Actor Russell Tovey has opened up about how the stigma surrounding HIV and the AIDS crisis shaped his relationship with death at an early age. Tovey, known for bringing nuanced depictions of gay men to life, has collaborated with Neil Bartlett for a new production called Blue Now, inspired by Derek Jarman’s seminal AIDS-themed film Blue. In an interview with The Independent, Tovey discussed his own experiences growing up queer during an era defined by the shadow of the Aids crisis and Margaret Thatcher’s notorious anti-gay legislation, Section 28.
Growing up as a young adult at the peak of the crisis had a profound impact upon his identity as a gay man. Tovey reflects on how HIV and AIDS-related illnesses were the leading cause of death for Americans aged between 25 and 44, and how the fearful “Don’t Die of Ignorance” UK ad campaign caused a huge rise of stigma towards the gay community. Tovey also discussed how he felt huge shame around his sexuality throughout his childhood because of Thatcher’s homophobic legislation, which banned the promotion of homosexuality in classrooms.
He hopes that his depiction of queer identity across his roles will help “move the dial forwards” when it comes to bringing nuanced characters to the screen. Tovey remains selective of the gay roles he takes on for this reason, explaining: “It feels important to make sure that if I’m playing gay, that it’s doing something.”
Tovey is set to star in Blue Now, which begins touring on May 7 in Brighton. The show tenderly portrays Jarman’s harrowing experience of AIDS, which caused him to go partially blind and have his vision dominated by the color blue. It also stars trans activist Travis Alabanza, creative Jay Bernard, and Polari-Prize-winning poet Joelle Taylor.
Tovey also talks about the importance of LGBTQ+ representation in the arts, praising the recent wave of queer shows storming television. He believes that having meaningful LGBTQ+ representation in the arts is important and praises the way the world is now. Tovey said, “For young kids to be able to say, ‘Cool, I’ll watch Glee tonight and then go to a gay bar’. That is an incredible gift that’s been handed down. But we must pay respect and remember where that gift came from.”
Overall, Tovey’s collaboration with Neil Bartlett for the new production Blue Now has prompted him to reflect on his own experiences growing up queer during the AIDS crisis and Thatcher’s notorious anti-gay legislation. His reflections show the profound impact that the stigma surrounding HIV had on his relationship with death at an early age. Tovey hopes that his work as an actor will continue to bring nuanced characters to the screen and help move the dial forwards when it comes to representation.
