Les Fabian BrathwaiteThe romantic comedy is going through something of a renaissance. Once the forgettable and largely derided realm of the Katherine Heigls/Kate Hudsons of the world, we now have TV shows (and some movies) that have turned the genre on its head, like Master of None, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, and Fleabag.
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Still, queer romantic comedies―let alone romantic comedies with queer people of color as the protagonists and not just the sassy best friend―are still few and far between. Often, stories about QPOC focus on our tragedy rather than our triumphs, but as more seats are made available at the table, we can/should expect a greater diversity and range of representation.
SlayTV, the network founded by married couple Sean and Terry Torrington dedicated to content for and by queer people of color, is making just those kinds of strides. One of its flagship shows, Love @ First Night, returns for its second season in June.
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The rom-com follows Spencer (Kyle Price) and Jaden (Ramad Carter) after their one-night stand turns into a bona fide relationship and the pitfalls and difficulties that arise as a result.
Price had always wanted to act and after “coasting through life” in a post-college 9-to-5 haze, he decided one day, three years ago, to just do it. His first acting job was the web series Quarter Century New York, in which he caught Terry’s eye.
“[Terry and I] had known each other in passing,” Price explains, “but when he saw the series he was like, ‘Kyle! I have this role for you. It’s perfect. I’m not auditioning anyone else. This role is for you.’”
Price was cautious at first, citing a certain “stigma” around web series, but once Terry sent him the script, he fell in love with the the story and the character Spencer.
“It was a unique telling of a love story that not too many people talk about but it was something that I could relate to,” Price says. “I knew I wanted to get myself involved and project that to the world.”
Season 2 premieres in June―check out the trailer below:
And catch-up on season 1 here.
From Hook-Up to Happily Ever After? SlayTV's Love @ First Night Season 2 Trailer
00From Hook-Up to Happily Ever After? SlayTV's Love @ First Night Season 2 Trailer