Written and directed by John Logan (Gladiator, The Aviator, Penny Dreadful), the Peacock original film They/Them tells the story of a group of LGBTQ+ kids being sent away to a conversion camp.
The list of LGBTQ+ characters entering this conversion camp includes Jordan (Theo Germaine), Veronica (Monique Kim), Stu (Cooper Koch), Alexandra (Quei Tann), Toby (Austin Crute), Kim (Anna Lore), and Gabriel (Darwen Del Fabro). Running the place is Owen Whistler (played by Kevin Bacon), who promises the group that this camp isn’t as scary as they might think it is.
But this is, afterall, a horror movie, so everyone is a suspect. In real life, however, Bacon is all ally.
During an exclusive interview with PRIDE, Bacon talked about his hopes that this movie can inspire queer children in conservative parts of the United States to see themselves represented in They/Them. The actor said:
“Young people who have a different gender identity who can see themselves in this film – maybe they’re in a small town in rural America, in a conservative world with conservative parents. Maybe they’re closeted, bullied. To see people like themselves on the screen and empowered, [that] would be a beautiful resolve.”
You can watch PRIDE’s full interview with Kevin Bacon and Carrie Preston below.
Bacon also remarked about the potential that They/Them has to make conservative parents second-guess their decision to submit their LGBTQ+ kids through practices such as conversion therapy. “Wouldn’t that be just the greatest win if it happened to one person?” the actor reflected. “That would be absolutely fantastic.”
As a legendary actor with such a prolific career, Bacon had a very intentional reason for joining the cast of They/Them. He explained:
“I liked the idea that you’re going to take something as horrible as the concept of gay conversion and put it in a very accessible genre – meaning, horror. Which a lot of people really love, and the stakes are very high, it’s life and death, and sometimes has the possibility of tapping into something in a pop culture way.”
LGBTQ+ people – and fans of horror in general – can’t wait to watch They/Them and see how it plays out in this terrifying and queer-inclusive movie.
They/Them premieres Friday, August 5 on Peacock.
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