Arts & Entertainment
Out actor relishes ‘Superstore’ role
Nico Santos says playing gay and Filipino is double blessing


Nico Santos, front left, as Mateo in ‘Superstore.’ (Photo by Chris Haston; courtesy NBCUniversal)
While big-box retail store customers have their own set of problems, such as navigating the endless aisles, employees dwell in their own retail hell. “Superstore” is NBC’s latest workplace comedy from the executive producer of “The Office” and stars America Ferrera (Amy) and D.C. native Ben Feldman (Jonah). Employee frustrations are amplified at the fictional Cloud 9, a Walmart-esque superstore, such as assisting irate customers and accidentally marking electronics at $0.25 instead of 25 percent off causing a riot in the store.
Mateo, played by Nico Santos, 37, is a newly hired Cloud 9 associate who won’t let the annoyance of retail, or anyone, stand in the way of his ambition to succeed at work. Mateo also happens to be a gay Filipino man and undocumented illegal immigrant.
Santos and Mateo have a lot in common — Santos is also a gay Filipino man, but is launching a professional acting career instead of working the sales floor. Born and raised in the Philippines, Santos immigrated to the United States at 15 years old and has been immersed in the performing arts ever since.
Speaking to the Washington Blade in between filming the show’s Halloween episode, Santos talked the horrors of retail, Mateo’s upcoming love interest and how wearing chaps might be the hardest part of being a cowboy.
WASHINGTON BLADE: How did you get into acting?
NICO SANTOS: I was in a few high school plays and musicals and I majored in theater as well. But I kind of deviated from that and my background mostly is in stand-up comedy. When I lived in San Francisco, I started stand up comedy there. I moved to Los Angeles six years ago doing stand up and just trying to get my half-hour Comedy Central special going and trying to get my name into comedy clubs here. But I auditioned for the CBS Diversity Showcase, which is an industry showcase here that’s presented to agents and casting directors. And that’s how I got my agent. I started going out on auditions and started booking small roles here and there. Then “Superstore” came along and it’s been my first professional acting job. I still can’t believe that all of this is happening. It’s a new world to me.
BLADE: When you first auditioned for “Superstore” did you immediately connect with the character of Mateo?
SANTOS: I did. Mateo was originally written as a straight, Latino guy. Sort of like a tough gangster guy. But I was reading the text of the materials that were sent to me and he comes from the same sort of immigrant background and had a large family, and I came from the same background. So it was something I was drawn to. But I was reading the text and I was thinking to myself there’s no way I can play a butch, Latino gangster. I can play butch, but not that butch. So I just kind of scanned the text and was like, “I can totally picture a shady queen saying these words.” So I kind of made it my own, and they loved my take on the character and changed the character to be a gay Filipino.
BLADE: That’s a rare representation on TV. How do you feel about that?
SANTOS: I’m so happy that I get to be a part of this new way of Asian representation that’s happening right now. The last couple years you’ve had shows like “Fresh Off the Boat” and “Dr. Ken” and now “Superstore.” But certainly the representation of Asian Americans and Asians in general has been a lot better these last couple of years. But it is so rare to see a gay Filipino character in television. I’ve talked to all my other Filipino actor friends and a lot of times we get asked to play other Asian parts. Like the auditions we go to we get asked to play Japanese or Chinese or Korean. We never get to play Filipino, which still boggles my mind because we are one of the largest Asian minorities in the United States, but we’re hardly represented in the media. I’m definitely so happy that I get to represent not only the LGBT side of my community, but the whole Filipino community as well.
BLADE: “Superstore” is a workplace comedy comparable to other shows like “The Office” and “Parks and Recreation.” Do you ever feel any pressure to live up to that?
SANTOS: Yes and no. Obviously I would love for our show to have such a long and successful run like “The Office” and “Parks and Recreation.” I certainly hope that’s in our future. I know we’ve been compared to those shows, but I think we are very unique and have found our own voice early on. I will say the one main difference that separates us from those shows is not everyone has worked in an office. But everybody has been in one of these stores whether you have been behind the register or in front of the register. It’s something we’ve all experienced. I think that’s why it’s struck a chord with everybody. Not only do you see or recognize these characters and everyone in the cast but it’s something you experience every day. You have to go to a store every day to get your necessities.
