This year’s Film Independent Spirit Awards winners told wide-ranging stories of everything from Paul Reubens’ posthumous coming out in Pee-wee as Himself to a fictional homoerotic relationship that forms between an artist and his biggest fan in Lurker.

With such a diverse group of winners, these filmmakers reflected on how queer people and young audiences have responded to their work.

“I’ve talked to people whose kids have seen the film, and young kids don’t understand what the closet is,” Pee-wee as Himself director Matt Wolf told The Blade backstage. “As a younger, gay filmmaker, I felt like I could help him do that on his own terms. It was a big deal for Paul. It’s interesting to hear from people’s kids who don’t understand the struggle.”

Wolf continued: “It’s been revelatory for young people in that sense, but also I’m hearing from people that their kids are now watching Pee-wee’s Playhouse, and that they love it. And you never know, does this thing look old? Does it feel outdated? [His films are] so otherworldly, and I don’t think young people register it as being from any time.” 

Lurker director Alex Russell (who previously wrote on Beef and The Bear) nabbed awards for best first screenplay and best first feature, and Théodore Pellerin and Archie Madekwe were nominated for their performances. Russell’s win is a testament to Film Independent’s legacy of embracing new generations of filmmakers and storytellers.

While accepting the award for best first screenplay, Russell recognized the creatives who took a chance on him, saying: “I want to thank everyone who was willing to look stupid and put even just a sliver of themselves on the line to legitimize all these new filmmakers here tonight, who, without you, would still be aspiring to make their first movie.”

Backstage, The Blade asked the breakthrough filmmaker about how queer people have responded to the film’s thorny take on male relationships.

“I don’t know if the queer community has reacted to me personally. There’s an interesting discussion in what Matthew and Olivier’s relationship is all about … and where they stand on the spectrum,” Russell said. “I want people to think about that, I want people to think about the ambiguity of that. That being said, if the queer community wants to talk to me about it, I’m here!”

Pee-wee as Himself is available to stream on HBO Max, while Lurker is on MUBI.

Sometimes, it takes everything falling apart for us to remember that community is what holds us together. 

It’s a lesson that many people have learned in recent months. Amidst the ongoing attacks against LGBTQ+ and immigrant populations, folks across the country have come to realize just how important community is to each of our daily lives.

Now more than ever, marginalized communities need to remember that oppressors have always used grief to further disenfranchise the people they’re attacking. And that, as laughable as it seems at times, the best response to others’ hatred is to love one another; to foster strength and joy amongst our own groups to ensure we have the fortitude necessary in the ongoing fight against bigotry. Many projects have tried to remind folks of this message…and one just so happens to be a tabletop roleplaying game (TTRPG) set in a post-apocalyptic — and so, so queer — wasteland.

Gladlands is the latest season of Dimension 20, a renowned TTRPG liveplay series that sees groups of LA-based performers tackle some chaotic new narrative every season. The show’s newest installment takes place in a barren wasteland, with all cities and symbols of civilization reduced to rubble after a multi-year ecological crisis (which just so happens to resemble the one we’re currently fighting right now). The cast, which features a majority LGBTQ+ group of LA-based comedians, plays a team of folks trying to help as many people in this hellscape as possible, reminding every survivor they come across that it’s easiest to get through the hard times when we’re in them together. 

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The cast of Gladlands sat down with the LA Blade to discuss this poignant message and how it feels to deliver it when folks need it most. They speak about their roles in the series, their personal lives as local artists in Los Angeles, and how it’s fun pieces of media like this that can get folks through the toughest times. They raved about this complex project and what they hope it will bring to everyone who watches, with each player emphasizing Gladlands’ core message: you are not alone. 

As strange as it may seem to people not in the community, it’s not uncommon for role-playing games like Gladlands to touch on issues real people struggle with every day. “It really is transformative,” said Oscar Montoya, who plays the fierce Drag Queen librarian ‘Poppy Persona’ on the season. “There’s a little bit of your soul that goes into every character that you play…and there’s so much self-realization that comes when you play TTRPG that you [may not] even recognize!” It’s a sentiment that fellow player Kimia Behpoornia, who plays the skateboarding cockroach-human hybrid ‘Tess Tube5,’  echoed, stating, “[These games] help people feel so validated.”

The cast reiterated how it’s these sessions of fantasy that often allow people to grow in very real ways. That’s why they believed it was the perfect platform to spread the message of love threaded throughout Gladlands, a season that sees their group of apocalyptic advocates — members of the legendary ‘Carer-Van’ — drive across an endless desert in search of anyone who needs help. An eclectic group of humans and mutants, each episode sees them work hard to see the good in their fellow person and flex their many skills to assist those in need.

“It’s really nice that this season is here [during a time] when it really resonates,” Kimia went on. “But it’s kind of the simplest idea [ever] to want to help your community!” Vic Michaelis, whose plague mask-wearing character ‘Hugi’ is the apocalypse’s only mortician, stressed that the show’s message is one that everyone needs to remember right now. “We’re living during a time [when] community is very important…but there’s no way [when we were filming] that we would’ve known the season would come out at a time like this. But [we are] watching people dig down right now and go, ‘We are taking care of our community.’” They reminded everyone watching that this kind of communal care is not only inspiring, but also threatening, saying, “That strikes fear amongst people in power. There is success in coming together to protect your community, [which I think] reflects the themes of Gladlands.”

“Trying to stay glad is, in itself, a form of resistance,” Agreed Jacob Wysocki, who portrays the warm and cuddly caretaker KoKoMo. He detailed how, through their characters, each player hoped to offer viewers models of the many behaviors that allow real communities to flourish. On that in particular, he gave credit to the season’s dungeon master, Brennan Lee Mulligan, saying, “He built this world because he looked at the [real] world we’re in and [asked], ‘Does it take a fully post-apocalyptic world to get to a space where community [comes] first?’” 

“Baby — we live in the post-apocalyptic times right now!” Said Montoya, whose time as a Los Angeles activist has given him special insight into how this city’s communities have been struggling. “[But] I think the important thing to realize is that we create our own Gladlands…the message of community coming together to combat adversity is so paramount, especially right now. To have a collection of people you can lean on and say, ‘We don’t like this. We don’t stand for this. Let’s create something together.”

Each cast member agreed that, while a lovely sentiment, the messages broadcast through their show are easier said than done. But they each emphasized that you don’t need to be part of a roving band of super-powered caretakers to do good — and that no matter what, this kind of work should never be done in solitude. “[Remember] you’re not in it alone,” emphasized Montoya, as the interviews came to an end. “You are a part of a community that can enact change. And know: they’re trying to take that away from us. They’re trying to make us feel smaller and less than. [But] you have to recognize that we have the power…especially when it feels so overwhelming. Because it is then that you have people who have your back, who will continue to have your back [no matter what].”

