Julianna Margulies Discusses GLBT Visibility on "The Good Wife"

Julianna Margulies in The Good Wife

During the panel for The Good Wife at Television Critics Association Winter Tour in Los Angeles the issue of GLBT visibility came up. Julianna Margulies , who plays Alicia Florrick, has a gay brother named Owen played by Dallas Roberts. When asked about the show's gay "presence, " Margulies said:

I don't feel like it's a presence. I feel like it's a part of life. I think that's why it works. The way Dallas Roberts plays his character isn't screaming "Hi, I'm a homosexual. Hi, I'm a straight man." It's not screaming anything except "This is my brother and he's having relationship problems." That's what I love about it.

I think if it was just gay or lesbian to be gay and lesbian to make people happy we had those characters on the show, that would make me uncomfortable because that wouldn't be truthful. I feel like the way it's been incorporated into the fabric of the show really fits in with modern times and what we're dealing with on the show and what we're all dealing with anyway. Just as my character is dealing with the fact that her husband slept with hookers, its the same way my brother's character is feeling he screwed up his relationship because he cheated and that's what I love about it.

Owen made his second appearance this week and while his presence hasn't been very large, one of the show's producers, Michelle King told AfterElton they not only loved Dallas Roberts but the character as well. King also said Roberts would appear twice more this season as he and Alicia help each other deal with their personal issues.