(Screenshot courtesy of IMDB)

Dan Savage’s comedy “The Real O’Neals” has cast a gay actor in the leading role.

Noah Galvin, 21, is set to play the starring role in the show loosely based on Savage’s Catholic upbringing as a gay teenager who comes out to his parents.

Producer Todd Holland told the Huffington Post he wanted a gay actor for the part but due to a discrimination casting law he was unable to ask those auditioning for the part if they were gay.

“As a gay man, this is a landmark role on network television,” Holland says. “It should not be played by a straight man pretending to be gay.”

Holland says that he had a “sense” Galvin was gay and also overheard Galvin telling someone about coming out to his family making him a good choice for the role.

Galvin says that it was also vital for him to have someone in the role who was willing to speak about being gay from personal experience.

“It was important to me that they have someone who is gay and is out and is willing to be a spokesman for it,” Galvin told the Huffington Post.

Savage is an executive producer for the show. “The Real O’Neals” airs Tuesday, March 8 at 8:30 p.m. on ABC.