An uplifting message of community, wrapped up in a chaotic season of jaw-dropping dice rolls and truly wild character arcs. Gladlands showcases that, sometimes, the most important lessons come in the most surprising packages. And, with each of these performers at the helm, it highlights the core message of this series as a whole: you’re never alone in the fight for community. And true freedom starts with being there for your neighbors, making sure that you all have what you need for whatever may come next. 

In an era where LGBTQ representation in movies has hit a three-year low, Tello Films proves that, after 19 years, independent lesbian filmmaking is as necessary as ever. According to Sarah Kate Ellis, the CEO and President of GLAAD, “Nearly ⅓ of non-LGBTQ Americans say that LGBTQ inclusive films have changed their perception of our community… It is imperative that networks and streamers do not back down.” 

Meanwhile, the lesbian streaming service Tello Films celebrated its 19th birthday on February 6th. Says founder Christin Baker, “When I started it 19 years ago, I thought at some point maybe we wouldn’t be necessary, […] I really do feel like representation saves lives…it’s still important for us to be around.” Often referred to as the “Lesbian Netflix”, the Nashville-based production company has a primary focus on lesbian and sapphic stories for the past 19 years and thankfully, is just getting started.

Tello Films was far ahead of its time. For those of you who didn’t live through or don’t remember, 2007 was a different time. Apple debuted the first iPhone, Barack Obama declared his run for the presidency, and the phrase “that’s so gay!” was prevalent as ever (at least at my high school). “We didn’t have marriage equality at that time.  Civil unions were kind of starting here and there -the crazy thing (is that) ‘Don’t Ask Don’t Tell’ was still in effect.” Baker recalls, “There were still so many rights we didn’t have in 2007 when we started it, and we are still fighting for it.” 

Tello Films’ beginnings were just the start of the lesbian legacy. Said Christin, “I never thought Tello would or could ever be my full-time job.” With the URL TelloFilms.com registered on February 6, 2007, the platform was an internet-based streaming company with all its movies formatted small to appease a 2007-era browser. While Netflix was only just beginning to offer streaming services, launching any streaming service in 2007 was bold; to launch a streaming service entirely devoted to lesbian and sapphic stories was revolutionary. “I want to make lesbian stories.. I want to see things that represent me.” 

In the past 19 years, Baker shares her career-defining moment came from the recently deceased Nancylee Myatt, showrunner for South of Nowhere. “We made a short-form series called Cowgirl Up. I felt like I put my big girl pants on. Nancylee was a huge mentor, and I was like, ‘Oh, I can do this. I can do this, and I can figure it out.’” 

Tello went on to receive their first primetime Emmy nomination with Mindy Sterling of Austin Powers fame for Outstanding Actress in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series. “We got two daytime Emmy nominations for two actresses, Liz Vassey and Carolyn Radere […], then in 2018 we made our first lesbian Christmas movie,, Season of Love and that really kind of started us down the path, and I think we’re probably most well known for, which is our lesbian holiday rom-coms.”

We now live in the era of Chappell Roan, Doechii, Heated Rivalry, and so many more queer artists and pieces of media in the mainstream’s consciousness. The last several years in pop culture have proven that queer art and artists matter, not just as a salve to a society that still struggles to accept us, but to the mass audiences who continue to resonate with it. 

Queer media is being devoured by folks outside of the LGBTQ community. “I think it (Heated Rivalry) shocked so many people (because) it was powerful and compelling […] I wasn’t that surprised because I remember Brokeback Mountain being very much in that same vein; it was just cowboys instead of hockey players.” Authenticity and overcoming adversity are not just tenets of good storytelling; they are also ever-present themes within the lives of any queer you know. 

 As Christin sees it, the success of  Heated Rivalry isn’t just rooted in its unabashed sexual themes, it has a very universal “lesbian” approach to its storytelling “There’s a ton of longing, and missing, and having a crush and not knowing if it’s reciprocated, […] there’s a lot that you tap into just on a human level that Heated Rivalry really touched on.” 

Themes that are at the forefront of the sapphic stories Tello has mastered telling. “We still don’t have enough LGBTQ holiday Christmas movies out there each year. Some people wouldn’t look at a Hallmark movie or Christmas rom-com as substantive, but I really do feel like representation saves lives.” 

For so many in the LGBTQ community, representation isn’t theoretical- it’s personal. I know for myself, in the throes of a messy divorce, one of the only things that brought me comfort was the sapphic films on Tello. It was so difficult to find lighthearted queer stories. I recall searching through every streaming service as they were slowly but surely eliminating the LGBTQ sections from their apps, as well as those queer characters and shows. But not Tello; I was able to find comfort and ease through a tough time in my personal life. “It’s such comfort, especially if you’ve gone through something that’s tough and your regular daily life is stressful, you need an escape to something that you know is not going to cause more anxiety.”

Having accessible ways to both tell and consume sapphic stories is tantamount to this moment in time. Independent filmmaking has the power to make sure authentic stories are heard. Being an independent voice as well as being able to support smaller budget stories that definitely wouldn’t get picked up, or even recognized or seen in mainstream, Christin and Tello Films are uplifting not just lesbian and sapphic stories, but lesbian and sapphic artists as well. 

As for the future of lesbian filmmaking, it’s no secret that Hollywood is drowning, leaving a void for people like Christin and Tello Films to fill. Said Baker in light of the shrinkage in Hollywood and what that means for Tello Films, “We will get even more creative and tell even more stories, because we can’t be stopped.” 

Encouraged by her fiancée, Stacey Lee Powell, Christin wants the world to know that Tello Films isn’t just a business, it’s personal. “I see Tello as an extension of me.” Says Baker, “In doing that, I hope that people see that Tello isn’t some corporate entity, I hope they see that it is someone who cares deeply. I’ve been doing this for 19 years, and every day I wake up trying to figure out how to tell our stories and how to serve our community.” Nineteen years later, Tello Films remains what it has always been: not a nameless, faceless corporation, but an extension of a storyteller’s dream to build a safe space for her community.

Check out TelloFilms.com

Even in a Los Angeles filled with experimental theater, few projects have been as brazenly sexual as the IAMA and Celebration’s Foursome. Following a quartet of queer friends as they embark on a weekend getaway, this play watches as they uncover the secrets (and attractions) that have always lurked in the shadows of their longtime friendships. Filled with niche community references, heartfelt vulnerability, and some of the spiciest live sex scenes audiences will ever see, Foursome is proving itself as an innovative look into queer sexuality — and none of it would have been possible without The Disney Channel. 