BLADE: Have you ever worked in a big-box store like Cloud 9?
SANTOS: I’ve never worked in a big-box store, but I have plenty of retail experience. When I used to live in San Francisco and started doing stand up comedy, my day job was working retail. But I worked in high-end luxury retail. So I worked at Neiman’s and Jimmy Choo and Dior. Honestly once I started working on this show, I was able to draw on that retail experience and use it. I was like, “All eight years of working retail finally paid off.” Because it doesn’t matter whether you’re selling $0.99 toilet paper or a $10,000 gown, it’s all the same crazy customers that you have to deal with.
BLADE: How would you compare yourself and Mateo as employees?
SANTOS: There’s a lot of me in Mateo and that’s why I love playing him. I’m maybe not as backstabby. Mateo will backstab anybody who gets in his way. When I’m working on the job I want to do it well and I kind of obsess over it. I always make sure that the job that I take is something that I enjoy. So there’s definitely a whole lot of me in Mateo.
BLADE: Being an out, gay actor, what’s it like representing the LGBT community on a show that has such a wide reach as “Superstore”?
SANTOS: I’m really happy to do that. LGBT representation has sort of changed throughout the years. With shows like “Will and Grace,” you have Will who is sort of like a more masculine character, but the character Jack got a lot of criticism for being flamboyant. And now a character like mine who is more on the feminine side I think even like five years ago would have been criticized like, “Oh, you guys are playing a stereotype.” To me, I always get so annoyed when people criticize gay men for being feminine. Being feminine is not a bad thing. That’s part of the spectrum of the LGBT community. Just because a gay man is feminine that’s not a stereotype. Feminine gay men exist, and they need to be represented. Especially for me, I am feminine in real life and not having seen those characters before as just a regular guy on television I think is important.
BLADE: What can you tell us about Mateo’s upcoming love interest this season?
SANTOS: It’s great because how it comes about is really unexpected. For Mateo, he’s still figuring out does he like this guy, how is this going to benefit him. There’s always that question in the back of his head of what’s in it for him. I think the storyline is really great. My love interest is being played by this great actor Michael Bunin who is so funny and so charming. I think audiences will get a real kick out of it.
BLADE: Any sneak peaks about the Halloween episode that you’re filming?
SANTOS: All I can tell you right now is that I’m a cowboy for this episode and I’ve been wearing cowboy boots and chaps all day. After doing all my scenes in chaps and cowboy boots, I have a newfound appreciation for cowboys. I will certainly be watching “Brokeback Mountain” with a completely different lens now.

Nico Santos as Mateo in ’Superstore.’ Though he says he’s less ‘backstabby’ in real life, Santos identifies with his character. (Photo by Chris Haston; coutesy NBCUniversal)
India
Anaya Bangar challenges ban on trans women in female cricket teams
Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Bangar’s daughter has received support

Anaya Bangar, the daughter of former Indian cricketer Sanjay Bangar, has partnered with the Manchester Metropolitan University Institute of Sport in the U.K. to assess her physiological profile following her gender-affirming surgery and undergoing hormone replacement therapy.
From January to March 2025, the 23-year-old underwent an eight-week research project that measured her glucose levels, oxygen uptake, muscle mass, strength, and endurance after extensive training.
The results, shared via Instagram, revealed her metrics align with those of cisgender female athletes, positioning her as eligible for women’s cricket under current scientific standards. Bangar’s findings challenge the International Cricket Council’s 2023 ban on transgender athletes in women’s cricket, prompting her to call for a science-based dialogue with the Board of Control for Cricket in India and the ICC to reform policies for transgender inclusion.
“I am talking with scientific evidence in my hand,” Bangar said in an interview posted to her Instagram page. “So, I hope, this makes an impact and I will be hoping to BCCI and ICC talking with me and discussing this further.”
