The Queer as Folk reboot is officially underway and the creators have announced the first cast member of the series.
According to a report from Variety, non-binary actor Jesse James Keitel has been cast to play a “trans, semi-reformed party girl who is struggling to grow up.”
Taking to Instagram, Keitel, who uses they/them and she/her pronouns, shared their excitement about joining the highly-anticipated show.
“Cheers, queers Queer As Folk. I’m still so gagged — Honored, thrilled, and in genuine disbelief to be joining this iconic show. Let’s make some magic, y’all,” they wrote.
Before joining the forthcoming reboot, Keitel had starred in the popular ABC drama series Big Sky.
Their role in the show made LGBTQ+ history due to them being the first non-binary actor to be cast as a series regular on primetime TV.
The Queer As Folk rebooted series has been described as a reimagining of the iconic Russell T. Davies series of the same name. It’s set to take place in New Orleans and will follow a group of friends as they navigate life after experiencing a tragic event.
Stephen Dunn is set to head the series as creator, writer, director and executive producer.
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Dunn recently opened about the new iteration of the groundbreaking property in a statement.
“It is a surreal honour to adapt the notoriously groundbreaking series by Russell T. Davies,” he said.
“When the show originally aired, the idea of unapologetic queer stories on TV was so provocative that I felt I could only watch Queer as Folk in secret.
“But so much has changed in the last 20 years and how wonderful would it be if the next generation didn’t have to watch Queer as Folk alone in their dank basements with the sound muted but with their family and friends and the volume cranked all the way to the max.”
The series has been given a straight to series order on the Peacock streaming service.
In a statement, the President of Scripted Content, Lisa Katz, echoed similar sentiments to Dunn, stating: “Queer as Folk was more than just a show, it was a ground-breaking and necessary voice for so many people.
“Stephen’s new version for Peacock arrives at yet another pivotal moment in our culture.”
She continued: “Alex Sepiol, EVP of drama programming, and his team have championed this project from the first moment it landed on their desks, working to ensure the script became the series we’re announcing today.
“The entire team is so excited to be part of introducing a new generation to this type of authentic and affirming storytelling.”
This isn’t the first time that Queer as Folk has received the reboot treatment. After the original UK show aired its 10-episode season from 1999-2000, Showtime released an American version that was set in Pennsylvania.
The series ran for five seasons and starred Hal Sparks, Gale Harold, Randy Harrison, Scott Lowell, Peter Paige, Sharon Gless, Michelle Clunie and Thea Gill.
Production on Queer as Folk is set to start this fall in New Orleans.
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