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Actress Marlene Forte dishes on her ‘Fear the Walking Dead’ role
‘I try not to judge my villain characters’
Marlene Forte
Marlene Forte has probably been on everyone’s living room television at one point or another. Forte has built a 20-year career on guest starring and recurring television roles. From the role of Carmen Ramon on the TNT reboot of “Dallas” to a recurring role as the grandmother of Marianna and Jesus on “The Fosters,” Forte is no amateur to television work. Yet her role as villainous Celia Flores on “Fear the Walking Dead” has been her most chilling to date.
Celia is the former housekeeper and mother figure to Thomas Abigail (Dougray Scott), the partner of mysterious business man Victor Strand (Colman Domingo), and actual mother of Abigail’s right-hand man Luis. The second season of “Fear the Walking Dead” revealed Strand had led the group to Mexico so he could reunite with his lost love Thomas. Joining Thomas means the group must deal with Celia who has her own ideas about the dead who walk the earth.
Celia’s influence is quickly felt throughout the group as she preaches her dead-positive ideology, immediately taking drug addict Nick (Frank Dillane) under her wing. Not everyone is as enamored as Madison (Kim Dickens) grows suspicious of Celia’s connection to her son Nick and Strand battles Celia over Thomas’s death. The growing tension leads to Celia’s death by the hands of Madison at season’s end.
Washington Blade spoke with Forte about the mindset of a villain, working on a zombie show with a zombie fear and her thoughts on the first in-depth gay storyline in “The Walking Dead” universe.
Washington Blade: “The Walking Dead” is such a huge franchise. What was the audition process like for “Fear the Walking Dead” and were you intimidated at all?
Marlene Forte: Well, at this point in my life I don’t get too intimidated in auditions. I was excited as hell just because I knew the thing of it. And it’s really funny because I watched “Night of the Living Dead” when I was like 10 years old by myself. And I woke up one day at like ten o’clock in the morning and it was playing. It scared the shit out of me so much that I have stayed away from zombie things for a long time. I was like, “I don’t want to be cremated, don’t put me in the ground, I don’t want to come back.” My dad who is almost 80 is a humongous fan of “The Walking Dead,” “Fear the Walking Dead” and “Talking Dead.” He has been trying to get me to see it for years.
So I get this audition and now I have to. I had watched “Fear the Walking Dead” because I’m very good friends with Elizabeth Rodriguez who played Liza in the first season. I had seen that season and that was it. But before then, just to do a little more research, I watched the first season of “The Walking Dead.” I was hooked so quickly. Once I booked the job I went down to Mexico. I got down there and I binge watched all the seasons in three weeks. So imagine this, during the day I am shooting “Fear the Walking Dead” and at night I’m going home to gorge on “The Walking Dead.” It was like a drug. I loved these people and I wanted to know what was going on with these people. Now I’m having conversations with my 80-year-old dad who is like “I told you how great this show is! It’s not about the dead people!”
It’s ironic that I ended up getting this character because it took me so long to get over it. The hardest scene that I had to do was when my son comes back like a zombie. And I have to be close to him and the makeup is insanely great. And he’s drooling and there is blood spitting out and I’m like, “I’m going to throw up.” But it was like going to Disneyland on this show. It was so much fun.
Blade: A lot of Celia’s storyline was closely tied to Nick. What was it like working with Frank Dillane?
Forte: He’s mercurial. He’s amazing. I said to my husband, “If Johnny Depp and River Phoenix had a baby it would be Frank.” He’s got all that and more. He’s sweet, generous and polite. He’s going to be a superstar, watch out for him. It was lovely. The whole cast are powerful actors and it was a blessing. I’ve been doing this for 20 years and I don’t get excited about a lot of things anymore. I’m one of those actors who haven’t worked with too many uptight people and too many divas. But this was fun. It was like a paid vacation for me because I was delving into this whole new zombie world. Frank is phenomenal. I want to adopt him. What a nice man. And he’s got this great accent. I only knew him from watching the show. And at the table read I heard this London accent and I was like, “What? You don’t talk like that.” He’s very cute with that accent.
Another scene from ‘Fear the Walking Dead.’ (Photo courtesy AMC)
Blade: Celia has this cult leader vibe. You want to trust her, but she’s very creepy. In the finale Nick seemed sucked into her spiel about not being afraid of the dead. Do you think that affected his decision to leave his family?
