Gayety

Tag: Mid-Century Modern

  • Zane Phillips and Jelani Alladin Star in Queer 1980s Thriller ‘Strangers on a Beach’

    Zane Phillips and Jelani Alladin Star in Queer 1980s Thriller ‘Strangers on a Beach’

    Get ready for sun, suspense, and steamy secrets. Fire Island star Zane Phillips and Fellow Travelers breakout Jelani Alladin are set to headline Strangers on a Beach, a queer erotic thriller set in 1980s San Francisco, premiering this June at the Big Apple Film Festival.

    A Queer Thriller With a Vintage Edge

    Set in 1983, Strangers on a Beach follows Calvin, a man trying to survive—and maybe fall in love—in a city where queer desire is being stalked by something far more dangerous. The official logline reads: “It’s 1983 in San Francisco and a mysterious killer is targeting homosexual men. But Calvin just wants to kiss that handsome stranger.”

    Written and directed by Michael Schwartz (Snatched), the film draws inspiration from the stylized suspense of David Lynch and Brian De Palma. But unlike the coded queerness of many thrillers from that era, Strangers on a Beach brings queer identity and desire front and center.

    Sexy, Scary, and Unapologetically Queer

    In a statement, Schwartz explained the film’s ethos:

    “Studio films of that era often reveled in queer subtext. But even between the lines, queerness was frequently coded as danger. That kind of projection carried difficult consequences, as did the concealment of identity. By centering authentically queer voices—all while keeping things scary, sexy, and strange—we set out to challenge the biases of both the characters and the audience who watch them.”

    Alongside Phillips and Alladin, the film stars Juliana Aidén Martinez (Griselda), Jack Falahee (How to Get Away With Murder), Nancy Lam (Miss Saigon), and Perry Young (In the Heights).

    The film is produced by Andrew Carlberg (Skin) and Nilou Safinya (Julia Blue), marking their third collaboration under Safinya’s Eyes Up Here Productions and Schwartz’s Boat Ashore Productions.

    Rising Stars and Veteran Talent

    Alladin, fresh off his acclaimed performance opposite Matt Bomer and Jonathan Bailey in Fellow Travelers, also appeared in Tick, Tick…Boom with Andrew Garfield. Phillips, who rose to fame in Fire Island, recently appeared on the Hulu sitcom Mid-Century Modern.

    When he’s not behind the camera, Schwartz also co-created That’s a Gay Ass Live Show, a variety game show that opened the NY Comedy Festival and appeared at Netflix Is a Joke, featuring stars like Bowen Yang, Matt Rogers, and Margaret Cho.

    Strangers on a Beach is set to make its world premiere at the Big Apple Film Festival in June—just in time for Pride Month. Don’t miss this thrilling dive into queer danger, desire, and identity, wrapped in the dreamy haze of a bygone era.

  • Matt Bomer Reflects on Being Outed by Tabloids: ‘It Felt Unfair… That Narrative Was Stolen’

    Matt Bomer Reflects on Being Outed by Tabloids: ‘It Felt Unfair… That Narrative Was Stolen’

    Matt Bomer has opened up about his early experiences in the entertainment industry, revealing how the media’s treatment of him during the early stages of his career felt “unfair.” In a candid interview on the Dinner’s on Me podcast with Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Bomer reflected on the pressure he faced when his personal life became fodder for gossip columns before he had a chance to share his own story on his own terms.

    Bomer, now 46, recalled how the media, particularly celebrity gossip outlets like Perez Hilton, took control of his narrative in ways he had no say in. “Folks could kind of take over your own personal narrative before you even had a chance to,” he explained. “Outlets like Perez Hilton were so quick to talk about my personal life before I had ever had a chance to even do it myself. And it wasn’t because I didn’t want to; I didn’t even have an opportunity to.”

    The actor, who publicly came out as gay during a 2012 awards speech, explained that by that time, rumors about his sexuality had already circulated widely in the media. He recalled how outlets were keen to fuel speculation but unwilling to give him a platform to speak out. “No media outlet was ever going like, ‘Hey!’” he added, suggesting that while the rumors about him made headlines, his voice was seldom heard in the conversation. “I just didn’t have a career that warranted that,” he continued. “It felt kind of unfair to me, that that was stolen by people who did have a microphone at the time.”

    Bomer’s decision to publicly come out in 2012 was a moment of personal empowerment. He used his platform to introduce his husband, publicist Simon Halls, and their three children as his “proudest accomplishment.” Yet, long before he publicly acknowledged his sexuality, Bomer had already been a target for gossip, particularly in the tabloid culture that thrived in the late 2000s and early 2010s.