On Nov. 21, 2023, the ICC enacted a controversial policy barring trans women from international women’s cricket. Finalized after a board meeting in Ahmedabad, India, the regulation prohibits any trans player who has experienced male puberty from competing, irrespective of gender-affirming surgery or hormone therapy. Developed through a 9-month consultation led by the ICC’s Medical Advisory Committee, the rule aims to safeguard the “integrity, safety, and fairness” of women’s cricket but has drawn criticism for excluding athletes like Canada’s Danielle McGahey, the first trans woman to play internationally. The policy, which allows domestic boards to set their own rules, is slated for review by November 2025.
Bangar shared a document on social media verifying her participation in a physiological study at the Manchester Metropolitan University Institute of Sport, conducted from Jan. 20 to March 3, 2025, focused on cricket performance. The report confirmed that her vital metrics — including haemoglobin, blood glucose, peak power, and mean power — aligned with those of cisgender female athletes. Initially, her fasting blood glucose measured 6.1 mmol/L, slightly above the typical non-diabetic range of 4.0–5.9 mmol/L, but subsequent tests showed it normalized, reinforcing the study’s findings that her physical profile meets female athletic standards.
“I am submitting this to the BCCI and ICC, with full transparency and hope,” said Bangar. “My only intention is to start a conversation based on facts not fear. To build space, not divide it.”
In a letter to the BCCI and the ICC, Bangar emphasized her test results from the Manchester Metropolitan University study. She explained that the research aimed to assess how hormone therapy had influenced her strength, stamina, haemoglobin, glucose levels, and overall performance, benchmarked directly against cisgender female athletic standards.
Bangar’s letter to the BCCI and the ICC clarified the Manchester study was not intended as a political statement but as a catalyst for a science-driven dialogue on fairness and inclusion in cricket. She emphasized the importance of prioritizing empirical data over assumptions to shape equitable policies for trans athletes in the sport.
Bangar urged the BCCI, the world’s most influential cricket authority, to initiate a formal dialogue on trans women’s inclusion in women’s cricket, rooted in medical science, performance metrics, and ethical fairness. She called for the exploration of eligibility pathways based on sport-specific criteria, such as haemoglobin thresholds, testosterone suppression timelines, and standardized performance testing. Additionally, she advocated for collaboration with experts, athletes, and legal advisors to develop policies that balance inclusivity with competitive integrity.
“I am releasing my report and story publicly not for sympathy, but for truth. Because inclusion does not mean ignoring fairness, it means measuring it, transparently and responsibly,” said Bangar in a letter to the BCCI. “I would deeply appreciate the opportunity to meet with you or a representative of the BCCI or ICC to present my findings, discuss possible policy pathways, and work towards a future where every athlete is evaluated based on real data, not outdated perceptions.”
Before her transition, Bangar competed for Islam Gymkhana in Mumbai and Hinckley Cricket Club in the U.K., showcasing her talent in domestic cricket circuits. Her father, Sanjay Bangar, was a dependable all-rounder for the Indian national cricket team from 2001 to 2004, playing 12 test matches and 15 One Day Internationals. He later served as a batting coach for the Indian team from 2014 to 2019, contributing to its strategic development.
Cricket in India is a cultural phenomenon, commanding a fanbase of more than 1 billion, with more than 80 percent of global cricket viewership originating from the country.
The International Cricket Council, the sport’s governing body, oversees 12 full member nations and more than 90 associate members, with the U.S. recently gaining associate member status in 2019 and co-hosting the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. The BCCI generated approximately $2.25 billion in revenue in the 2023–24 financial year, primarily from the Indian Premier League, bilateral series, and ICC revenue sharing. The ICC earns over $3 billion from media rights in India alone for the 2024–27 cycle, contributing nearly 90 percent of its global media rights revenue, with the BCCI receiving 38.5 percent of the ICC’s annual earnings, approximately $231 million per year.
Women’s cricket in India enjoys a growing fanbase, with over 300 million viewers for the Women’s Premier League in 2024, making it a significant driver of the sport’s global popularity. The International Cricket Council oversees women’s cricket in 12 full member nations and over 90 associate members, with the U.S. fielding a women’s team since gaining associate status in 2019 and competing in ICC events like the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup qualifiers. The BCCI invests heavily in women’s cricket, allocating approximately $60 million annually to the WPL and domestic programs in 2024–25, while contributing to the ICC’s $20 million budget for women’s cricket development globally. India’s media market for women’s cricket, including WPL broadcasting rights, generated $120 million in 2024, accounting for over 50 percent of the ICC’s women’s cricket media revenue.