Forte: Absolutely. I think she’s got him. Now of course, Nick’s character is a drug addict. These are people who are vulnerable human beings. Which she sees the minute he walks through the kitchen. She identifies him and goes after him. Like any good cult leader will do, right? She’s like, “Another one of my children, another one of my lambs.” But like he said at the end, “We caused this.” So he can now rightly or wrongfully move away from his family. It’s a pretty powerful moment when you see him walking with the dead like that.
Blade: Did Celia feel like the relationship between Thomas and Strand was genuine?
Forte: Marlene thinks their relationship was genuine. I’m not too sure Celia does. I think Celia thinks that Thomas was genuinely in love with Strand, but I don’t think she’s ever trusted Strand. I try not to judge my villain characters. Because the most warped human being doesn’t think they’re warped. They think they’re coming from a place that’s very logical in their head. In my background story, I don’t know if this is what the writers did, but Thomas was gay and his parents disowned him. So I have been taking care of him from a very young age. I’ve been his mom in my head since he was like 12, when he first realized that he was gay. In my head that’s why he’s my son. I took in him, I take in Nick and I take in anyone who is lost. And that’s how her culture formed; it’s the outsides of society. Her children.
Blade: You’ve also appeared on “The Fosters.”
Forte: Yeah, it’s a very different character. I played Cierra Ramirez’s grandmother. She is also a mom and also very loving, but completely on the other spectrum of Celia. The truth is that in my 20-year career those are really the roles that I’ve played. A lot of weepy moms, a lot of procedurals where I’m crying over some dead thing or another. The role of Celia is such a breath of fresh air because it’s something as an actress I can sink my teeth into. I love playing those other roles, but they’re very one or two-dimensional characters where you fit into a half-hour show. A character like this is almost like a play where there are so many layers. It was a different experience then you would have on a TV set.
Blade: What did you think about having such a large plot device revolve around a gay relationship on a show as big as “Fear the Walking Dead?”
Forte: I loved it. When I saw where it was going I thought “This is great.” Also, nobody made a thing of it which is kind of the way young people today are. Now my 80-year old dad, he doesn’t like it. He’s a good old Catholic Cuban. But my niece who is 21 doesn’t blink an eye. I like that it wasn’t beaten over the head or anything. It’s just part of the fabric. You love who you love. I’d rather them love each other than beating up each other or shooting up each other.
a&e features
Mr. Henry’s celebrates 60 years of proud inclusivity
Capitol Hill staple remains ‘a caring community’
America’s 250th isn’t the only milestone birthday D.C. is celebrating this year.
Beloved D.C. restaurant Mr. Henry’s, that Capitol Hill staple, celebrates its Diamond Jubilee all year long. Named for its original owner Henry Yaffe, the restaurant opened on a warm day 60 years ago in the summer of 1966 and has never looked back.
Yaffe took over what was then a country western restaurant, renovated the interior to his liking, and created an institution. Yet Yaffe had another goal. As a gay man, “he created Mr. Henry’s to be a place where everyone felt welcome — not easy in 1966 — and he succeeded,” says current owner Mary Quillian.
“Mr. Henry’s has long been a place the LGBTQ community has supported because they felt and still feel welcomed,” says Quillian. Even in the current administration, “the gay community and the diversity-minded community continue to come.”
Since then, Mr. Henry’s has changed hands, opened and closed its second floor, welcomed famed musical acts, and played host to politicians, date nights, breakups, and birthdays. But it still feels like home (and has a note in the National Trust for Historic Preservation) at 601 Pennsylvania Ave., S.E.
Its wood-paneled, Victorian-inspired art-filled décor in the downstairs dining room and bar serves American pub fare for lunch and dinner daily, with brunch on weekends (and a dog-friendly patio). Upstairs, Mr. Henry’s hosts live jazz performances and special events most nights, continuing a musical tradition that has defined the venue for decades. That upstairs bar has played host to names like Roberta Flack and Woody Allen.
Musician Kevin Cordt said that, “Mr. Henry’s has been a part of my life for more than 30 years. I started as a customer, then became a bartender and server, and now I have the good fortune to play trumpet at one of the best live music venues in Washington, D.C.”
Aaron Myers, executive director of the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities, is also a supporter. “Not many cities can sport venues that have consistently served the community in the space of culture for more than 50 years, let alone can brag as the birthplace of culture defining talent.”