Matthew Scott Montgomery began his career on Disney with one goal: pull focus. He quickly found out that he was a tad too good at this; in his conversation with the LA Blade, he detailed the many times his early onscreen performances were cut down because he was considered ‘too distracting.’ From starring as an extra in Zendaya’s Shake It Up to leading the SNL-style So Random!, his childhood career saw Montgomery flexing the bombastic personality he still carries today. And while the goal of this interview was to speak with the performer about Foursome and his time with Disney, the first few minutes were spent discussing an equally important portion of the man’s life: the Hilary Duff concert he’d seen at The Wiltern the night before. 

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“[I’d] spent all day in rehearsals with three of the best queer actors in the world, and [then I left] to go to a Hilary Duff concert in LA with my boyfriend, as a gift from [Demi Lovato],” raved Matthew. “I burst into tears because it hit me: none of this would’ve happened if I hadn’t come out…I wish I could go back to ten-year-old me back in North Carolina and [tell him], ‘One day, you’re going to leave your gay play rehearsal, [meet up] with your boyfriend, and go to a Hilary Duff concert. And everything is going to be okay.”

Matthew remembered this little kid from a conservative hometown who dreamt of nothing more than boyfriends and Lizzie Maguire in concert. He explained that his area of North Carolina didn’t allow for any level of dramatics from young boys — something that definitely didn’t mesh with this gay child who felt safest when he was onstage.

“When I was a kid, I used to record episodes of Will and Grace [on the VCR], write down the dialogue, then go into my room and run the scenes [when everyone was asleep]…I’ve always identified as an artist, and I was desperate to perform,” said Matthew, reminiscing on his early days as an artist. “I think the safest place in the world is on stage or in front of a camera, because you know exactly what you’re going to say. You know what your lines are, which mark you’re gonna hit…everyone is watching you, and you’re being perceived, and it feels so safe. I get nervous off camera, because then you don’t have a map of what’s happening.”

Performance has always served as both a passion and a safety for the actor, with Montgomery laughing at the many years he spent acting out his favorite shows in the sanctity of his childhood bedroom. Luckily, he eventually took these skills to a giant stage most kids could only dream of: The Disney Channel. 

After years of hearing the terrible experiences of so many child actors, it’s heartening to learn how validating Montgomery’s early time on TV was. He told stories of Disney gigs and fun hangouts with queer stars like Haley Kiyoko and Demi Lovato, people who he still considers close friends today. “We would talk about our queerness and how to navigate it,” he said, showing love to the tight-knit network that these closeted children created for one another. It was because of their support that he had the courage to come out in his early 20s, with this new self-acceptance allowing Matthew to take on openly queer projects and even begin writing his own — cue Foursome, his latest creation and certainly the sexiest one yet. 

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Foursome sees the actor as Noah, a young man whose weekend at a cabin with three friends turns into a night of revelry as loosened inhibitions lead to shocking confessions. On why he created a project centered on modern sexuality, he explained, “I think there’s a really beautiful thing about the queer community where we can love each other through different evolutions of our friendships…this play is really about celebrating that freeness, and having a very frank discussion about what it means to be a queer person in a relationship in the modern day.”

The project douses this exploration into contemporary sexuality with so much pop symbolism that it’ll be relatable for any LGBTQ+ person watching. From the pop songs our main cast sing to the community-based slang they throw at one another, the writer wanted to instantly clue queer watchers into the fact that this was made for them by one of their own. And it’s that, he stressed, that is the goal of not only Foursome, but his entire career: making other people feel seen. 

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“What’s most important to me is queer joy,” Matthew stated, as the conversation came to an end. “Showing queer people having a good time…I think that can be a radical thing, especially with the way the world is right now. We’re going to be gay, and we’re going to be fun, and [our goal] is to have you join us in that fun.” He promises that Foursome will be a summation of his decades-long career of making people laugh, combining his uniquely gut-busting brand of humor with an earnest discussion around how our communities form relationships outside of heteronormative ideals. He invites everyone to come see Foursome and, in its nonstop joy, hopes that by creating this kind of inclusive art piece for viewers, he’ll be imparting onto them some of the security he’s always felt onstage. 

And when asked if he had any final enticements for potential watchers, Montgomery adorned the smile that he’s worn since his Disney days and stated, “Well, we do say that the title, Foursome, is a promise — and we absolutely deliver.”

Foursome will have its world premiere with IAMA Theatre Company, produced in association with Celebration Theatre. Performances are at the Atwater Village Theatre, 3269 Casitas Avenue, Los Angeles, and plays now through March 23. Tickets ($30-$45) are available at iamatheatre.com 

“Renaissance Woman” is a term fit for a queen. Heavy is the head that wears the crown, but we’re in luck because Angel McCoughtry is a professional athlete. A two-time gold medalist, 5-time WNBA all-star, philanthropist, and now filmmaker, Angel has built career(s) defined by reinvention and an insistence on excellence at every turn. 

Her move to take charge behind the camera comes at a time that feels anything but divine. In a time where stories like Heated Rivalry bring the heat (pun intended) one moment, while nearly half of all queer characters and stories are vanishing from TV the next, McCoughtry’s leadership behind the camera signals something hopeful: A refusal to let anyone or any story get left behind.

A WNBA legend, McCoughtry played ten years without pause, splitting her time between the W and overseas leagues. In college, she led the Big East Conference in scoring, rebounds, and steals, obliterating records, even the ones she herself set. The number one draft pick and Rookie of the year in ‘09, McCoughtry quickly became one of the best players the W has ever seen. Though she never officially retired, Angel hasn’t played in the W since 2022, when she was sidelined for an injury that she has since healed. (Ya hear that WNBA? Our girl is ready to come back!)

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Being forced to step away from the game brought about a reckoning that is all too familiar to elite athletes everywhere: “Who are you when your body won’t let you perform?” Through detangling this identity crisis, McCoughtry found a new appreciation for storytelling, the stories we tell ourselves as well as the stories we tell the world. Angel’s innovative storytelling and directing style are inspired by basketball, as she likens herself to the Dawn Staley of film, adding, “When you allow your players to be free, they can play at their highest level, and that’s what I allow my actors to do.” 

Inspired by her grandmother’s stories of playing ball in a time when women were not allowed to cross half court and had to wear skirts, Angel wants to empower resilient perspectives. “I can’t keep their stories hidden,” She says, “The women who paved the way.” Laser focused on bringing scripted sports films to the mainstream, McCoughtry says, “I’m looking for stories that resonate with the people, and I want to be the one to bridge the gap and bring women’s sports scripted content to the forefront.” 

