Prime Target's biggest stars shared their thoughts about the Apple TV+ series' ground-breaking gay and queer representation.
The new streaming thriller follows a math professor who discovers a conspiracy to discredit his work, as a pattern in prime numbers he is on the verge of discovering would allow him access to every computer in the world.
Something notable about the series, though, is that it is the first Apple TV+ original series to feature two queer characters as its leads (Leo Woodall's Edward Brooks and Quintessa Swindell's Taylah Sanders).
Prime Target Stars Talk Representation
Prime Target is turning heads with its gay and queer representation, something its stars loved when taking on their roles.
Speaking about bringing their queer characters to life in the new Apple TV+ series— marking the first time an Apple original has featured two queer leads—both Leo Woodall and Quintessa Swindell shared their thoughts about the show's diversity.
Swindell remarked in a conversation with Harvey Morton that they, a non-binary actor, have been delicate in picking their roles, not wanting to "perpetuate any stereotype:"
"You know, it's so interesting, 'cause someone else brought that up about... for me personally, being very careful about what I choose to do, but particularly as it pertains to queer representation in TV and film, I'm the most critical about, because I don't wanna perpetuate any stereotypes."
They said that with most of their parts, if "if that doesn't broaden people's understanding of who can be trans, queer, non-binary, gender identity, sexuality," then it is not for them:
"So being non-binary, a lot of people would look at me and be like, 'Oh, but you're fem-presenting. For a non-binary character, you'll have to have a shaved head, or colored hair, or a bunch of piercings, or tattoos, or have to act a certain type of way.' And I'm kind of like, if that doesn't broaden people's understanding of who can be trans, queer, non-binary, gender identity, sexuality, then for me, I'm kinda like, 'Maybe it's for someone else.'"
Luckily for Swindell, Prime Target presented something that drew them in regarding its representation. They pointed out Woodall's character, Edward Brooks, who is presented as queer, but it is not "something that's very obvious."
Instead, his sexuality is portrayed on-screen as "a byproduct of who he actually is and doesn't need to be discussed:"
"But as far as the queer representation in this series, I love how Leo's character is represented, because it's not something that's very obvious, it's just a byproduct of who he actually is and doesn't need to be discussed, but rather it's more of a question of who he's decided to open his life to, which I really respected and I thought was something that I wanted to be a part of when looking at the broad scope of the series. And then more personally for me, I'm like, 'Okay, there are stunts, so I definitely want to do the show.'"
Woodall (who fans can also see in Netflix's One Day) shared his thoughts about his character as well. "I'd never taken on a role like Ed," Woodall posited, adding, "I'd previously played guys who were very outgoing and sociable," but "Ed is none of those things:"
"For me, I'd never taken on a role like Ed. I'd previously played guys who were very outgoing and sociable and get into mischief and enjoy a bit of mischief and are very good with people. And Ed is none of those things. He's not good with people, he doesn't like people, he doesn't like going out, he hates any sense of mischief or... He breaks some rules, don't get me wrong, but for me, it was a new territory and I was very interested in exploring that."
Why Prime Target's Queer Characters Matter
Prime Target is an amazing step toward full-on inclusivity in mainstream media and should be an example of representation. Featuring two queer leads is a big deal, but what makes it so special is how small of a deal it is in the show itself.
Swindell's character is (like them) non-binary, and Woodall's character is gay, but it is not their defining characteristic.
At times in media, these means of diversity, like some queer and gender-diverse characters, can feel surface-level and pigeonholed into a collection of stereotypes and cliches. Prime Target lets these characters define themselves beyond this, making them more than their diverse qualities.
This should be something that audiences should celebrate. As mentioned by Swindell, it is characters like this that help to break down these stereotypes and open peoples' eyes to what a queer, trans, gender-diverse, etc. person can look and sound like.
While Prime Target is nowhere near the first series to explore complex queer characters (just look at series like HBO's The Last of Us as another example), it should be seen as a win in that department.
It might feel like a small step, but enough of these mold-breaking moves in TV and movies have the possibility of shifting preconceived notions people may have and changing public opinion on issues such as queer representation.
Prime Target is streaming on Apple TV+.
Series star Leo Woodall can also be seen in Season 2 of White Lotus (which is set to debut Season 3 on Sunday, February 16).
