The Queer As Folk Reboot Just Announced Its First Star

The upcoming Queer As Folk reboot has cast its first actor: nonbinary star Jesse James Keitel!

Keitel, who stars on ABC's popular drama Big Sky, has been cast as a "trans, semi-reformed party girl who is struggling to grow up," according to Variety. The Queer As Folk update, which will be available on NBCUniversal's streaming platform Peacock, takes place in New Orleans this time around and follows a diverse group of friends "whose lives are transformed in the aftermath of a tragedy."

Keitel is the first cast member announced.

Keitel made history when they were cast in Big Sky as the first nonbinary actor to play a nonbinary series regular on primetime television. She plays Jerrie Kennedy, a transfeminine sex worker who dreams of becoming a singer.

She's also appeared in the Showtime film Fluidity and the Netflix original Alex Strangelove. Recently, she was also part of Disney+'s Virtual Pride concert, singing "When Somebody Loved Me" from Toy Story 2.

The Queer As Folk reboot was officially given a straight-to-series order from Peacock, and will be created, written, and executive produced by Stephen Dunn, who is also directing the pilot. Dunn's first feature film Closet Monster won the award for Best Canadian Feature Film at the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival.

More recently, he directed an episode of Apple TV+'s anthology series Little America. His episode, "The Son," followed a gay Syrian refugee dreaming of being granted asylum in America so he can be free to be himself. The episode won a GLAAD Media Special Recognition Award.

The original series, a ten-episode project that aired in the U.K. from 1999-2000 was created by Russell T Davies, who is involved as an executive producer this time around. It was later adapted in the U.S. and ran for five seasons on Showtime from 2000-2005.

Production of the Queer As Folk reboot is set to start this fall in New Orleans.

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