Phil Trow and Rumeana Jahangir
A Manchester actor who is starring in a new Netflix drama about a gay US military recruit at a time when open homosexuality in the armed forces was illegal says the story remains “quite poignant now”.
Max Parker, who has also appeared in Emmerdale and Doctor Who, plays a boot camp instructor in comedy drama Boots, set in the 1990s and adapted from the memoir The Pink Marine by a former sergeant.
He told Radio Manchester: “I wanted to do a queer role. As a gay man, I wanted to explore that story.”
A policy banning open homosexuality in the US military was dropped in 2011, nearly 20 years after it replaced an outright ban on gay people. In the UK, it was illegal to be gay in the military until 2000.
“The themes in the show are important and I think it tackles the era but also, I think it’s quite poignant now really,” said Parker.
“There’s still a lot going on in the world, especially with acceptance, and times haven’t changed that much in certain ways.”
The eight-part series centres around a gay teenage boy who joins the US Marine Corps with his friend, and follows them as they navigate the ups and downs of military discipline and friendships.
“It’s so fun,” says Parker. “You might cry as well.”
Bolton-born Parker plays the recruits’ instructor Sgt Sullivan, whom he calls “a kind of villain and a hero”.
“Sullivan is escaping and running away from his own life problems.
“He often uses drilling and exercising as a form of therapy, sort of like a punishment in order to distract from what’s going on.”
The actor trained with real-life recruits before filming, and adopted an American accent for the show.
“Having that little New York twang in there is great when you’re screaming at people because it just sounds that little bit more strong.”
He said he was “buzzing” at the show’s release, adding: “I love it. I think we all love watching nostalgic things.
“In America, I’m an unknown, so this is sort of my opportunity to make a little bit of a stamp and hopefully a lot of doors will open.”
The actor has had an eventful year, with his recent marriage to former Emmerdale co-star Kris Mochrie, and an appearance in Doctor Who.
“My dad is such a big fan and I was able to give him a little bit of prop they gave me at the end of the show.”
