Tag Archives: LGBT TV Show

Sense8’s Freema Agyeman Opens Ups About Leaving Her ‘Comfort Zone’ For Lesbian Sex Scene

Former Doctor Who star, and one of our favourite queer characters from Sense8 Freema Agyeman has opened up about leaving her ‘comfort zone’ while filming her first nude lesbian sex scene.

Sibling directors Lana and Andrew Wachowski (Bound fame) created the acclaimed Netflix series Sense8 earlier this year. The story focuses on eight individuals around the globe with a psychic connection

Not only was the show written by a trans* writer, but it also features an openly trans actress Jamie Clayton, who is in relationship with Agyeman.

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Speaking to the Big Issue, Agyeman opened up about the role – which featured a lesbian sex scene complete with a rainbow sex toy – and the show’s progressive trans and sexually fluid storylines.

The Wachowskis have always been massive heroes of mine. It was a significant chapter in my career on so many levels, playing a part that was so far out of my comfort zone.

It scared me in so many ways – it was my first American role, my first nudity, my first real love relationship. The pressure to convey that emotion authentically was a huge challenge.”

However, though the sex scene initially intimidated her, the actress added:

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Once you take your clothes off and dive in it’s strange how quickly it becomes comfortable. Fear is just a word.”

She added:

My inbox is flooded with people expressing gratitude, which blows my mind. I feel so honoured and proud to tell a story that people feel is truly representative of them in an area that’s so lacking in television.

There are a lot of channels that would argue they have LGBT relationships but we’re not talking about touching on it and moving on, it’s about fully exploring it.

Netflix is out there dancing to its own drumbeat. I can feel a momentum shift. TV is becoming so much more complex than it once was.”

Read the full interview via the Big Issue.

Tatiana Maslany Feels ‘Strong Responsibility’ To Orphan Black’s LGBT fans

Tatiana Maslany has said that she feels a “strong sense of responsibility” to Orphan Black‘s LGBT fans.

Maslany portrays a number of different characters in the sci-fi clone drama, including scientist Cosima – who is engaged in an on-off relationship with Delphine (Évelyne Brochu).

Talking at New York’s PaleyFest Orphan Black panel, Maslany said

I knew subconsciously we were talking about bodily autonomy, but it was reading essays from trans people and gay people that opened my eyes to how that was being talked about.”

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Maslany also praised the show’s style, adding:

What I like is the show isn’t preachy, it just is. We put women at the centre, [and] they’re the default, but who cares? And that to me is so awesome and I hope for more of that

It’s everywhere; reproductive rights, LGBT rights, transgender rights – I’m glad we get to reflect that. We talk about how your choices aren’t your destiny, your body’s not your destiny. You’re your destiny.”

In another interview earlier this year, Maslany talked candidly about the show’s bisexual representation between Cosima and Delphine – saying that she is not on display for the “male gaze”.

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We offer good representation in terms of complex characters that aren’t defined just in terms of their sexuality, but by every facet of what it is to be a person.

One of my favourite things that has ever been written on the show is when [Cosima] said ‘my sexuality is not the most interesting thing about me’. They’re not ‘on show’, they’re not on display for the male gaze. They’re not sexualised in that way, but they are sexual with each other, and they are intimate.

Whether Delphine identifies as bisexual, however she identifies herself, she’s open to loving Cosima, and there’s no question.

It’s about the love between them, not about the fact that they’re two women.”

Netflix’s ‘Sense8’ Gets a Second Season

Sibling directors Lana and Andrew Wachowski (Bound fame) created the acclaimed Netflix series Sense8 earlier this year. The story focuses on eight individuals around the globe with a psychic connection

Not only was the show written by a trans* writer, but it also features an openly trans actress Jamie Clayton, who is in relationship with former Doctor Who actress Freema Agyeman.

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The drama, which also explored the concept of gender and sexuality – featuring not only a trans character, but also a trans* women in a lesbian relationship – has been renewed by Netflix for a second season.

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Netflix confirmed the news, tweeting: “Birthdays are just the beginning. #sense8 is reborn.”

Netflix has not officially announced the plans to a press – but given the service’s usual model, the show is expected to return next year for another run of 12 episodes.

The show stars Aml Ameen, Bae Doona, Jamie Clayton, Tina Desai, Tuppence Middleton, Max Riemelt, Miguel Ángel Silvestre and Brian J Smith.

 

Tatiana Maslany Says Lesbian Sex Scenes in Orphan Black Aren’t for the Male-Gaze

This week on GLAAD’s video series, GLAAD: All Access, host Claire Pires interviewed Tatiana Maslany, the star of BBC America’s hit show, Orphan Black.

In this interview, Maslany talks candidly about the show’s LGBT representations, and specifically focuses on the bisexual representation between Cosima and Delphine on the show – saying that she is not on display for the “male gaze”.

