Arts & Entertainment

Animal instinct

Rising star Sebastian Stan brings depth to gay role on Sigourney Weaver-helmed political family series

Published

13 years ago

July 20, 2012

T.J. Hammond, played by Sebastian Stan, raises a glass to his family of ‘Political Animals’ in the new USA Network series. (Photo courtesy USA Network)

Being the first openly gay child of the “First Family,” would be pressure enough, but “Political Animals’” T.J. Hammond still can’t find peace now that his mother is the Secretary of State, and divorcing his father, the former President of the United States.

“I don’t know this personally, but one of the things I’ve tried to research is the idea of how do you exist in the world as an individual when your parents’ persona is constantly an umbrella over your identity,” says Sebastian Stan, who plays T.J. in the new USA network political drama which premiered this week about a former First Family coping with change in the years after the White House (It airs Sunday nights at 10).

While many young LGBT people T.J.’s age face pressure and depression, and may experiment with drugs and alcohol like the character, most don’t do so under the microscope of the media, with a mother — former First Lady Elaine Barrish played by Sigourney Weaver, whom Stan calls a “sweet soul” — in the cabinet of the incoming President.

T.J. copes with the pressure by acting out and pushing the envelope, much like another set of first kids, the Bush twins, whom Stan says T.J. may be able to relate to.

“Its like someone handing you the same plate of breakfast every day,” Stan tells the Blade, saying he doesn’t know personally what it would be like to be under such a microscope, but has tried to research extensively this complicated character. “’Well this is now my life, and this is what I gotta do.’ And you get bored. Its like, ‘Why? I want more? I want something else. I don’t want to be pigeonholed.’ And I think that maybe … you want to branch out, you want to be different, you want to do your thing, you don’t want to constantly have to live in the shadow of your parents, which is unfortunately what these characters are living under.”

Stan says that the show from acclaimed producers Greg Berlanti and Laurence Mark, which also stars Ellen Burstyn and James Wolk who plays T.J.’s twin brother, attempts to pull back a curtain on the private lives of these very public people.

“When these people go home, and they sit down at dinner, what do they talk about?” Stan says. “How are they with themselves?”

The character differs greatly from another gay character he played in a political family on NBC’s “Kings,” because, while the young prince Jack Benjamin was strong-willed, driven and knew what he wants, T.J., Stan says, is much more fragile and lost and feels that he’s been pigeonholed in a way that does not fit him, and he’s searching for escape.

“Someone says to you, ‘Guess what? You’re going to live in this box.’ And how do you deal with that?” Stan says, saying T.J. and his straight twin Douglass deal with the pressure in vastly different ways. “T.J. deals with it by numbing, as an alcoholic and a drug addict.”

Though T.J. has strong allies in the family like his grandmother Margaret, played by Burstyn, and his powerful mother, unlike the “Kings” character, T.J. has little control over his life, and Stan, who’s straight, wonders what the young son raised in the spotlight might do with the freedom that a life of anonymity might lend.

“Ultimately he’s just a character that’s trying to find himself and trying to be heard that’s desperately wanting to be loved … Does he have a choice, and if he had a choice, what would he do with it.”

Stan says working with veteran actress Sigourney Weaver is “phenomenal,” and that he’s grateful to share a set with the “Alien” star.

“She’s an incredibly generous person, as well as an actress,” he says. “A powerhouse … The level of etiquette and discipline and commanding the set that she brought on was absolutely awesome. Made everyone feel very special … You always knew when she was going to walk in. You felt her presence.”

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FUND LGBTQ JOURNALISM

Books

Celebrate Pride month by reading these books

History, pop culture, and more

Published

4 minutes ago

June 14, 2025

Terri Schlichenmeyer

(Photo courtesy of Terri Schlichenmeyer)

You’ve done your share of marching.

You’re determined to wring every rainbow-hued thing out of this month. The last of the parties hasn’t arrived yet, neither have the biggest celebrations and you’re primed but – OK, you need a minute. So pull up a chair, take a deep breath, and read these great books on gay history, movies, and more.

You probably don’t need to be told that harassment and discrimination was a daily occurrence for gay people in the past (as now!), but “American Scare: Florida’s Hidden Cold War on Black and Queer Lives” by Robert W. Fieseler (Dutton, $34) tells a story that runs deeper than you may know. Here, you’ll read a historical expose with documented, newly released evidence of a systemic effort to ruin the lives of two groups of people that were perceived as a threat to a legislature full of white men.

Prepared to be shocked, that’s all you need to know.

You’ll also want to read the story inside “The Many Passions of Michael Hardwick: Sex and the Supreme Court in the Age of AIDS” by Martin Padgett (W.W. Norton & Company, $31.99), which sounds like a novel, but it’s not. It’s the story of one man’s fight for a basic right as the AIDS crisis swirls in and out of American gay life and law. Hint: this book isn’t just old history, and it’s not just for gay men.

Maybe you’re ready for some fun and who doesn’t like a movie? You know you do, so you’ll want “Sick and Dirty: Hollywood’s Gay Golden Age and the Making of Modern Queerness” by Michael Koresky (Bloomsbury, $29.99). It’s a great look at the Hays Code and what it allowed audiences to see, but it’s also about the classics that sneaked beneath the code. There are actors, of course, in here, but also directors, writers, and other Hollywood characters you may recognize. Grab the popcorn and settle in.