“As a woman, I feel when someone says that they are women, then they are, be trans or cis. A trans woman is definitely the same as a cis woman emotionally and in vitals, and specially, when someone is on hormone replacement therapy. Stopping Anaya Bangar from playing is discrimination and violation of her rights. It is really sad and painful that every transwoman need to fight and prove their identity everywhere,” said Indrani Chakraborty, an LGBTQ rights activist and a mother of a trans woman. “If ICC and BCCI is stopping her from playing for being transgender, then I will say this to be their lack of awareness and of course the social mindsets which deny acceptance.”
Chakraborty told the Blade that Bangar is an asset, no matter what. She said that the women’s cricket team will only benefit by participation, but the discriminating policies are the hindrance.
“Actually the transgender community face such discrimination in every sphere. In spite of being potent, they face rejection. This is highly inhuman. These attitudes is regressive and will never let to prosper. Are we really in 2025?,” said Chakraborty. “We, our mindset and the society are the issues. We, as a whole, need to get aware and have to come together for getting justice for Anaya. If today, we remain silent, the entire community will be oppressed. Proper knowledge of gender issues need to be understood.”
The BCCI and the International Cricket Council have not responded to the Blade’s repeated requests for comment.
Theater
‘Andy Warhol in Iran’ a charming look at intersection of art, politics
Mosaic production plumbs kidnapping plot of iconic artist for humor

‘Andy Warhol in Iran’
Through July 6
Mosaic Theater Company at Atlas Performing Arts Center
1333 H St., N.E., WDC
$70
Mosaictheater.org
Behind the blasé veneer, Andy Warhol was more curious than people knew. Particularly when it came to money. He kept a close eye on how the ultra-rich lived, what fellow artists were being paid and who was paying them, and, of course, all the new and more saleable ways of making and selling art.
In playwright Brent Askari’s “Andy Warhol in Iran,” now playing at Mosaic Theater Company, Warhol (Alex Mills) is brought outside of his usual area of interest when he lands face to face with a young revolutionary. While Warhol could be artistically revolutionary, he didn’t connect with the idea of forgoing the pursuit of money and fame for the infinitely more difficult task of achieving social justice.
The 90-minute play is not fully factual, but rather inspired by Warhol’s real life 1976 trip to Tehran to make portraits of the royal Pahlavi family in the waning days of their reign, with a focus on Farah Diba, the Shah’s elegant wife and Iran’s last empress.
The action unfolds in a Tehran hotel suite boasting a glorious view of the snowcapped Alborz Mountains not far from Iran’s vibrant and bustling capital. It’s here, disguised as room service, that Farhad (played by Nathan Mohebbi) gains entrance to Warhol’s rooms, seeking to kidnap the pop art star to garner attention for the university students’ movement.
Warhol meets the armed intruder with a sort of wide-eyed wonderment, flummoxed why he has been selected for abduction. Warhol can’t understand why a young man like Farhad wouldn’t prefer to be paid a big ransom on the spot, or be cast as a star in one of the Warhol Factory flicks.
When Farhad replies it’s because Warhol is the most decadent artist in the world, Warhol mistakenly takes it for the ultimate compliment. After all, his biggest successes had been connected to celebrity and consumerism (think Campbell’s Soup Cans. 1962).
For Warhol, decadence is aspirational. He made portraits of financiers, movie stars, and jet setters. In fact, he’d been obsessed with the lives of the rich and famous since he was a small kid in Pittsburgh thumbing through Photoplay Magazine while bed bound with Saint Vitus Dance.
Accompanying Warhol to Tehran (unseen) are his business manager Fred Hughes, and Bob Colacello, editor of Interview magazine. Together, they make a merry trio of gay social climbers. These kinds of trips were a boon to the artist. Not only did they solidify a new strata of high society contacts, but were also superbly lucrative, thickly padding the painter’s pockets.
