3 days ago
Hulu's 'Mid-Century Modern' Furthers Gay Representation in Both Big and Small Ways
Hulu's 'Mid-Century Modern' Furthers Gay Representation in Both Big and Small Ways originally appeared on L.A. Mag.
When Mid-Century Modern —starring Nathan Lane, Matt Bomer and Nathan Lee Graham, and developed and created by Max Mutchnick and David Kohan of Will & Grace fame — premiered March 28 on Hulu, the gay pedigree had already been signed, sealed and delivered. The sitcom, which includes Ryan Murphy among its executive producers, was touted as the heir apparent to the (still) wildly popular NBC show The Golden Girls (1985-92). Yet that sobriquet felt unfair — partly because the two generations of programming are most dissimilar. Forty years ago, when The Golden Girls premiered, Blanche, Dorothy and Rose — three heterosexual women — were dealing with gay storylines in a very different way. They responded with utter shock upon finding out a longtime friend was a lesbian, or a brother was gay, or to the very difficult and very real AIDS crisis that was affecting its core audience in real time. But the show was seen then as groundbreaking television and the representation mattered. Almost a half-century later, it still does. So, specifically, what do the two sitcoms have in common? Not a lot, actually, unless you consider an inhumanely hot location as the setting. Miami was the home of The Golden Girls, while Palm Springs is the backdrop for Mid-Century Modern — complete with a seemingly endless supply of fabulous robes worn by both Lane's character Bunny and the always fab Arthur, played by Graham.
When the cost of those robes is brought up at my recent sit-down with the three actors, Bomer — who plays Jerry, often seen in short-shorts and tank tops — quips, 'What they save on Jerry's wardrobe, they put into the robe budget.'It's clear the three actors have developed an easy chemistry off-camera as well as on, with Lane — who has a wealth of experience playing famously gay characters on both stage and screen — effortlessly taking the role of den mother, much like Bunny on the show. When asked what drew him to the project, he cites the cast as well as the subject matter. 'I get to work with these people,' he says. 'It's just about trying to do good work, and with a story and characters that I don't think you've seen that much of: gay men who are getting older; men in their 40s, 50s and 60s trying to navigate life. I think that's what makes it new and refreshing. And if we're entertaining folks and making them laugh, it's the best way to get your message across.' Lane feels viewers can relate to the same fear of aging with which his character grapples. 'I'm just like you: I don't like getting old,' he says. 'How do I deal with it? Am I still viable in the marketplace? Can I still get a date? You see why [Bunny] wants to live with these two men who have been his closest friends all these years. It's interesting how they've all come together. I sort of force the issue impulsively and say, 'Move in with me, and I'll pay for everything.' Which is kind of crazy, but they do it. We're not making some grand statement — but I think subtly we are. Even people who might not agree with us politically, [I hope] that they enjoy who these characters are and laugh. And that is a statement in itself.'
For Graham, ubiquity is key to furthering gay representation. 'Some of us do parades, some of us write op-eds, some of us do podcasts,' he says. 'My thing is, if someone sees me doing something positive, then that's my activism, to always show up, to be that glamorous cockroach that never dies. [I love that I] always, always, always hear, 'There's that bitch again! There she is again.' You can't get rid of me.'Graham gets pride in helping others in similar situations navigate life. 'If you feel seen in any way, or if you feel good after watching our show, the mission is accomplished. If you're going through it that day [and] you put on an episode of our show, and you get through the next three hours because of it, well then, we've done our job. That is why it's so important to have a show like this on right now.'Bomer, who was coming off the melodramatic, decades-spanning Showtime miniseries Fellow Travelers, which follows closeted political staffers from the McCarthy era through the AIDS crisis, sees Mid-Century Modern as a welcome shift in tone. 'I'm just so grateful that we were able to put this show out and to try and bring some joy to the world and bring some visibility as well,' Bomer says. 'These are real people in real conversations in a fun way.'
