Redzone - Volume 4, Winter 2001

Introducing the Boys

Brian's an advertising executive who is consumed, first and foremost, with sexual conquest (secondly with his son, a "product" of his sperm donation). Michael is Brian's best friend, an assistant manager at the Big Q-Mart where he remains in the closet. A hopeless romantic and caretaker; he is consumed, first and foremost, with his best friend (secondly with comic books). Justin is a high school senior, newly out and about to enter an unknown world that is both exhilarating and unforgiving.

The lives of these individuals, and the friends and family they interact with are the heart and soul of Queer As Folk. Some are in their late 20's and 30's, but are still "boys," whose social life centers around Pittsburgh's Liberty Avenue, a gay "Main Street" sprinkled with bars, a disco, shops and a diner. Viewers will watch their evolution from boys to men.

The actors who play Brian, Michael and Justin have strapped on their seat belts, for this groundbreaking show will surely catapult them into the national spotlight. A career move which may be perceived as risky, for these thespians, joining the cast of Queer As Folk is an opportunity to change the way the world sees all people.

Gale Harold (Brian):

On the reality of Brian: Brian happens to be the character the show gives life to. It's not just that this character is the sexpot of the show. He's real because you see every facet of his life. All the characters have a real sexual lifestyle but at the same time they're all completely evolved and fully developed in other aspects of their lives, just like real life. On taking the part: I would much rather be involved with a project that pushes forward. The character, for me was so completely bulletproof that it didn't matter what it was about. I felt like he was such a cavalier and such an engrossing and dynamic character that the question of whether I cared about the explicit nature of the show was not an issue. They told me the actor who plays this part will be pigeonholed, and the thing that canceled that out for me was the fact that it was such an amazing character.

Hal Sparks (Michael):

On Michael's relationship with his mom: I think the openness between Michael and his mom is terrific, especially in regards to sexual orientation. However, she thinks she knows more than she does know about how he lives and that's the embarrassing part. I don't think people need to know slot A goes into slot B necessarily. I don't think it's anyone's business but slot B's. On gay vs. straight relationships: The sexual and moral mores between men and women are just as fraught with difficulty and peril as those between men and men, or women and women. If anything, I'm seeing the parallels that everybody, if you put the political stuff aside, is looking for somebody to love, who will love them, and that's a really hard thing to find. Everybody's got the same pain to deal with. I think the cool thing about the series is that it shows you the bridge, the similarities. Oh having a crush on a friend: In my circle of friends, there was a girl I was in love with but couldn't go out with because we were different religions. It was heartbreaking because I was around her all the time. I use a lot of that with Michael's relationship with Brian.

Randy Harrison (Justin):

His first exposure to gay life: The first people I knew to be gay were in plays, movies or novels. I remember reading the Tales of the City books when I was about 12. My mom actually went to high school with the writer, Armistead Maupin. I think those books were the first sort of detailed account of gay life, and positive portrayal of a gay character I had ever seen. On needing open-minded actors on the show: On top of their worry of getting typecast, with the graphic nature of the show, you wouldn't want just anyone doing those scenes-like people who are uncomfortable with them. (As it turns out) everyone has the best attitude toward it. It wasn't a big deal at all for me. I've done it numerous times.

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