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Through McCoughtry Entertainment, Angel wants to bring women’s sports to the forefront as well as genre-driven films, particularly sports-thrillers led by women. Her short film Bygones is now available to stream on Prime Video, with more projects in the barrel. Her feature-length directorial debut, Bolted, is on deck as her next project. I personally would love to see the gay women’s version of Heated Rivalry in McCoughtry’s hands, who says, “There’s a realness to it,” about the show, “That happens often, and it’s not talked about [..] that’s all over women’s sports.”

 “I am obsessed with stories about overcoming adversity,” says McCoughtry, an apt throughline in Angel’s work that reflects the spirit of creativity and athleticism. 

Whether you’ve seen him in popular HBO series like “True Blood,” “Succession,” and “Big Little Lies,” the dynamic Swedish actor Alexander Skarsgård has that smoldering gaze that immediately draws viewers in. 

Following in the footsteps of his father Stellan, (who just won the Golden Globe for “Sentimental Value”) the Golden Globe, Emmy, and SAG winner Skarsgård continues to be an actor who is fearless in the roles he takes on. 

That courageousness is evident in Skarsgård’s latest film, the BDSM black comedy “Pillion,”which he also executive produces. He plays Ray, the handsome, hyper-dominant leader of a gay bike gang. The film was written and directed by Harry Lighton, and is based on the 2020 novel “Box Hill,” by Adam Mars-Jones. 

“This was a small film by a first time filmmaker and it wasn’t financed when I read it,”  Skarsgård told journalists at a recent awards news conference. “And I felt that, if I could help in any small way of getting it financed, I wanted to, because I thought it was such an incredible screenplay and I believe in Harry Lighton so much as a filmmaker. And it felt tonally unlike anything I’d ever read. It was such an exciting, surprising read.”

Skarsgård was blown away by the quality of the unconventional script. “When I heard BDSM relationship, biker culture, I expected something very different. I didn’t expect it to have so much sweetness and tenderness and awkwardness.”

For the sex scenes and nudity with co-star, Harry Melling — who excels in his portrayal as Ray’s submissive Colin — Skarsgård talked very early on with Lighton about how he wanted to shoot those scenes, and why they were in the film. 

“I often find sex scenes quite boring in movies because a lot of the tension is in the drama leading up to two people hooking up, or several people hooking up, as in our movie. But what I really enjoyed about these scenes — they are all pivotal moments in Colin’s journey and his development. It’s the first time he gets a blowjob. It’s the first time he has sex. It’s the first time he has an orgasm. And these are pivotal moments for him, so they mean a lot. And that made those scenes impactful and important.” 

Skarsgård was happy that Lighton’s script didn’t have gratuitous scenes that shock for the sake of just shocking. “I really appreciated that because I find that when this subculture is portrayed, it’s often dangerous and crazy and wild and something like transgressive.”

He continued: “I really love that Harry wanted it to feel real. It can be sexy and intense, but also quite loving and sweet. And you can have an orgy in the woods, rub up against a Sunday roast with the family. And that kind of feels real.”

One of the obstacles Skarsgård had to work with was Ray’s emotionally distant personality.

“Ray is so enigmatic throughout the film and you obviously never find out anything about him, his past. He doesn’t reveal much. He doesn’t expose himself. And that was a challenge to try to make the character interesting, because that could easily feel quite flat…That was something that I thought quite a lot about in pre production…there are no big dramatic shifts in his arc.”

For the film, Lighton consulted the GMBCC, the UK’s largest LGBT+ biker club, attending their annual meetup at which 80 riders were present. 

“Working with these guys was extraordinary and it brought so much texture and richness to the film to have them present,” said Skarsgård. “They were incredibly sweet and guiding with us — I can’t imagine making this movie without them. I’d go on a road trip with them anytime.”

Added Skarsgård: “To sum up ‘Pillion’ in three words: lube, sweat, and leather. I hope people will connect with Colin and his journey, and come to understand the nuance and complexity of his bond with Ray.”

This year is shaping up to be a busy one for Skarsgård. “Pillion” premieres in select cities on Feb. 6 and then moves into wide release on Feb. 20. After that for Skarsgård is a role in queer ally Charli XCX’s mockumentary, “The Moment,” which premieres at the Sundance Film Festival. HIs sci-fi comedy series,  Apple TV’s “Murderbot,” which he also executive produces, will begin filming its second season. And this weekend, he hosts “Saturday Night Live.”

If you haven’t heard the name Marc Shaiman, you’ve most likely heard his music or lyrics in one of your favorite Broadway shows or movies released in the past 50 years. From composing the Broadway scores for Hairspray and Catch Me if You Can to most recently working on Only Murders in the Building, Hocus Focus 2, and Mary Poppins Returns, the openly queer artist has had a versatile career — one that keeps him just an Oscar away from EGOT status.

The one thing the award-winning composer, lyricist, and writer credits with launching his successful career? Showing up, time and time again. Eventually, he lucked out in finding himself at the right place at the right time, meeting industry figures like Rob Reiner, Billy Crystal, and Bette Midler, who were immediately impressed with his musical instincts on the piano.

“Put my picture under the dictionary definition for being in the right place at the right time,” Shaiman says. “What I often try to say to students is, ‘Show up. Say yes to everything.’ Because you never know who is in the back of the theater that you had no idea was going to be there. Or even when you audition and don’t get the part. My book is an endless example of dreams coming true, and a lot of these came true just because I showed up. I raised my hand. I had the chutzpah!”

Recalling one example from his memoir, titled Never Mind the Happy: Showbiz Stories from a Sore Winner ( just hit bookshelves on January 27th), Shaiman says he heard Midler was only hiring Los Angeles-based artists for her world tour. At the young age of 20, the New York-based Shaiman took a chance and bought the cheapest flight he could find from JFK. Once landing in L.A., he called up Midler and simply asked: “Where’s rehearsal?”

“Would I do that nowadays? I don’t know,” Shaiman admits. “But when you’re young and you’re fearless … I was just obsessed, I guess you could say. Maybe I was a stalker! Luckily, I was a stalker who had the goods to be able to co-create with her and live up to my wanting to be around.”

On the occasion of Never Mind the Happy’s official release, The Blade had the opportunity to chat with Shaiman about his decades-spanning career. He recalls the sexual freedom of his community theater days, the first time he heard someone gleefully yell profanities during a late screening of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and why the late Rob Reiner was instrumental to both his career and his lasting marriage to Louis Mirabal. This interview has been edited and condensed.