    One significant personal story Bomer shared was how he was told that being outed prematurely cost him a role in the 2013 film Superman: Man of Steel, which was directed by Brett Ratner. Although Bomer was not cast as Superman, the role eventually went to Henry Cavill, Bomer’s career continued to rise in other directions.

    Struggles with Hollywood’s Image of Masculinity

    While Bomer’s career began to flourish in the early 2010s, thanks to a standout role in the USA Network series White Collar and a high-profile appearance in the Magic Mike film franchise, he quickly found himself being pigeonholed into roles that aligned with traditional ideas of masculinity. “I didn’t have anything to fall back on,” he said of his early career. Despite this, Bomer noted that his strong family support provided him with a sense of security. “What I had was a loving family,” he explained. “That was my safety net. And I was like, you know what? If the worst that happens is that I don’t work again and I have this beautiful family who I love and who loves me, then so be it.”

    Bomer’s rise in Hollywood was not without its challenges. The industry’s reluctance to embrace openly gay actors for leading roles in mainstream films meant Bomer faced significant obstacles in his early years. However, in the years following his decision to come out, Bomer began to receive more recognition for his talent, finding new opportunities to break away from traditional roles and explore more complex characters.

    A Changing Landscape in Hollywood

    Over the years, Bomer’s career trajectory has included diverse roles that allow him to explore both his acting and his identity as a queer man. One of his notable projects in recent years has been Fellow Travelers, a historical drama series set against the backdrop of 1950s politics. The series delves into the emotional toll that living in the closet takes on LGBTQ individuals, particularly in a time when homosexuality was often criminalized or vilified.

    Speaking about his character, Hawk, in Fellow Travelers, Bomer noted that the role offered him an opportunity to explore a character with a public persona he had to maintain while secretly embracing a more rebellious side. “Hawk does have a public persona that he needs to survive and maneuver in the world that he’s in, but underneath it all is a real ‘f— you,’” Bomer said in a 2023 interview with Entertainment Weekly. He described the opportunity to portray this complex character as “refreshing,” adding that it felt equally important to depict authentic and honest portrayals of gay intimacy in a way that was “unflinching.”

    In his portrayal of Hawk, Bomer is able to tap into the nuances of being a gay man in a time of societal pressure, offering a glimpse into the internal conflicts many LGBTQ individuals experience as they navigate a world that often demands conformity. Fellow Travelers has allowed Bomer to bring to life an aspect of queer experience that has often been glossed over in mainstream media.

    A Reflective Bomer Looks Back

    Looking back on his journey, Bomer reflected on the ways in which Hollywood has shifted its approach to LGBTQ+ representation, though challenges remain. The increasing number of openly queer actors in mainstream film and television is a step forward, but as Bomer himself points out, the industry is still far from perfect.

    “I just wanted to be honest about who I was,” Bomer said during his conversation with Ferguson. He admitted that while his sexuality had been speculated about, he never intended to hide it. His 2012 speech was an act of reclaiming his narrative, a declaration that he was in control of how he presented his identity.

    As for the media’s treatment of him, Bomer seems to have found peace in his own journey. While he still feels the weight of how the media tried to control his narrative early on, he’s now in a place where he can reflect with clarity and gratitude for the family that has supported him and the career that continues to evolve.

    Bomer’s experience highlights not only the challenges LGBTQ+ actors face in the entertainment industry but also the resilience required to overcome those barriers. Today, Bomer continues to use his platform to advocate for queer representation and to ensure that the next generation of LGBTQ+ performers won’t have to face the same struggles he did.

    His reflections, shared on the Dinner’s on Me podcast, offer a candid and introspective look at the changing landscape of Hollywood and the importance of owning one’s own narrative in an industry still working toward full acceptance of LGBTQ+ talent.

  • ‘Mid-Century Modern’ Is Not the ‘Gay Golden Girls’ – But it is the Campy, Queer Comfort Show You’ve Been Waiting For

    ‘Mid-Century Modern’ Is Not the ‘Gay Golden Girls’ – But it is the Campy, Queer Comfort Show You’ve Been Waiting For

    Grab your gays and your good moisturizer—Mid-Century Modern is serving Palm Springs realness, chosen family feels, and enough one-liners to fill your group chat for weeks.

    From Will & Grace creators Max Mutchnick and David Kohan and executive producer Ryan Murphy comes a deliciously sharp, laugh-out-loud new comedy.

    All 10 episodes of Mid-Century Modern drop March 28 on Hulu, and trust us, you’ll want to binge them faster than Sybil Schneiderman can judge your wardrobe.

    The Premise: Three Queens and a Mother

    Picture this: three longtime best friends—Bunny (Nathan Lane), Jerry (Matt Bomer), and Arthur (Nathan Lee Graham)—reunite after a death in their circle and decide to live out their golden years under one Palm Springs roof.