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Maslany portrays a number of different characters in the sci-fi clone drama, including scientist Cosima – who is engaged in an on-off relationship with Delphine (Évelyne Brochu).

Also read: ‘Orphan Black’ Has LGBT Characters: So What Says the People Behind the Show

Speaking to GLAAD, the Orphan Black star said:

We offer good representation in terms of complex characters that aren’t defined just in terms of their sexuality, but by every facet of what it is to be a person.

One of my favourite things that has ever been written on the show is when [Cosima] said ‘my sexuality is not the most interesting thing about me’. They’re not ‘on show’, they’re not on display for the male gaze. They’re not sexualised in that way, but they are sexual with each other, and they are intimate.

Whether Delphine identifies as bisexual, however she identifies herself, she’s open to loving Cosima, and there’s no question.

It’s about the love between them, not about the fact that they’re two women.”

In a surprise twist last year, the show introduced its first male transgender clone Tony, after the idea was championed by Maslany.

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The show’s creators Graeme Manson and John Fawcett said at the time:

Maslany had already come up with the idea sort of on her own. There was never a moment where we were trying to convince her. We were all immediately on the same page.

We definitely felt the responsibility of portraying this. We did a lot of work and Tatiana did a lot of work to portray this character in a way that we felt was respectful of that community but also worked within the context of our show.”

Watch the interview below:

‘Orphan Black’ Has LGBT Characters: So What Says the People Behind the Show

The three of the people behind Orphan Black — science adviser Cosima Herter and showrunners John Fawcett and Graeme Manson
– really don’t give a fig what you think about their LGBT characters.

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In fact, they say their show looks more like the real world than its painstakingly heterosexual TV counterparts.

It’s less spectacular than it is actually a mundane fact of life.”

Since its premiere in 2013, Orphan Black has always been pretty queer.

Two years ago, Jordan Gavaris, who plays the Felix on the show, was applauded for defending the character’s flamboyance.

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You cannot collectively as a society decide that you are only going to represent one part of a minority.”

Tatiana Maslany, who plays all the female clones on the series, said,

We sort of embrace the idea of every human having the potential to be anything, and I think that opens the door for all kinds of dialogue about sexuality and about gender.”

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The key characters Cosima (played by Maslany), Felix, Delphine (Évelyne Brochu), and Tony (also Maslany) are all queer.

The show’s science adviser Herter says biology has always been used for political ends, to regulate “what’s a good body and what’s a bad body”. For example, it has been proven by science that women are inferior to men through science… “we can legitimize how we police them,” she said. It’s happened with women, and it’s happened with queer people.

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But Cosima and Delphine, in particular, are characters who were “born this way” biological: Cosima, though she’s genetically identical to her sisters, is the one lesbian clone (that we know of), while Delphine identifies as straight, until she falls in love with Cosima.

Showrunner Manson says

I can think of three examples in my life that have been like that, that just wanted to be with the right person. It’s not about questioning your sexuality or not questioning your sexuality — it’s about finding your person. Yes, you can be born like that. All of these things come together to shape your sexuality, and it’s vastly complicated, and why not allow it to be slightly mysterious?”

Fawcett added

Within the fact that we’re trying to tell a paranoid thriller, we’re trying to show little pieces of humanity. But we’re not trying to make any sweeping statements.”

Orphan Black Season 3 Features Clones At War With One Another

Season two of Orphan Black was a wild ride for the Sarah Manning, Cosima Niehaus and the other clones who are all played brilliantly (complete with different mannerisms, accents and personalities) by Tatiana Maslany.

The three big events of the series finale were when serial killing clone Helena was abducted and (potentially) forced into war and “pro” clone Rachel had her eye gouged out with a pencil, but not before Rachel sent Delphine (the girlfriend of gay clone Cosima) off to Germany. There was also the introduction of Project Castor, who are the male (in terms of biological sex) counterparts to Project Leda.

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In season three of Orphan Black, it’s those Project Castor clones that are going to be the biggest challenge for Sarah and co. Speaking to People, the show’s co-creator Graeme Manson explained that:

“This journey of discovering who Castor is, what they’re up to and how they apply to us is really a season-long trip that we’re taking. [The Castor clones] were raised like a little wolf pack in a military-type setting. They’re self-aware and aware of each other and aware that they’re multiples and different and special and that they have their own purpose. … The differences in how they relate to each other is one of the coolest things about it.”

Out of those Castor clones, we’ve met Mark who was part of the Prolethean cult that tried to use Helena’s body for surrogacy last season, there’s also “Scarface” Rudy who Manson says is “really an alpha and a proper psycho” and finally, there’s a soldier named Miller and another brother named Seth who we’ll meet in the season three premiere. The Project Castor clones won’t be making it easy for Project Leda should they decide to go and rescue Helena.

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Manson also says that “Those questions of ‘How far will you go to protect the ones you love?’ are big questions for us this season” so hopefully we’ll get some more answers on that when season three of Orphan Black premieres in April.