Naturally, a good place to start would be your book, Never Mind the Happy. What prompted you to want to tell the story of your life at this point in your career?

I had a couple of years where, if there was an anniversary of a movie or a Broadway show I co- created, I’d write about it online. People were always saying to me, “Oh my God, you should write a book!” But I see them say that to everybody. Someone says, “Oh, today my kitten knocked over the tea kettle -” “You should write a book with these hysterical stories.” So I just took it with a grain of salt when people would say that to me. But then I was listening to Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ podcast, and Jane Fonda was on talking about her memoir — not that I’m comparing myself to a career like Jane Fonda’s — but she felt it was time to take a life review. That really stuck in my head. At the time, I was sulking or moping about something that had not gone as well as I wished. And I guess I kind of thought, “Let me look back at all these things that I have done.” Because I have done a lot. I’m just weeks short of my 50th year in show business, despite how youthful I look! I just sat down and started writing before anyone asked, as far as an actual publisher.

I started writing as a way to try to remind myself of the joyous, wonderful things that have happened, and for me not to always be so caught up on what didn’t go right. I’ve been telling some of these stories over the years, and it was really fun to sit down and not just be at a dinner party telling a story. There’s something about the written word and really figuring out the best way to tell the story and how to get across a certain person’s voice. I really enjoyed the writing. It was the editing that was the hard part!

You recall experiences that made you fall in love with the world of theater and music, from the days you would skip class to go see a show or work in regional productions. What was it like returning to those early memories?

Wonderful. My few years of doing community theater included productions that were all kids, and many productions with adults, where I was this freaky little 12-year-old who could play show business piano beyond my years. It was just bizarre! Every time a director would introduce me to another cast of adults, they’d be like, “Are you kidding?” I’d go to the piano, and I would sightread the overture to Funny Girl, and everybody said, “Oh, OK!” Those were just joyous, wonderful years, making the kind of friends that are literally still my friends. You’re discovering musical theatre, you’re discovering new friends who have the same likes and dreams, and discovering sex. Oh my god! I lost my virginity at the opening night of Jesus Christ Superstar, so I’m all for community theater!

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What do you recall from your early experiences watching Broadway shows? Did that open everything up for you?

I don’t remember seeing Fiddler on the Roof when I was a kid, but I remember being really enthralled with this one woman’s picture in the souvenir folio — the smile on her face as she’s looking up in the pictures or looking to her father for approval. I always remember zooming in on her and being fascinated by this woman’s face: turns out it was Bette Midler. So my love for Bette Midler began even before I heard her solo records.

Pippin and The Wiz were the first Broadway musicals I saw as a young teenager who had started working in community theater and really wanted to be a part of it. I still remember Pippin with Ben Vereen and all those hands. At the time, I thought getting a seat in the front row was really cool — I’ve learned since that it only hurts your neck, but I remember sitting in the front row at The Wiz as Stephanie Mills sang Home. Oh my god, I can still see it right now. And then I saw Bette Midler in concert, finally, after idolizing her and being a crazed fan who did nothing but listen to her records, dreaming that someday I’d get to play for her. And it all came true even before I turned 18 years old. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time, and met one of her backup singers and became their musical director. I was brought to a Bette Midler rehearsal. I still hadn’t even turned 18, she heard me play and said, “Stick around.” And I’ve stuck around close to 55 years! She’s going to interview me in L.A. at the Academy Museum. Would I have ever thought that Bette Midler would say yes to sitting with me, interviewing me about my life and career?

That’s amazing. Has she had a chance to read the book yet?

She read it. We just talked yesterday, and she wants to ask the right questions at the event. And she even said to me, “Marc, I wasn’t even aware of all that you’ve done.” We’ve been great friends for all these years, but sometimes months or almost years go by where you’re not completely in touch.

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In the book, you describe moving between New York and Los Angeles, especially when you started working more in film. As a queer artist, what was your experience finding LGBTQ+ community between the two coasts?

As far as gayness, they’re equally gay! I guess New York tilts a little more. I came to New York in 1976, so during the ‘70s in New York, anything goes! That was the height of sexual freedom and expression, then the ‘80s brought the hideousness of AIDS. For a long time, part of being gay was the endless death that I was surrounded by — losing just about every friend and colleague. My god, when I first started living in L.A., coming out there to work with Bette in the ‘80s, almost every single person I met died by the mid ‘90s. Everyone, everyone was gone. That was unfortunately a huge part of my life, and anyone my age can relate to that. God bless everyone not my age that will hopefully never ever have to experience anything close to the devastation of a funeral every week. Even to say it now, it’s hard to imagine or believe that happened.

But you know, I’m in show business, so there are gay people everywhere and happily so. I’m lucky that I grew up without any kind of shame about that, or a feeling that I needed to hide it. Although I didn’t come out to my parents. It wasn’t until I finally told my mom one day that I had been to yet another funeral, as I was sharing with her about AIDS. That was when she finally said, “Scott is more than your roommate, isn’t he?” And I was like, “Yes.” Why did I pretend? I never pretended anywhere else, and I never pretended about anything else. But I still grew up in a time when – well, I mean, I’m not naive, I know it’s still a time now where a lot of people can’t come out to their family or parents — but I certainly came out a time long before there were people coming out on TikTok for the whole world to see. It was a bit more of a private thing, but I was always happily gay. And dare I say, as I even say in the book, when my libido took off at around 15, and all the other 15 and 16-year-olds were around me, I was the pied piper!

In the spirit of being at the right place at the right time, you almost accidentally became part of The Rocky Horror Show and the immersive, theatrical performances that emerged in those midnight screenings.

We actually started that, which, once again, is hard for me to believe. I went to New York with my friend from community theater, Sal, and we walked by the Waverly Theatre. He said, “Oh, I heard that this movie just opened, I hear it’s really outrageous.” We got in line and really hit it off with these other guys and gals. We went to see it and loved it and said, “Let’s come back tomorrow night!” These strangers that we just met came back too. When Susan Sarandon (who played Janet) holds a newspaper over her head in the rain, Louis Farese is the first person to yell out anything. He yelled, “Buy an umbrella, you cheap bitch!” The audience exploded in laughter. Sal and I were big hams and were like, “We’ve gotta get a laugh. We’ve got to figure out something to say and get a laugh like this!”

You started working in film through your collaborations with director Rob Reiner, who recently passed. What was it like stepping into scoring and making that leap with films like Misery and When Harry Met Sally…?