If you have kids in your life, they’ll want to know more about Pride and you’ll want to look for “Pride: Celebrations & Festivals” by Eric Huang, illustrated by Amy Phelps (Quarto, $14.99), a story of inclusion that ends in a nice fat section of history and explanation, great for kids ages seven-to-fourteen. Also find “Are You a Friend of Dorothy? The True Story of an Imaginary Woman and the Real People She Helped Shape” by Kyle Lukoff, illustrated by Levi Hastings (Simon & Schuster, $19.99), a lively book about a not-often-told secret for kids ages six-to-ten; and “Papa’s Coming Home” by Chasten Buttigieg, illustrated by Dan Taylor (Philomel, $19.99), a sweet family tale for kids ages three-to-five.

Finally, here’s a tween book that you can enjoy, too: “Queer Heroes” by Arabelle Sicardi, illustrated by Sarah Tanat-Jones (Wide Eyed, $14.99), a series of quick-to-read biographies of people you should know about.

Want more Pride books? Then ask your favorite bookseller or librarian for more, because there are so many more things to read. Really, the possibilities are almost endless, so march on in.

Music & Concerts

Indigo Girls coming to Capital One Hall

Stars take center stage alongside Fairfax Symphony

Published

2 days ago

June 12, 2025

Tinashe Chingarande

The Indigo Girls are back in the area next week. (Photo courtesy of Vanguard Records)

Capital One Center will host “The Indigo Girls with the Fairfax Symphony Orchestra” on Thursday, June 19 and Friday, June 20 at 8 p.m. at Capital One Hall.

The Grammy Award-winning folk and pop stars will take center stage alongside the Fairfax Symphony, conducted by Jason Seber. The concerts feature orchestrations of iconic hits such as “Power of Two,” “Get Out The Map,” “Least Complicated,” “Ghost,” “Kid Fears,” “Galileo,” “Closer to Fine,” and many more.

Tickets are available on Ticketmaster or in person at Capital One Hall the nights of the concerts.

Calendar

Calendar: June 13-19

LGBTQ events in the days to come

Published

2 days ago

June 12, 2025

Tinashe Chingarande

Friday, June 13

“Center Aging Friday Tea Time” will be at 2 p.m. in person at the DC Center for the LGBT Community’s new location at 1827 Wiltberger St., N.W. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ adults. Guests are encouraged to bring a beverage of choice. For more details, email [email protected].

Women in Their Twenties and Thirties will be at 8 p.m. at Wundergarten. An update will be posted the night of the event on where to find WiTT’s table. There’ll be a Pride flag to help people find the group. For more details, join WiTT’s closed Facebook group.

Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Pride Month Happy Hour” at 7 p.m. at Freddie’s Beach bar and Restaurant. This event is ideal for making new friends, professional networking, idea-sharing, and community building. This event is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

Saturday, June 14

Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Pride Month Brunch” at 11 a.m. at Freddie’s Beach Bar & Restaurant. This fun weekly event brings the DMV area LGBTQ+ community, including Allies, together for delicious food and conversation. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

Rainbow History Project will host “Behind the Scenes With the Senior Curator of ‘Pickets, Protests and Parades’” at 7:30p.m. at Freedom Plaza. This behind-the-scenes experience offers a rare glimpse into the creative process behind this groundbreaking showcase of DC’s LGBTQ+ history. Learn about the bold design decisions that shaped the Quote Wall and Hero Cubes and the powerful stories that almost made the cut. Tickets cost $82 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.

Monday, June 16

“Center Aging Monday Coffee Klatch” will be at 10 a.m. on Zoom. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ+ adults. Guests are encouraged to bring a beverage of choice. For more details, email [email protected].

Genderqueer DC will be at 7 p.m. in person at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. This is a support group for people who identify outside of the gender binary. Whether you’re bigender, agender, genderfluid, or just know that you’re not 100% cis. For more information, visit their website at www.genderqueerdc.org or check us out on Facebook.

Tuesday, June 17

Bi+ Roundtable and Discussion will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is an opportunity for people to gather in order to discuss issues related to bisexuality or as Bi individuals in a private setting. Check out Facebook or Meetup for more information.

Wednesday, June 18

Job Club will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom. This is a weekly job support program to help job entrants and seekers, including the long-term unemployed, improve self-confidence, motivation, resilience and productivity for effective job searches and networking — allowing participants to move away from being merely “applicants” toward being “candidates.” For more information, email [email protected] or visit thedccenter.org/careers.

“Legends Live Loud: A Queer Karaoke Experience” will be at 7 p.m. at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. This will be a dynamic, Center-wide karaoke event celebrating the brilliance and cultural impact of some of our most colorful queer icons. The Center will honor legends through music, pop culture, dance, and inextinguishable liberation. For more details and to sign up, visit the DC Center’s website.

Thursday, June 19

Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Book Club” at 7:30 p.m. at Federico Ristorante Italiano. This book club is co-hosted by EQUALITY NoVa and is another opportunity to engage in a fun and rewarding activity. The group doesn’t discriminate when it comes to genres it reads – from classic literature to best selling novels to biographies to histories to gay fiction. For more details, visit Eventbrite.

Cultivating Change Foundation will host “Cultivating Pride Happy Hour” at 5:30 p.m. at Dacha Beer Garden. This Pride month, the organization is inviting LGBTQ+ people and allies in food and agriculture to come together in communities nationwide. These informal gatherings are a chance to connect, celebrate, and build community, whether it’s over coffee, a cocktail, or a conversation. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.