“Mid-Century Modern” star Nathan Lane is fully embracing his sitcom’s queerness. Moreover, he feels that it’s a necessity for mainstream television in the current, divisive political era. In an interview with Deadline, Lane called such “joyously gay” series necessary for the good of the nation.
“I just think it’s healthy for the environment,” Lane said. “Look, there are 365 million people in this country. This is not a show for everybody. Just as ‘Yellowstone’ has its demographic, we have ours. And it’s not going to be to everybody’s taste because it is naughty and because it’s so joyously gay, without shame, and just reveling in their gayness. That’s upsetting to some people, but I think it’s healthy and it’s great for people to see that men of a certain age are still out there living their lives openly and freely and having a great time doing it and figuring it out; figuring out trying to grow old gracefully.”
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The Hulu series finds three gay men — Lane, Matt Bomer, and Nathan Lee Graham — deciding to move in together at Lane’s fabulous Palm Springs villa and live out their “golden” years together.
“Is it going to change any minds? I don’t know about that. Trump, if he knew we were on the air, would probably try to shut it down, come after Hulu. But, I think it’s a great thing to have right now, in the midst of books being banned and, ‘Don’t say this and don’t say gay and don’t do that.’ I think it’s a perfect time for a show like this,” Lane said.
Along for the ride is the late Linda Lavin as Lane’s mother. Lavin passed away after completing eight episodes, and her death was written into “Mid-Century Modern.”
“You would never guess she was 87. We were in shock when she died, it was like… even though she was 87. That’s how vital she was. She’s just indelible, and it was very difficult to come back to finish those last three episodes when she wasn’t there. It was just… We all had to go through the grieving process and, at the same time, do that particular episode,” Lane recalled.
Though the series has often been compared to ‘The Golden Girls,’” Lane told IndieWire in March that the description, while flattering, was too simple.
“It’s nice to be compared to a great classic show, but [‘Mid-Century Modern’] has its own thing. And I think, when people watch the show, they’ll see that,” he explained.