I was lucky enough, by Billy Crystal introducing me to Rob Reiner, to get the job doing the music for When Harry Met Sally…. But that was arranging existing songs, arranging and orchestrating with Rob. I worked on Beaches (starring Bette Midler) at the same time, and that was the same thing — arranging songs, orchestrating them, co-producing the recordings. Suddenly, I had these two hugely successful soundtrack records I had co-produced, but I had never written a film score or done a student film. Since I was a kid, I had a little theme for when my cat walked across the room. If somebody walked into the room at a party, I would play something funny as they walked in.

Rob had an inkling and called me, “Hey buddy, you want to score my next movie, Misery, a psychological thriller?” I was wondering why he thought I could do that. I had just gotten an agent as I moved to L.A., and even my agent said to Rob, “What makes you think Marc can write a film score?” Rob simply said, “Talent is talent.” That became my agent’s mantra as he got me one job after another, and Rob’s faith in me was just an overwhelming, life-changing thing. He became so important to me, and someone I’ll be thankful for as a colleague and even more so as a friend. For the rest of my life, I’ll be thanking him for that.

He was a true advocate for the LGBTQ+ community, fighting against California’s Proposition 8 same-sex marriage ban by co-founding the American Foundation for Equal Rights in 2009.

Very likely, I wouldn’t be married if it weren’t for Rob and Michelle Reiner. They were intensely a part of the fight to get to the Supreme Court. They were a part of that in all ways — financially, fighting, and showing up vocally. So, besides everything else, I’m the most happily married man on the face of the earth. And I can thank Rob and Michelle for that.

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That’s beautiful. As we look back on your career, you’ve worked on everything from Broadway musicals like Hairspray to more recent revivals/sequels like Mary Poppins Returns, which you describe in your book as your dream job. What do you make of how the landscape for these filmed musical adaptations has evolved? It seems like studios are now more apprehensive about promoting them as actual musicals.

Isn’t it crazy? Even after Wicked making billions of dollars, I bet with the next movie musical, they’ll still pretend like it’s not a musical. Even Wicked had commercials where they didn’t sing! It’s so schizophrenic. There’s clearly an audience for them and yet the studios are so afraid. I don’t know. Can you explain it?

I don’t know if I can.

I mean, Mamma Mia! Hairspray the movie was very successful, but did they show singing for the commercials for Hairspray? I don’t remember, but I don’t think they did. 

In the book, you mention Cole Escola and other queer artists who are doing exciting things today. Are there any particular actors or recent films and shows that you’ve been impressed by?

Well, god knows Heated Rivalry. My god, what’s going on with that? It’s just so fantastic watching these videos of the straight podcasters crying at episode five. Of course, I watched it for the sexiness of it all, but then I got caught up in it. I cried my fucking eyes out at that episode when he calls his lover down to the rink. I was just like those guys watching those reaction videos.

It shows how schizophrenic this world is. There are so many mean people full of hatred, yet there are also many people full of love who are open to a show like that. It’s phenomenal. I don’t know what’s going to become of this world, but I’m happy I got to live the life I’ve gotten to live. I hope we’re not entering a world where our worst fears are all coming true. This may sound superficial, but even something like Heated Rivalry — I don’t think that’s superficial. It shows there are large numbers of people who get it.

How do you feel as you’re getting ready to share this book and your stories with the world?

It’s not just about me tooting my own horn, though I’d be a hypocrite to say that I’m not to a certain level. It’s also about showing people — if you want to do something, just go out and fucking do it. Just keep at it. I wanted to quit a million times but I didn’t, and just like people told me, something did happen because I just kept showing up. 

Never Mind the Happy: Showbiz Stories from a Sore Winner is now available wherever books are sold

Canada’s Drag Race fans rejoice: a new Queen of the North has officially been inducted into the hall of fame! After one of its wildest seasons ever, RuPaul’s Drag Race’s Canadian spinoff has officially named Van Goth, Toronto’s resident punk rock princess, as ‘Canada’s Next Drag Superstar’.

While every winner has a unique path to the crown, Van’s was a tad more chaotic than most. The performer not only made history by winning four challenges —  more than anyone else in the show’s history — but was called out multiple times for alleged backstabbing and shady behavior. Yet despite these call-outs, this Queen soldiered on, using every moment onscreen to say exactly what she was thinking and eventually fight her way to the series’ $100,000 grand prize. 

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Canada’s newest winner spoke with the Los Angeles Blade about what it means to win one of television’s biggest awards today. Digging into her many iconic moments on the show, Van Goth spoke about how proud she was to showcase her art and why she doesn’t regret any of her ‘shady’ moments — and why queer artists everywhere could benefit from being a little more shady themselves!

“Going onto RuPaul’s Drag Race, you need a goal to hold onto,” said Van Goth, when discussing the mindset that got her to Canada’s Drag Race finale. “Winning is a bad goal — because most people lose Drag Race. That’s just the tea! My goal was that when I left [the show], you could not think about season six or the best to ever do it without [thinking of] me. And I accomplished that even before I got the crown.” It would be hard for anyone to disagree; Goth instantly caught viewers’ attention with the punk style she brought to the show’s mainstage. A mixture of riot aesthetics and classic elegance  — her name is an homage to Van Gogh, after all — every turn on the runway brought a new, jaw-dropping look for viewers to fall in love with. And not only were the outfits immaculate to look at, but many held a purpose, with Van using some of her outfits and performances to bring attention to those living with HIV (she herself is undetectable). 

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Her advocacy and outfits were enough to grab viewers’ attention, but those weren’t the only reasons fans quickly grew intrigued by Van Goth. When she wasn’t securing wins and turning looks, the performer just couldn’t seem to stop causing drama behind the scenes. 

“I didn’t make the rules for the competition. They were laid out for me, and I used them,” clarified Goth, when discussing how she’s been labelled a ‘backstabber.’ The moniker comes from the prevalence of alliances that appeared on this season, with Van breaking a majority of the ones she was a part of. With Canada’s Drag Race featuring a unique rule that allows winning queens to save bottom queens from elimination (the illustrious ‘golden beaver’), Goth had promised multiple people that, if given the chance, she’d spare them from elimination. But despite these promises, Van always knew she’d only make decisions that helped her get to the win.

“I came from a competitive sports background — I played rugby for 12 years!” She explained. “So, it was easy to tap back into that [cutthroat] mindset for this competition.” A cutthroat mindset that earned her ire from many other queens, with Sam Star publicly calling out Van Goth and claiming it was because of her betrayal that her Drag Race dreams were ruined. Goth assured that she has a great relationship now with Star and every other queen on this installment. But when asked whether she regrets any of these choices, the winner clarified, “Something that I love about my run on the show was that I was really honest, but I also was really firm in my position.”

