Variety has confirmed Tuesday that Jesse James Keitel (Big Sky) will join the Queer as Folk reboot at Peacock as a series regular. Keitel will play a trans, semi-reformed party girl struggling to grow up.
The updated series will be set in New Orleans and follows a diverse group of friends in New Orleans whose lives transform after a tragic loss. The series is based on the 1999 British comedy, created by Russel T. Davies (Years and Years), which followed the lives of three gay men living in Manchester. Showtime adapted the series in the early 2000s starring Gale Harold (The Secret Circle) and Hal Sparks (Lab Rats), which ran for five seasons.
On Monday, Deadline reported that Keitel will move from being a series regular to a recurring role on ABC’s Big Sky where they play Jerrie Kennedy. Keitel is one of few out trans/non-binary stars working in primetime television — their work on Big Sky being their breakout role. Their additional credits include the Showtime original film Fluidity and the Netflix film, Alex Strangelove.
The remake is created by Stephen Dunn (Closet Monster), who will write the series and executive produce. He will also direct the pilot. The series also has a straight-to-series order at Peacock. Davies will return to the series as executive producer, and Jaclyn Moore (Dear White People) will serve as co-showrunner and executive producer. Other EPs include Lee Einsberg (The Office), Emily Brecht (Turnt), Nicola Shindler (Queer as Folk), and NENT Studios CEO, Richard Halliwell.
Production on the new series will start in the fall in New Orleans. A release date was not announced for the series.