From the start, Yaffe promoted a rare yet celebrated combination of locals’ bar and soulful nightlife venue. Mr. Henry’s has attracted a diverse crowd at a time when such spaces were – and perhaps still are – uncommon, a diversity that is credited with helping protect the pub during the 1968 D.C. riots.
Longtime customer Evelyn Branic said, “Mr. Henry’s has been my ‘Cheers’ hangout since my wife and I moved to the Hill in 1987. I’ve experienced many iconic moments meeting politicians, reporters, civic activists, and neighbors engaging in spirited conversations. Whether political, LGBTQ, historians, neighbors, or out-of-towners, everyone could find a special place to be greeted as a friend.”
Its welcoming tables come dabbed with a bit of tea: In 1971, in a moment that has since become part of Capitol Hill lore, Yaffe lost the pub in a poker game to Larry Quillian. The Quillian family, recognizing the special role Mr. Henry’s played in the neighborhood, took over ownership, and committed to preserving its spirit. Today, Larry’s daughter Mary owns the bar, having given it a bit of a facelift for the bar’s 50th birthday, bringing in new tables and some fresh menu items.
For example, the menu has some of those dishes that regulars would riot if they disappeared. The Reuben and the hamburgers, the chili and in-house roasted turkey have never departed the menu. Dishes do evolve, says Quillen: they added wings about two decades ago.
In 2026, the restaurant is hosting monthly ticketed “decades” parties, celebrating each of the 10-year periods the restaurant’s been open, plus there were specials in June for Pride. The official 60th anniversary gala takes place Aug. 29, featuring performers, beverages, timeless favorite foods, swag – and the unveiling of a new cocktail.
Inclusive, eccentric, eclectic, Mr. Henry’s is looking forward to maintaining its centrality to diverse crowds in Capitol Hill. Battling inflation, rising menu prices, changing tastes, and thin margins, Quillian says that Mr. Henry’s has — and will always be — “a caring community for so many different folks. And THAT is why I am committed to keeping us going. Society needs places like Mr. Henry’s, now more than ever.”
a&e features
Television loses a legend, longtime ‘Will & Grace’ director James Burrows
Iconic hitmaker leaves behind a legacy of telling LGBTQ stories
You don’t have to be a pretentious film major to name 10 movie directors. But naming television directors is not that simple. They’re the unsung heroes of your favorite shows, and the late James Burrows was the television director. He passed on June 19, but his DNA runs through television history.
He directed over 1200 episodes of television and over 50 pilots. He co-created “Cheers” and directed many episodes of long-running series like “Friends,” “Taxi,” “Frasier,” “The Big Bang Theory,” and “Two and a Half Men.” You also may remember him from playing a heightened version of himself on the Lisa Kudrow comedy “The Comeback.”
He has left an indelible mark on the LGBTQ community. As recently as last year, he directed the series run of “Mid-Century Modern” starring Nathan Lane, Matt Bomer, and Linda Lavin. He was also a longtime director of “Will & Grace” and directed every episode of the series revival. He even directed the unaired “Absolutely Fabulous” pilot with Kathryn Hahn, Kristen Johnston, and Zosia Mamet.
Not to mention he’s worked with queer icons throughout history, including Betty White and Stockard Channing on their single-season series, and Jennifer Coolidge in “2 Broke Girls.”
He started his career on shows like “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” “Rhoda,” “Laverne & Shirley,” and the first four seasons of “Taxi.”
He continued to work steadily and directed successful pilots that went to series for “Roc,” “3rd Rock From the Sun,” “Dharma & Greg,” and “Wings.” He directed multiple episodes of “Friends,” “Caroline in the City,” and “Frasier.”
This magic continued into the 2000s with him directing the pilots for “Two and a Half Men,” “The Big Bang Theory,” and multiple episodes of “Mike & Molly,” and the entire return series of “Will & Grace.”
What was the secret to his success? He’d enact the “fun clause” in his contract. In his words, “Life is too short to deal with obnoxious leads,” he shared. “So as long as the writing is good and the cast is fun, I’m going to enjoy the experience.”
He had the magic touch, having multiple pilots turned into long-running series. He was nominated for an Emmy 24 times in 26 years and worked consistently until a year before his death.
The secret was the way he brought the cast together. He describes, “it was my job to mold them into an ensemble, and they did round into a group of people who loved each other.”
This earned him 11 Emmy Awards and five Directors Guild of America Awards, including being awarded the inaugural DGA’s Lifetime Achievement Award for Television Direction.