“If someone came at me and said something that I didn’t agree with, I pushed back on it. And I really hope that artists around the world see that and know that they have a voice and it’s powerful, and they can use it.” Van Goth encourages people to see the deeper meanings of the ‘dramatic’ scenes she had on the show, to recognize them as moments where a queer person refused to stay silent and always went after what was best for them. She continued, “[If you] don’t agree with something, [you] should speak out and stand up for it! There’s so much power in what you say…[and] I feel like moving forward as queer artists, especially in this day and age, we have to really stand up for our own and what we do, and push back against the world. And still find a way to create art that gives people hope and entertainment during these dark times.”

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As the interview came to an end, Van Goth shared what she hoped people learned from her time on the season. It’s easy (and admittedly enjoyable) to focus on her drama, but the performer’s mission as reigning Queen of the North is to inspire others to act as defiantly confident as she is. “I [plan to] travel, continuing to lift up local communities and continue to give people hope. To inspire artists to live their dreams, and really go for it.”

Van appears content with the knowledge that some people may not care about this goal. That many avid fans will instead focus on her alleged slights, on how she apparently ruined their favorite competitor’s chance at the crown. In regard to that point, especially, Van had one thing to say. 

“They should try harder next time…and then, maybe, they would win.”

If you take a peek back at stuntwoman Ellie Haigh’s pre-career upbringing, you will find a kid geeking out to Power Rangers with an overwhelming sense of possibility. Far before she was doubling actors or choreographing fights, Haigh was already building her training arc through gymnastics, parkour, martial arts, and determination. What started as a childhood appreciation for Ninja Turtles steadily evolved into a career founded on movement with intention.

Moving to Los Angeles in September 2020 (arguably the worst possible moment to set sails for the Hollywood dream), Haigh entered the stunt world with no map, no safety net. As one of – and quite possibly the only – openly trans women working in stunts, Haigh navigated an industry that is both physically exhausting and slow to change. Instead of shrinking herself to fit the mold, Haigh has instead opted for visibility and authenticity. She has quickly learned when to fight, when to teach, and when to simply take space.

In our conversation, Haigh shares on motion, mentorship, and the responsibility of this visibility. She serves on the growing pains of Hollywood and its politics, and why fantasy worlds often tell the truest stories. 

What first sparked your enthusiasm and interest in stunt work? Was there a moment when you realized it could be a real career?

I remember as a kid getting into parkour, gymnastics, and martial arts. What sparked that, this is a little embarrassing, was Power Rangers. Watching it as a kid, I remember feeling such intense FOMO. I wanted to be Kimberly, the Pink Ranger, so badly. I used to do everything I could to be her. All my hobbies just ended up relating to that in some way.

I added acting into the mix as well, and it just felt like the right path. I didn’t realize stunt work could actually be a career until I was much older, probably in high school. At that point, all my hobbies were already aligned. After high school, I was coaching gymnastics full-time and realized pretty quickly, this isn’t it. That’s when I decided to move to LA.

Are there skills from coaching gymnastics that translated into stunt work?

Absolutely. I taught gymnastics and parkour for about ten years, mostly to children. There are a lot of aspects of stunts, especially when you’re doubling, where you have to teach actors what you’re doing. Or if you’re part of a stunt team creating choreography or previsualization, you need to be able to explain movement clearly. Coaching made that much easier.

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Aside from the Pink Ranger, who were some of your earliest influences?

A lot of them were fictional. Video games, superhero shows, Marvel comics, Spider-Man, Spider-Gwen. Power Rangers, Ninja Turtles. I also loved anime and still do. I remember watching characters train and thinking, “Why am I not in my training arc right now?”

More recently, I’ve been getting into swords, historical European sword work, like in The Lord of the Rings, and Japanese sword styles as well. Anything where movement is intentional and carefully thought out really inspires me.

How has the transition into Hollywood been for you professionally?

I moved to LA about five years ago, in September 2020… horrible timing. It was during COVID, and I didn’t know anyone. I’m originally from the Boston area. During the pandemic, I was furloughed from my coaching job, and it was the first time I had actually saved money. When my lease was up, I just moved.

At first, I didn’t know where to go or who to talk to. I found gyms where stunt people train, and I just showed up and trained. Over time, I made friends and built a community. Once things started opening up, I felt like momentum was building, and then the strikes happened.

Even then, I didn’t regret moving. I always planned to stick it out. Getting my foot in the door was hard, but it came down to being in the right places, building community, and being a good person. The right people eventually find you.

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How has your trans identity influenced your experience in Hollywood? Have you seen the industry evolve?

My trans identity has definitely affected my work. As far as I know, I’m the only trans woman working in stunts in LA right now. There’s no blueprint for how to navigate this space as a trans woman, especially because stunt is still a pretty conservative industry overall.

Early on, I tried to be someone I wasn’t to fit in. I thought I needed to tone myself down or be more “bro-y.” It made me really unhappy, and it didn’t even help professionally. At the end of the day, I was still trans, so I had to ask myself, Who am I even doing this for?

A few years ago, I decided to be fully myself and trust that the right people would find me. That’s when I met my mentor, Jess Harbeck, a trans man and stunt coordinator. He helped me navigate the industry, got me my SAG card, and gave me my first doubling job. More importantly, he showed me that there is space for me here.

How is the current political climate – anti-trans, anti-queer, anti-anything loving and accepting – affecting you personally or professionally?

It’s infuriating, honestly. I speak out a lot online and lose followers because of it, often other stunt people. At this point, I don’t care. If someone followed me for years and that’s what made them unfollow, they were here too long anyway.

I try to stay informed while also protecting my mental health. Doom-scrolling doesn’t help anyone. I think of joy as a form of protest, choosing to live fully while still speaking out and supporting my community.

How do you balance care for the community with self-care? Do you feel a responsibility to represent the trans community?

I’m a stuntwoman who happens to be trans, and I’m more than just my trans identity. But representation matters, especially right now.

When I was a gymnastics coach, I was often the first trans person my students had ever met. Years later, many of them are outspoken supporters of trans rights. I don’t know how much credit I deserve, but I know visibility matters. People might see that I’m trans first—but then they see that I’m good at what I do, and that matters.

Do you see yourself mentoring others in the future?

Absolutely. I didn’t quit coaching because I disliked it. I quit because I needed to put all my energy into stunts. Teaching still comes up constantly in my work, and I’d love to mentor younger performers someday, especially trans women. Right now, I still have a lot to learn, but I want to be able to give others what my mentor gave me.