    While the elevator pitch might’ve once been “Gay Golden Girls,” the creators were quick to clarify in our interview—it’s not a remake. It’s a reinvention. “Gay Golden Girls was just a shorthand,” said Kohan.

    “If you were to say, well, here’s a group of guys, and they shared a house years ago on Fire Island, but now one of ’em dies and blah, blah, blah. It’s like Gay Golden Girls got it. I mean, it really is, it’s a way to understand the concept very, very quickly, even though it’s not based on the Golden Girls or anything like that, but the dynamic is comparable.”

    The Cast: Theater Royalty with Comedic Chemistry

    MID-CENTURY MODERN – (Disney/Chris Haston)

    The magic, as Mutchnick described, sparked the moment the trio shared the screen. “You knew it was working when the three of them were together in that three-way conversation, he said.

    “I mean, Linda was this incredible spice that we love and miss, but the fact that the alchemy of these three actors creating that friendship, it was amazing. And that’s when we knew, oh, maybe this is going to be a thing.”

    Nathan Lee Graham, who plays the chic and cerebral Arthur, added that their shared theater backgrounds made the on-set vibe effortless. “When you’re from the theater, certain things are unspoken,” he told us. “The chemistry was just there. We’re very lucky to have it because it does not happen all the time.”

    Arthur Broussard: A Whole Human Being (With Better Taste Than You)

    For Graham, stepping into Arthur felt like a dream. “I didn’t have to make my character be fully. So this is nice to have a black queer character, Arthur Broussard. I can just step into him and just start playing,” he said. “I think people will find it refreshing because he’s a whole human being.”

    While Graham wouldn’t pick a single favorite line (he was too busy laughing at co-stars repeating “Did he? She?” on set), he promised Arthur’s dialogue is “already classic.”

    MID-CENTURY MODERN – (Disney/Chris Haston)

    A Legend, Honored with Love

    Linda Lavin, who brought unforgettable warmth and wicked wit to Sybil, tragically passed away in December, having completed three-quarters of the season. Her final episodes are handled with extraordinary care by the writers, cast, and crew, culminating in a tribute titled “Here’s to You, Mrs. Schneiderman.” It’s a beautifully somber and deeply emotional episode that honors Lavin’s legacy with both laughter and reverence.

    Graham reflected on filming the tribute: “We wanted to show up, bring our A-game, and celebrate the wonderful artist that is Linda Lavin,” he said. “It’s one of the best episodes of television I’ve ever done—or seen. And I don’t say that with hyperbole.”

    Zingers, Birkins, and Game of Thrones

    MID-CENTURY MODERN – (Disney/Chris Haston)

    And if you’re wondering about the zingers? Oh honey. They’re endless. One line that’s already causing waves? A deadpan delivery from Lavin’s Sybil: “As my mother used to say, time is a cunt.” Expect that on a T-shirt by the weekend.

    “There’s a line in the pilot that really made me laugh,” Nathan Lane shared. “Bunny’s on a date and says, ‘Don’t get me wrong, you can chain me to the wall like a starfish and wreck me like a background actress on Game of Thrones, but it’s going to be a while before I let you see my tummy.’”

    Graham also shared his current favorite: “There’s a moment in the tribute episode where I possibly may be gifted something fabulous from Sybil, and the line is simply: ‘Birkin bag, Birkin bag.’”

    So, Should You Watch?

    If you’ve ever wished for a show that feels like a vintage cocktail party hosted by your funniest gay uncles—with a little emotional depth tucked between one-liners—Mid-Century Modern is your new obsession. It’s witty, warm, and wildly memeable.

    In the words of Graham: “We’re just having a grand old time. And I hope people feel seen and represented.”

    Watch our interviews with the cast and creators below.

  • Debra Messing Responds to Question About ‘Will & Grace’ Return and New Film Project

    Debra Messing Responds to Question About ‘Will & Grace’ Return and New Film Project

    Debra Messing Responds to Will & Grace Return Questions

    During an interview yesterday on CBS Mornings, Will & Grace star Debra Messing was asked about the potential for the show to return. Will & Grace, which originally aired on NBC from 1998 to 2006 and was later revived from 2017 to 2020, was groundbreaking for its portrayal of a gay character (Will, played by Eric McCormack) and his best friend, Grace (Messing). The series, which also starred Sean Hayes and Megan Mullally, remains a beloved classic in LGBTQ+ television history.

    When asked if she could envision reprising her role as Grace Adler, Messing responded, “I feel like the only thing that could possibly work is if in 20, 30 years, we do a Golden Girls where they’re all living in Boca [Raton, Florida] in caftans.” She added that if the characters were to return before that time, “We’ve told the story.”

