tastes of it.
CG: We got sprinkles, here and there.
KEITEL: But in terms of where our relationship goes in episode seven and eight, they kept us pretty much in the dark, for good reason.
What was your reaction, when you did find out? Did you just get the scripts and find out when you read them?
CG: (Creator) Stephen [Dunn] told me. We were rehearsing for something because we were all together, and it seemed like everyone else knew. And then, he told me, and I was like, “Oh, so everyone here knew besides me? Great.” It brought a lot of questions into where Shar’s head was at and I was like, “Really? How? Why? When?”
KEITEL: When I first found out about the ending of the season for Ruthie, it made sense. I was excited for it because I think it’s storytelling that’s really unique, not just to our show, but to the lived experience of a lot of queer people, having these nuanced, complicated relationships that aren’t always what they seem on the surface. I was so gagged that we got to do that.
When you guys found out about the possibility of being a part of this show, what was your initial reaction to there being another Queer as Folk? Did you wonder why they were doing it a third time, or were you excited to find out why they were doing it a third time?
KEITEL: I understand how and why a lot of people are skeptical of reboots or a reimagining, but what a great time to do a reimagining of Queer as Folk. Being alive, as a queer person in 2022, is so much different than it was in 1999 or 2000. The challenges we face today are drastically different. The triumphs we’ve had since then are drastically different. Specifically, with the trans storytelling on the TV show, you see some really groundbreaking, moving parts of Queer as Folk that were not represented in previous versions. It’s really reflective of the climate we’re in today.
How close are these characters to who they were, in the very beginning? Did they change a lot, once you were cast in these roles?
CG: Where we started out from was on camera via Zoom, and not together in a room. But what we had for each other, as far as the trust and love to jump off of, and bring into the room and on the camera, it just continuously evolved from that very separated moment of being on Zoom, which was surprising and I was also definitely there for it. How often do you get to have that feeling of connection over Zoom?
KEITEL: I feel like I definitely became more and more at one with Ruthie, by the end of the season. The lines were very blurred, with who these characters were and who I was. I learned a lot from her. I think a lot of us learned a lot from our characters.
CG: Yeah.
What did you guys most enjoy about working with each other and learning from each other?
CG: Every time Jesse walks into a room, a little gasp is taken and a little breath is put into the room. Just seeing the light that she carries in these long-ass legs, in her spirit, and in her eyes, I gained a lot, and I get to share that light. I gained a lot of confidence from Jesse and a lot of forthrightness, even if it’s not always dead on. The way that Jesse sticks up for herself and fights for herself, and not only for herself but for the people around her, was very moving. Thanks.
KEITEL: Thank you. That’s very sweet.
CG: It’s very true.
KEITEL: CG is a gift of a senior partner. They have this profoundly grounded presence. You can feel it, just sitting here. Our energies are so different that, truly, opposites attract. We’re such great scene partners together because we uplift each other and root each other in ways that we don’t do on our own. Getting to explore that on screen, where our characters also have a similar dynamic, is part of the reason why it looks like Shar and Ruthie have been together for a hundred years. They support each other and they trust each other, even when Ruthie is actively lying to Shar, all the time.
Jesse, I was blown away by the work that you did in episode six, both pre- and post-transition. I have never seen anything like that from an actor in a TV show, and I would imagine that there aren’t many opportunities to do something like that, but it also doesn’t sound like it was a given that you would be playing both ages of the character. What was the thought process of that? What made you want to do that? What was that like to do? What were the challenges of doing that episode?
KEITEL: First off, thank you. That’s very sweet. It was very challenging. Stephen and (executive producer/writer) Jaclyn [Moore] were definitely nervous about casting me to play younger Ruthie, for two reasons. I’m approaching 30, so there’s only so long I can play a high schooler, realistically, without it seeming like Pen15. And it’s really delicate storytelling. I don’t think I could watch it if anyone else played the role because it really is true to my own lived experience and my own life. Getting to tell that story was so important to me, and the script was magic. The script was so beautifully done. I fought really hard. I submitted a self-tape to play my younger self, unprompted, and sent a love letter to Stephen and Jaclyn that said, “I have to do this.” And it worked. It was a challenge, and it was one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done, as an actor.
What do you hope audiences take from that?
KEITEL: So often, right now, in the media and in legislation, we’re seeing trans people vilified, at every turn. Seeing this trans woman who is living this vibrant, messy life, and then also seeing her origin story with her very best friend and, low-key, the love of her life, I think it’s going to give audiences the opportunity to humanize a trans person who is deeply flawed. She’s not a saint, in any way, shape or form. She’s a human. I hope queer audiences and non-queer audiences can watch the show and fall in love with all the characters, Ruthie included.
CG, what was your reaction to learning that you’d be working with Kim Cattrall? What does she bring to the table?
CG: Kim is a great worker and a great partner, and she was very present within the moments that we shared, on camera. Even though I didn’t really get to speak to her a whole bunch, because I’m just not that much of a talker, what I was picking up on with her energy felt very real. She was very humorous with her little one-liners, here and there. Working with her was a gift. It was really nice to get to work with a person who is such a big name, but also see them as just who they are. Separating the household name from the actual being that holds that name was a pretty nice experience.
And Shar is the character that humanizes her a little bit.
CG: Yeah. Brenda helps share in many ways, as far as parenting goes. Even though they’re coming at parenting from two very different directions, there is still knowledge and little tidbits, here and there, that go a very long way. And I feel like that wasn’t just one-sided. It was an awakening moment for everyone in that relationship.
Queer as Folk is available to stream at Peacock.