While in Iran, Warhol wanted only to view Farah’s vast world-class collection of jewels, sample the caviar on tap, and get his Polaroids. Then he’d fly first class back to New York and transfer the images to silk screen and sell the portraits to the Persian royals at a hefty price. He didn’t foresee any obstacles along the way.
Serge Seiden’s direction is spot on. He’s rendered a wonderfully even two-hander with a pair of terrifically cast actors. And Seiden plumbs the piece for humor mostly drawn from the absurdity of the situation without missing any of the serious bits.
As Warhol, out actor Mills is instantly recognizable as the eccentric artist. He’s wearing the button-down shirt, jeans, blazer, glasses, and, of course the famed shock of white hair wig (here a little more Karen than Andy). His portrayal is better than an imitation. He gives a bit of the fey and confused, but has also infuses him with a certain dynamism.
The energy works well with the intensity of Mohebbi’s would-be kidnapper Farhad. And while it isn’t a romance, it’s not impossible to think that Warhol might fall for a handsome male captor.
The connection between art and politics is almost always interesting; and though not a super deep dive into the era or the life of an artist, “Andy Warhol in Iran” is a compelling, charming, and sometimes funny glimpse into that intersection.
Books
Two new books on dining out LGBTQ-style
Visit nightclubs, hamburger joints, and a bathhouse that feeds customers

‘What is Queer Food? How We Served a Revolution’
By John Birdsall
c.2025, W.W. Norton
$29.99/304 pages
‘Dining Out: First Dates, Defiant Nights, and Last Call Disco Fries at America’s Gay Restaurants’
By Erik Piepenburg
c.2025, Grand Central
$30/352 pages
You thought a long time about who sits where.
Compatibility is key for a good dinner party, so place cards were the first consideration; you have at least one left-hander on your guest list, and you figured his comfort into your seating chart. You want the conversation to flow, which is music to your ears. And you did a good job but, as you’ll see with these two great books on dining LGBTQ-style, it’s sometimes not who sits where, but whose recipes were used.
When you first pick up “What is Queer Food?” by John Birdsall, you might miss the subtitle: “How We Served a Revolution.” It’s that second part that’s important.

Starting with a basic gay and lesbian history of America, Birdsall shows how influential and (in)famous 20th century queer folk set aside the cruelty and discrimination they received, in order to live their lives. They couldn’t speak about those things, he says, but they “sat down together” and they ate.
That suggested “a queer common purpose,” says Birdsall. “This is how who we are, dahling, This is how we feed our own. This is how we stay alive.”
Readers who love to cook, bake or entertain, collect cookbooks, or use a fork will want this book. Its stories are nicely served, they’re addicting, and they may send you in search of cookbooks you didn’t know existed.
Sometimes, though, you don’t want to be stuck in the kitchen, you want someone else to bring the grub. “Dining Out” by Erik Piepenburg is an often-nostalgic, lively look at LGBTQ-friendly places to grab a meal – both now and in the past.

In his introduction, Piepenburg admits that he’s a journalist, “not a historian or an academic,” which colors this book, but not negatively. Indeed, his journeys to “gay restaurants” – even his generous and wide-ranging definitions of the term – happily influence how he presents his narrative about eateries and other establishments that have fed protesters, nourished budding romances, and offered audacious inclusion.
Here, there are modern tales of drag lunches and lesbian-friendly automats that offered “cheap food” nearly a century ago. You’ll visit nightclubs, hamburger joints, and a bathhouse that feeds customers on holidays. Stepping back, you’ll read about AIDS activism at gay-friendly establishments, and mostly gay neighborhood watering holes. Go underground at a basement bar; keep tripping and meet proprietors, managers, customers and performers. Then take a peek into the future, as Piepenburg sees it.
The locales profiled in “Dining Out” may surprise you because of where they can be found; some of the hot-spots practically beg for a road trip.
After reading this book, you’ll feel welcome at any of them.
If these books don’t shed enough light on queer food, then head to your favorite bookstore or library and ask for help finding more. The booksellers and librarians there will put cookbooks and history books directly in your hands, and they’ll help you find more on the history and culture of the food you eat. Grab them and you’ll agree, they’re pretty tasty reads.
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