The Clones Are Back, Season 3 Of ‘Orphan Black’ Is Coming, And We Have 4 Teasers To Watch

The clones of Orphan Black return to BBC America for a third season on Saturday, April 18, 2015, and we can’t wait.

Orphan Black is a brilliant example of good television. One of few shows to feature a female lead (Tatiana Maslany), who pays a variety of different clones who look the same but in terms of personality are anything but.

More: Evelyne Brochu Discusses Kissing Tatiana Maslany in Orphan Black

For the uninitiated, the five main clones are less than legal hoodlum Sarah Manning, the insanely intelligent Cosima Niehaus, finicky mother Alison Hendrix, trained killer Helena and ‘pro’ clone Rachel Duncan who was raised with awareness of her clone-ness.

There are other clones too and Maslany plays them all fantastically, proving herself to be the hardest women in television as she has different mannerisms, poses and accents for each character – which are so well done that you actually forget that they’re all being played by the same person.

Teaser #1: I Am Not Your Property

Teaser #2: I Am Not Your Toy

Teaser #3: I Am Not Your Weapon

Teaser #4: I Am Not Your Experiment

Ground Breaking Australian Coming of Age LGBT Teen Drama Could Becoming Soon

Australian’s are on verge of seeing a new groundbreaking television drama on the TV screens.

The planned TV series ‘Subject to Change’, focuses on the lives of high-school students. However, what sets this project apart from others, is that its central characters identify as either gay, lesbian or bisexual.

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The pilot episode of of the show was filmed in Sydney last month and is currently in post production. The producers are planning worldwide film festival release next year. Creator/director Daniel Mercieca said ‘Subject to Change’ comes at an important time for Australia’s TV landscape, which is at a “turning point”.

“The arrival of streaming services like Netflix, Stan and Presto means Australians will be able to watch the quality TV they want to watch – when and where they want to watch – not just the ‘safe’ programs

Subject to Change has strongest appeal with a young adult demographic (15-35) yet still can find an emotional connection with all viewers, in a similar way to Puberty Blues. It is relatable, realistic and gritty.”

Daniel Mercieca

Star of the show, Maryann Wright said the series had international potential and said off the back of the trailer alone she had been contacted by overseas teens coming to terms with their own sexuality.

“It’s a coming-of-age show, no matter what sexuality you are. At 16 you’re figuring out who you are, what type of person you want to become

With this project there is a mix of characters but the focus is on LGBT characters which exist in every school. The show is bringing a normalcy that already exists in society to the TV screen. It doesn’t try to legitimate, it illuminates and it’s a long time coming.”

Maryann Wright

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James Ritchie added that traditionally gay characters had occupied a niche onscreen presence, such as “funny sidekick”, but rarely as central figures.

“In the past, it has been difficult to see these kinds of characters portrayed without stereotype. To have this project where they are not seen as novelties but instead as true and deep and meaningful characters makes our job a lot easier.”

James Ritchie

Glow Worm Films, the production house responsible for the pilot, remain in negotiation to bring a fully-fledged series to

For more information visit: subjecttochange.com.au

Channel 4 Talks Upcoming Gay Drama ‘Cucumber’

It doesn’t take a television analyst to see that the state of LGBT characters in the media isn’t quite where we want it to be. Often, non-heterosexual (or non-cisgendered) characters are shoehorned in with side plots and undeveloped storylines even at the best of times, which is why it’s so refreshing to see those who have broken away from heteronormativity get the spotlight.

UK television channel Channel 4 is often very good with that, previously airing iconic, queer-friendly shows like Skins across its network. Now, the channel is coming back with several gay dramas based around one another, the flagship of these being ‘Cucumber’.

Set to star Vincent Franklin as a gay male in his 40s who is attracted to a younger man, Cucumber will also feature Julie Hesmondhalgh (of Coronation Street fame) and comedian Rufus Hound. A gay drama, it will be interesting to see a gay male at the centre of attention this time round and Russell T. Davies, the creator of Queer As Folk, another iconic piece of queer media, is on board to helm the show which is incredibly hopeful indeed.

Cucumber will also have a companion show named Banana which will air on Channel 4’s sister channel E4 and will be aimed towards the younger demographic. There will also be an online portion of the project named Tofu which will explore stories of gay sex and will also feature contributions from the public.

All having potentially conservative-bothering storylines, characters and topics, Piers Wenger, Channel 4’s Head of Drama explains…

“In a drama looking at the details of people’s sex lives, whether gay or straight people, of course you are required to bust taboos or ask probing questions. There’s no doubt people will find it challenging but it’s asking intelligent questions in an original way.”

Piers Wenger, Channel 4’s Head of Drama

Meanwhile, Jay Hunt, Channel 4’s Chief Creative Officer noted that the shows are all “channel-defining” and that they likely wouldn’t broadcast on US television networks. Cucumber, Banana and Tofu will, however, air in the UK sometime in 2015.

Source:PinkNews