In a 2003 interview by the Television Academy, he was asked how he wants to be remembered, and he said, “That every night forever you can tune in somewhere, and there’ll be a show I did.”
He’s survived by his wife, Debbie, four daughters, seven grandchildren, and the countless people whose careers he launched and the countless viewers he inspired with his television legacy.
a&e features
D.C. prepares to party as Pride celebrations kick off Saturday
Bars, clubs have busy lineups; Pride on the Pier returns
Capital Pride’s date change isn’t slowing down the festivities. Back in December, the Capital Pride Alliance shifted the calendar for Pride celebrations in the nation’s capital from the second weekend of June to two weeks later to the weekend of June 20-21 to not conflict with President Trump’s birthday and 250th anniversary of America celebrations, with the aim that “our community can gather safely and without unnecessary barriers… We are protecting our space and preserving Pride as a powerful act of visibility, solidarity, and resistance.”
On the heels of WorldPride last year, the city shows no sign of slowing down. Instead, restaurants, bars, clubs, and neighborhoods are taking the opportunity to be even more visible. The Blade has put together a (non-comprehensive) list of parties, activations, and activities across town:
Pride on the Pier returns on Saturday, June 13 to the Wharf on the Southwest waterfront. The event, sponsored and hosted by the Washington Blade, is free and runs from 4-9 p.m. There will be vendors, DJs, and drag performances all day. VIP tickets are $25 and come with air conditioned party room, private bathrooms, and free cocktail. More details at prideonthepierdc.com.
Capital Pride Official Opening Party: RIOT! is the official opening dance party of Capital Pride, taking place Friday June 19, 9 PM-3AM. The 2026 edition headlining performer is Myki Meeks, a finalist of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” season 18; Bob The Drag Queen will perform a special set. DMV-area DJs and performers include: Bambi, Baphomette, Bumper, Cake Pop!, Connor, DJ Ed Bailey, DJ Diyanna Monet, Evry Pleasure, Jakknife Complex, Mari Con Carne, Pussy Noir, WessTheDJ. Trade owner Ed Bailey is producing the event.
Kinetic Presents brings the heat across the entirety of Pride weekend as well. It again is partnering with Capital Pride Alliance to produce four events over four days this Pride, including the Official Main Event on Saturday (the Friday official event is at Echostage). Kinetic’s parties are splayed across various D.C. venues, with special performances, massive productions, shirtless dancers, play zones, dance-forward audio and visuals, and international DJ talent. Thursday, June 18 at 10 PM at District Eagle is Lust, with music by Dan Slater and TOMI. Friday, June 19 at 10 PM is UNCUT XXL Heavy Load, at A.i. Warehouse in Union Market District, with music by Alex Acosta, Felipe Lira & Mitch Ferrino; the party is a “high-octane night of muscular house and tribal rhythms.” Saturday, June 20 at 10 PM brings that official main event, Kinetic Toy Land, at Echostage, with music by GSP & Matt Suave. Alaska Thunderfuck headlines. Sunday evening June 21 at 10 PM closes with discoVERS at SAX. A portion of tickets supports the DC LGBTQ+ community through Capital Pride Alliance.
9:30 Club always comes in clutch for the LGBTQ community. Already in June, it produced Kitty Kat Ball on June 7, and Kiesza performed on June 8. On June 20 at 10 PM, the famed Mixtape party hits the stage, care of gay DJs Shea van Horn and Matt Bailer, who have spun together for coming up on two decades. Mixtape has been held at several venues across the city over those years, and now settled on 9:30 Club for Pride. On June 25 at 7 PM, Big Freedia – the bounce artist from New Orleans – hits the 9:30 Club scene for the eighth time, as part of the Big Freedom Tour.
Crush: New this year from the 14th Street bar is the Pride Pop-Up, sitting pretty in the parking lot at 1820 14th St., N.W., at the corner of Swann Street by the start of the Pride Parade route. Hours are Friday from 2-10 PM and Saturday from 12-10 PM. Friday evening features Grizzly Bear Happy Hour, a DJ will set up shop on Saturday, and for those needing another layer, there’s a Crush merch store. Co-owner Mark Rutstein “has always wanted to throw a party in that parking lot, so he did,” said co-owner Stephen Rutgers. Note that Crush (the bar) will have a cover on Friday and Saturday.