     

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    A post shared by CBS Mornings (@cbsmornings)

    Fan Reactions to Messing’s Suggestion

    While Messing’s comments were lighthearted, the suggestion of a Golden Girls-inspired reboot was not met with enthusiasm by some fans online. Many pointed out the cast’s ages, with one person responding, “Girl, you’re 56. Meghan is 66. Eric is 61… Rue McClanahan was 51. Betty White & Bea Arthur were 63. You’re already Golden Girls.”

    Others reflected on the popularity of some secondary characters, such as Jack (Hayes) and Karen (Mullally). One fan tweeted, “Only if named Jack & Karen. After all, they were the real stars.” Another creative suggestion proposed having the Will & Grace characters make guest appearances on the new sitcom Mid-Century Modern, a potential crossover that some fans seem to think could work.

    Messing’s Current Projects

    While talk of a Will & Grace revival has been met with mixed reactions, Messing remains active in the entertainment industry. The actress recently executive produced a documentary titled October 8, which explores contemporary issues surrounding anti-Semitism. Additionally, Messing stars in the upcoming film The Alto Knights, alongside Robert De Niro. During a press appearance for the film with Andy Cohen, De Niro made headlines by revealing that he had never seen an episode of Will & Grace, which caused a surprised but amused reaction from Messing.

    Will & Grace’s Legacy

    Although Will & Grace wrapped up its latest reboot in 2020, its cultural impact remains profound. The series was lauded for its groundbreaking portrayal of LGBTQ+ characters in mainstream television, particularly for its positive representation of Will Truman as a gay man living openly. The show’s characters, humor, and emotional storylines have left an enduring legacy, and the potential for a return—whether in the form of a reboot, a spinoff, or a reunion—is something fans continue to speculate about.

    As of now, it remains to be seen whether Will & Grace will make a comeback in any form, but Messing’s playful Golden Girls-like suggestion only adds fuel to the fire of nostalgic fans hoping for more.

  • Matt Bomer’s New Gay Sitcom ‘Mid-Century Modern’ Completes Filming, Set to Premiere in March

    Matt Bomer’s New Gay Sitcom ‘Mid-Century Modern’ Completes Filming, Set to Premiere in March

    Actor Matt Bomer has announced that production on the first season of his new sitcom, Mid-Century Modern, has wrapped. The series, described as a gay-themed comedy in the spirit of The Golden Girls, is set to make its debut on Hulu next month.

    Bomer, known for his role in Fellow Travelers, took to Instagram to share the news with fans, posting, “That’s a wrap on season one of Mid-Century Modern.” The actor expressed his excitement about the show, which features a star-studded cast that includes Nathan Lane, Nathan Lee Graham, and the late Tony Award- and Golden Globe-winning actress Linda Lavin.

     

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    A post shared by Matt Bomer (@mattbomer)

    Lavin, who was 87 when she passed away in December, had been battling recently discovered lung cancer, her representative confirmed. Following her death, Bomer honored the actress on Instagram, remembering her as “an icon, a phenomenal artist, and a deeply caring human being.” He continued, “I’m grateful to have been touched by her brilliance. She will remain an inspiration to so many (myself included) and will be greatly missed by all of us.”

    In addition to Lavin, the cast of Mid-Century Modern includes other notable figures from the entertainment world, such as Nathan Lane and Nathan Lee Graham, both known for their LGBTQ+ advocacy and extensive careers in television and theater.

     

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    A post shared by Matt Bomer (@mattbomer)

    Bomer, who has been married to publicist Simon Halls since 2011, previously described the sitcom as “a dream come true” for him. He also teased that the series includes references to The Golden Girls as well as other iconic TV characters from the past. “It’s sort of a hybrid, but I would definitely say it’s a spiritual cousin,” Bomer explained, hinting at the show’s nostalgic yet fresh take on classic sitcom formulas.

    Mid-Century Modern follows three gay men who retire together in Palm Springs, California. The series explores their lives in the desert, balancing humor with meaningful themes of friendship, love, and aging. Bomer has spoken about the significance of the show’s representation of gay characters, calling it a groundbreaking project that will resonate with a wide audience.

    As fans eagerly anticipate the show’s release, many have expressed their excitement on social media. Bomer’s post about finishing production sparked a flood of comments from followers who can’t wait to see the series. “Cannot wait” was a common sentiment in the replies, with fans sharing their enthusiasm for the unique premise and star-studded cast.

    All 10 episodes of Mid-Century Modern are set to be released on Hulu on March 28. With its blend of comedy, heart, and poignant moments, the series is shaping up to be one of the most highly anticipated shows of the spring.