BROTHERS & SISTERS
The set visit to Brothers & Sisters was very interesting, not just in getting to meet the cast, but also seeing where the show is shot (on the ABC Disney lot in Burbank with a full blown kitchen that folks actually email the show about). I already wrote in the blog about Jon Robin Baitz's comments about the return of Scotty Wandell (Luke MacFarlane) as Kevin Walker (Matthew Rhys') former boyfriend for seven episodes.
I also got to chat with Matthew Rhys. In fact, above is a picture of me discussing Kevin's reaction to Uncle Saul's big reveal in last season's finale (that he's gay). I had no idea this pic was being taken which is a good thing or would I have been totally self-conscious and insisted on make-up and wardrobe. Here is what Matthew had to say about his character as well as Saul's being gay:
AfterElton.com: Can you say how you think Kevin is going to react to Uncle Saul?
Matthew Rhys: I hope...maybe in total shock. But I almost hope there will be bemusement. I think he'll be happy for him because I think a lot of things will fall into place and he'll understand him a lot more. But I think there is just a wealth to that relationship between the two of them. I just hope I get to take him to his first club.
After chatting with Matthew, I tracked down Ron Rifkin who plays Uncle Saul for his thoughts on his character's surprising past.
AE: How did you react when you learned your character is gay?
Ron Rifkin: He's not gay. Come on -- that's ridiculous. He just sleeps with men. [laughing]
AE: At what point did you find out his secret?
RR: One of the TCA's [TV critics] said to me "Your character is on the back burner." Actors don't want to be on the back burner. But TV series are a very living breathing thing and developing a character is a very delicate thing. I think that writers struggle with these things...and I think they were struggling with my character to figure out who he is, who is in relationship to all these other people. I think when they came up with the notion that Saul has a "past" as it were and talked to me about it, I was excited and felt it could bring a level of complexity that hadn't appeared as of yet.
AE: Do you have any idea what the character's arc is going to be at this point?
RR: I just hope it's not gonna be celebrating young bodies. I'm sure it won't be, given the level of these writers and with Robbie around. I want it to be complex and I want it to be...I think it's gonna be a struggle. He gets found out by...I can't tell. I think somebody finds out. Nobody knows yet. Milo [Michael Nouri] came to the thing [the party in the season finale]and said "Remember Key West" and what do boys do in Key West? Clearly, something was going on. I just hope it's difficult and complicated and funny and convoluted and human and open and real.
AE: How do you think the character of Kevin will react? I got Matthew's take on it.
RR: I initially think he'll be pissed off, and I think he'll be loving and he'll want to find out why it was a secret. What did he [Matthew Rhys] say?
AE: He said he'd take to you first gay bar.
RR: Yes! [laughing]
Finally, I briefly chatted with Sally Field:
AE: I'm curious how you think Nora will react to the news about Uncle Saul?
Sally Field: I don't know. We'll find out. Obviously, she's okay with her son. I think she would probably smack him around for having kept it from her so long and having suffered over that.
So there you have it. Love it or hate, I think Brothers & Sisters will clearly remain the show to beat in terms of gay representation and gay storylines. We potentially have a gay love triangle between Kevin, Scotty and Jason (Eric Winter) which, I think, would be a first on broadcast television. Add to that Uncle Saul, an older gay man just coming out, and this is a show that will continue to break new gay ground.
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