Kiki: Over at Kiki, there’s a full slate of Pride-themed programming all week. Tuesday, June 16 at 9 PM brings karaoke; Wednesday, June 17 at 7:30 PM is trivia; Thursday June 18 at 9PM is “Night of 1000 Tatianna’s Drag Show”, and Friday June 19 at 9 PM brings the Juneteenth Serve Drag Show. Saturday, June 20 at 10 PM, post-parade, is a Pride Dance Party with DJ Lemz. Sunday daytime at 5 PM is the Father Figures Daddy Issues Special Drag Show; and after the festival at 8 PM, DJ Tezrah hits the tapes.
Jane Jane: Right along the parade route, gay-owned Jane Jane has transformed its space into a “No Kings, Yas Queens” activation in a direct response to the America 250th commemorations happening downtown, from the colorful window installation, to merch (including a custom bandana and tank) to disco wig installations. Events include industry night on Mondays, donations to LGBTQ charities, and to-go cocktails during the Pride Parade.
Shaw’s Tavern: Gay-owned Shaw’s Tavern on Florida Avenue celebrates Pride week with a full lineup of themed events, entertainment, and specials, including Pride trivia on Monday, June 15 at 7:30 PM, bingo on Tuesday, June 16 at 8 PM, a cabaret on Thursday, June 18 at 9 PM, Juneteenth Drag Brunch on Friday, June 19 at 12:30 PM, and both a pre-parade brunch (10 AM-4 PM) and post-parade party (5-9 PM) on Saturday, June 20. Sunday, June 21 at 7 PM brings Mama’s Sunday Supper & Drag Pride Show in the evening for anyone who is still awake.
Trade: This classic has a weekend of events, starting on Thursday, with Tiburon Pride Edition, a Latin Dance party in the Shark Tank. On Friday, the bar opens early (at 2 PM), with all-day happy hour and the Jx&Evry Show. On Saturday, the bar opens at noon, offering a prime parade viewing spot from its windows. There will be the CLASH drag show hosted by Tatianna and Crimsyn, and Sweet Spot party that night. On Sunday, the bar opens for normal hours at 2 PM, with DJs Adam K, Alex Love, and WESSTHEDJ.
Pitchers: The multi-level bar in Adams Morgan is hosting a Pride-themed show on Thursday, June 18 at 10 PM, with drawstring bag giveaways – the only kind of bag that will be allowed into the bar during Pride weekend. The show features drag queen Kyle Sonique Love.
Barrel House Cafe and Bar: Also by the parade route on 14th Street, Barrel House Cafe takes advantage of its large patio to have a slate of events during Pride week, including Schism, a drag and burlesque show on June 18 at 10 PM, as well as an all-day Pride party coinciding on parade day.
Bunker: Bunker again plays host to a series of afters. Friday night (Saturday 3:30 AM) is Unhinged, and Saturday night (Sunday 3:30AM) is Unholy. The regular Saturday night party (10 PM) brings in Venetian and Tiara Missou. All parties have cover charges.
District Eagle: Beyond the Kinetic party on Friday, June 19 brings Gear Night at 10 PM; Saturday, June 20 at 10 PM is LOBO presents PRISM, and Sunday, June 21 is Sundaze wit Papi at 6 PM.
African Art Museum: On Thursday, June 18 at 5 PM, this Smithsonian museum is hosting a free event with artists and curators celebrating its exhibit, “Here: Pride and Belonging in African Art,” “based on years of close collaboration and dialogue with African visual art practitioners who claim belonging in the LGBTQ+ community, however they define those terms,” according to the museum.
KNEAD Hospitality & Design: The gay-owned KNEAD restaurant group (including spots like Gatsby, Mi Vida, Succotash The Grill) is featuring the GLITTERATI cocktail, made with Tito’s, St-Germain Elderflower, Butterfly Flower, ginger, and yes, glitter. A portion of proceeds from every Glitterati cocktail sold will benefit The Trevor Project. The cocktail will be sold throughout June.
The Fountain Inn is partnering with Rhodium spirits (Rhode Island’s first LGBTQ+ owned distillery) all month, making cocktails like gimlets and espresso martinis featuring Rhodium’s liquors. Proceeds benefit SMYAL, an organization dedicated to empowering LGBTQ+ youth.
Hard Rock Cafe: Hard Rock DC is taking part in the chain’s annual “LOVE OUT LOUD” campaign, with Pride merch, specials on June 20, and a donation to The Trevor Project.
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