He says he feels the show's occasionally zany sugar coating is a plus. 'Sometimes, for me as an audience member, if I can laugh when I'm hearing any type of messaging or identifying with another person, it sinks a little bit deeper than if it's too earnest or on the nose,' he says. 'So that's one of the things that really appealed to me about being a part of something like this.'Bomer explains he's tired of hearing questions about the obstacles LGBTQ entertainers face. 'People always want to talk about the 'problem' [of] what it's like to be a gay actor, but I'm so much more interested in the solution,' he says. 'And I think it's [in giving] our voices to something like this — that people can identify [with] or feel seen or get a release of some kind from watching it. That's meaningful to me and makes it worthwhile.'When the conversation turns to the tragic loss of beloved actress Linda Lavin during production, the guys disclose that the cast and crew were tasked with the unimaginable feat of producing an episode that dealt head-on with an unexpected death. Lavin portrayed Lane's character's mother, Sybil, and Lane has to play the scene from a raw place that's both personal and immediate. The episode mixes the very real, sad emotions with the humor that's often needed in diffcult times.'You could hear a pin drop when we got to that section of the show,' Lane recalls. 'It was emotional, but it felt very satisfying and gratifying, because I felt they had paid tribute not only to the character, but to Linda, the great actress.'For Bomer, the depth of the loss struck backstage. 'I remember when it really hit me that Linda was gone,' he says. 'We would always be together behind the curtain when they'd introduce us before the show. And one of my favorite things about this whole experience is being with these actors: Linda Lavin, who's a legend; Nathan [Lane]; and Nathan Lee — all theater icons. And we're all still just as nervous to go on stage before the show starts, and that's something that I'll hold so near and dear to my heart. Then, not having Linda there that day really drove it home to me.'
In contemplating a possible Season 2, all three men grow animated when describing how they'd like to see their characters evolve. 'I'd love to meet Jerry's ex-wife, his mom [and] the congressman he slept with!' Bomer exclaims. Graham has some guest stars in mind. 'We got to get these black ladies lined up,' he says: 'Jenifer Lewis, I think she's the auntie. Maybe Phylicia Rashad is the mother.' Lane feels more time is needed to fully uncover the show's ties to past sitcom glory. 'I'm the real Golden Girl,' he says of Bunny. 'I'm the one who spent his whole life in [the] business and never had that major relationship. So that may not happen. I mean, it possibly could, but … we need to explore all of those things.' Lane believes a second season of Mid-Century Modern would allow the series to continue to deepen its characters and their connection to the audience. 'I think with the unfortunate passing of Linda, and how we treated that happening, [it's] indicative of how the show can and will move forward — with serious subject matter that happens in real life,' he says. 'And [it'll explore] why this chosen family is now even more important.'At the end of our time together, one thing is abundantly clear: These three actors have helped diffuse the stigma of the label 'openly gay actor' for members of the generation that follows. The show has also proven that the sitcom may actually be alive and well. The format still has new stories to tell, new families to visit, new life experiences to share … with a few 'F-bombs' and 'C-words' thrown in for good measure, all while 'filmed in front of a live studio audience' — just like The Golden Girls.
Photographed by Irvin RiveraPhoto Assistant: Avery Cefre @dinoschmoodio; Nathan Lee Graham: Groomer: Steve Schepis (@steve_schepis); Styling: Clint Spires; Nathan Lane: Groomer: Angella Valentine (@angvalentine); Styling Team: Sam Spector @samspector Styling; Assistants: Katie Vaughan @kvaughan1 & Esther Pak @pakesther; Matt Bomer; Groomer: Jessi Butterfield @jessibutterfield; FASHION: 1ST LOOK, Nathan Lane: teal suit, white shirt: Suitshop; tie: Seaward and Stearn of London, pocket square: Tie Bar, shoes: Greats; 2nd Look: Vince Jacket, Vince pants, Brooks Brothers shirt, Marc Fisher shoes
This story was originally reported by L.A. Mag on Jun 2, 2025, where it first appeared.
