Robbie Rogers spoke exclusively with RadioTimes.com about the new series starring Matt Bomer and Jonathan Bailey.
Paramount Plus series Fellow Travelers is based on the novel of the same name, and stars Matt Bomer and Jonathan Bailey as two men who begin a volatile relationship at the height of McCarthyism in Washington DC.
Executive producer Robbie Rogers spoke exclusively with RadioTimes.com ahead of the series’s arrival on Paramount Plus, and revealed an emotional moment from the show which brought him to tears.
Rogers said: “There was a moment that really struck me and brought me to tears in episode 8. The guys are naked and they’re slow dancing in Hawk’s townhouse. This comes after McCarthy’s funeral, and something happens, this lady that hates Tim [and] hates gays is quite homophobic to him.
“And them being in the apartment in this intimate moment together, slow dancing naked – I was brought to tears, because I started to think of all the men and women that had to steal a moment away from everything that was going on outside, all the hate that was directed towards them, and just find a moment to be in a different world together and to show each other love.”
He continued: “I just found that incredibly emotional, and it also made me sad to think about all the people at that time and through history, and even in different parts of the world now, that have to hide behind doors and walls to love the person that they love.
“So I was incredibly emotional when we were shooting that, and I think when people see that, they’ll understand why.”
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In his interview, Rogers also spoke about how the power dynamics play out between the two characters, Hawkins (Bomer) and Tim (Bailey), in their relationship, including in the sex scenes.
“There’s quite a thing with historical LGBT film and television, where the cast or a character is a victim,” he explained.
“And with Hawk, he’s not a victim. He has power in DC, he has power in his relationships, he’s very much in control of his life. And that obviously addresses with how he behaves with Tim, and falling in love with him.
“Even with, you could say, the sex – our intention wasn’t to be, like, salacious, or push the boundaries. It was very much a dance with power. And at times Hawk is exerting that over Tim, and there’s times where Tim realises that he has power over Hawk, so he uses it to go to a party, or uses it to find intimacy with Hawk.
“What’s that quote, where it’s like ‘everything’s about sex, except for sex, it’s about power’? I heard it a few times in the writers’ room and was like, ‘Oh, yeah, that’s definitely the show.’”
Fellow Travelers will debut on Saturday 28th October on Paramount+. Looking for something else to watch? Visit our Drama hub or check out our TV Guide and Streaming Guide.
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