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What’s been one of your most challenging or meaningful projects so far?

One of the most challenging experiences was working on Marvel’s The Punisher. It wasn’t physically difficult, but the logistics were exhausting, flying back and forth between LA and New York, dealing with delays and schedule changes. It taught me a lot about flexibility and endurance.

One of my favorite experiences was doubling Hunter Schafer on a short film/commercial project. I’d admired her for years, so getting to work with her was surreal. The set had such a great vibe, and it felt like a moment where I thought, This is exactly why I’m doing this.

If you could pitch your own action or fantasy film, what would it be?

I think it would be incredible to see a trans woman as a lead action star. I think it’s super important that trans women are shown that not only are we allowed to lead, but we can also be seen as strong and powerful. Strong is femme and I can’t wait to see that.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

I see myself still here, still creating. I want to be a stuntwoman, an actress, and a creator. I want to do action comedies, high fantasy, sword work, and projects I believe in. I don’t know exactly what it’ll look like yet, but I know I’ll be there.

What does queer representation look like in 2026? It’s a complicated question, with a shockingly hopeful answer. 

Harmful LGBTQ+ stereotypes have plagued mainstream media for decades, with only recent years offering big-budget projects exploring the nuances of marginalized identity. But even with this progress, the past year has left countless of these projects cancelled or delayed, with queer creatives and their stories becoming political fodder for bigots nationwide. Despite this, LGBTQ+ storytellers have persisted, continuing to tell their stories while creating new opportunities for other artists to thrive. It’s heartening to see so many queer storytellers doing this in the modern day, and it’s why Vic Michaelis’ historic filmography is more important now than ever. 

A Canadian transplant, this non-binary performer arrived in LA one decade ago and took the city’s improv scene by storm. Eventually going from sketch comic to television host — though they still perform in improv clubs across LA — Michaelis has revolutionized talk shows and gained a massive following with their popular Dropout program, Very Important People. Not only that, but Vic’s newest role alongside Emilia Clarke and Haley Lu Richardson in the tense spy thriller, Ponies, means that the artist will be introduced to a bigger audience than they’ve encountered before. Theirs is a wonderfully chaotic career that keeps the performer very busy, but Michaelis still managed to sit down with the LA Blade to discuss these roles, what these projects mean to them, and how it feels to do all of this as an openly queer creative today.

“It’s so funny because it’s true, I am a talk show host…I am Vic Michaelis, and I am hosting a talk show, that is a true thing you are saying” Replied Michaelis, when learning that they’ve made history by becoming the first non-binary person to host a talk show. “All to say, it’s an honor!” Going into its third season, Very Important People perfectly matches its creators’ chaotic style of comedy. Each episode sees a different comedian get decked out in a random costume (ranging from gorgeous gowns to full hotdog prosthetics) and adopt a whole new persona for a sit-down interview with the star. It’s an irreverent premise that host and guest dive into wholeheartedly, with the performer stressing how this project mainly serves as a way to uplift the LA-based performers they know and love. 

“The improv scene in LA is very tight-knit,” Michaelis explained. “And we get to see versions of these performers that we don’t [ever] get to see [onstage]. The best part of the show is watching [these people], my friends, shine in the spotlight.”  

It’s this camaraderie — which has introduced audiences to numerous LGBTQ+ performers they wouldn’t have known otherwise — that has earned Very Important People widespread acclaim and garnered Michaelis thousands of fans online. And with them acting as a version of themself on the show, many watchers assumed they knew what to expect from the comedian…which is why Michaelis is so excited to shock them all with their total metamorphosis in Ponies. 

While Vic is used to turning performers into monsters and aliens, their Ponies transformation sees them go from the bombastic host fans love into Cheryl: the no-nonsense, endlessly antagonistic office manager. The main foil of Ponies’ central protagonists (Clarke and Richardson), the series follows this trio as they maneuver around an American embassy in 1970s Russia. With our main duo acting as spies trying to master lethal espionage, they’re constantly forced to put up with Michaelis’ needling Cheryl…who just always happens to know more about their covert missions than she should. 

“I personally have a lot of empathy for Cheryl,” gushed Vic, while detailing how it was to play such an intriguing character. “Especially in that time period! If she had been born a man, that would have been it. She is competent and capable, and would have risen far past the station that she’s in [when we meet her].” While initially presented as a one-dimensional nag, each Ponies episode dives deeper into this character; it teases not only the many skills she gave up for the sake of her husband, but just how far Cheryl will go to embrace the talents she’s been forced to hide away. And as a performer who’s made an entire talk show about bringing out the best in any kind of character, she offers a perfect avenue for Vic to show off their distinct acting style to a whole new audience on Peacock.

Cheryl gave Michaelis a chance to act in ways their fans have never seen before. But beyond that, Vic also recognizes a different significance to this role: the fact that it means thousands of new viewers will get to watch a queer person onscreen on a major network. 

They detailed how they weren’t always as proudly authentic as they are now. Early in their career, Michaelis was faced with a choice: be openly non-binary, or masquerade as cisgender in an industry still riddled with biased casting directors. Quickly, and with the support of their fellow LA creatives, Vic realized not only how much their identity could mean to themself, but to so many others. “Especially being in a field that’s very dominated by cisgender white men…the representation is so important,” they explained. “And if it helps one person, then it’s been worth it. If one person feels seen, then you know it’s worth it.”

It has certainly proven itself to be worth it, as with this new role, Michaelis holds the honor of being one of the few gender-expansive performers to ever appear on a major network. And while proud of the tireless work it took to get them here, as the interview wound down, Vic made sure to shout out the many other LGBTQ+ performers creating and starring in shows across LA today. “There are a lot of incredible gender queer folks doing absolutely amazing things on the scene right now – but there’s always room for more.” 

Michaelis encouraged anyone inspired by their work as an openly non-binary performer to try to find that confidence in themselves. To use their roles in Very Important People and Ponies as evidence that, no matter how much LGBTQ+ representation is attacked, remember that LGBTQ+ artists will never stop telling their stories to those who need it most. “There’s a lot of really, truly horrible, terrible anti-trans bills and anti-LGBTQ bills coming through,” said Vic. “It’s truly horrific, and it’s really scary…and I’m very proud and happy to stand with our community. [And] it really does feel like it’s not just me standing up. I get to be a part of this big chorus, standing up [for what’s right]. And it’s an honor.”

It’s an important reminder that the fight for representation is never one done in solitude. And, as Vic Michaelis is showing in their every role, it’s a fight that is only truly possible when done with and for your community…all while trying on as many costumes as possible, of course.

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