Brian Michael Smith reveals with THR how he hopes the Trans Visibility panel conversations push Hollywood forward while at the Raising Our Voices event. Plus, he dishes on what he will miss most about filming '9-1-1: Lone Star.'
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00:00You're participating in the Future of Trans Visibility panel here today.
00:04How do you hope conversations like this one push trans visibility in Hollywood forward?
00:08I hope in a conversation like this that people within the industry realize that we need to
00:13take a stand against any cultural backlash that we're experiencing and that culture is
00:16what really pushes us forward.
00:18It pushes legislation forward.
00:20So the more authentic representation that we have, the more truth and the vibrancy in
00:24our lives that people can see, I think the better impact it's going to have directly
00:28on the lives of trans people in this country.
00:29And the rest of the people in this country.
00:31Because what affects us as trans people and our rights has an impact on everyone else's
00:35rights as well.
00:36So when we all realize how much we have in common and that we're all fighting for the
00:39same thing, we progress as a culture.
00:43We're at the Raising Our Voices event.
00:45What's your message to allies in Hollywood?
00:47Why is now the time for them to raise their voices and speak out about trans rights?
00:52Now is the time to raise your voice because again, there's a sound check going on.
00:57Now is the time to stand up and raise their voices along with ours because again, what
01:02happens to trans folks affects everyone.
01:05And if they attack us and they attack our rights, they're opening the door to attack
01:08everyone else's rights.
01:10So this is the time to take a stand and say that we respect and we support everyone in
01:14this country and everybody wants to be entertained.
01:17It's our job to provide entertainment for everyone.
01:20And that means showing authentic representation of all the diverse groups of people here and
01:24taking a stand whenever anyone is feeling themselves being sort of attacked or pushed
01:29down.
01:30This event is all about accessibility, representation, equity and diversity and inclusion in Hollywood.
01:36How would you say that embracing those principles makes the content coming out of Hollywood
01:40just better?
01:41Well, you can see all the shows that have come out, whether it's Pose or Transparent
01:45or Baby Reindeer, have had a big impact.
01:48They've been profitable.
01:49They've been popular.
01:50And whenever you show true, authentic voices, it's so nuanced that it speaks to what's universal
01:55in all of us, right?
01:56So we don't need to have niches because again, what happens in our community, what impacts
02:01us, what we care about, what we're concerned about is the same thing that everybody else
02:04is going through.
02:05But when you get to look at it through a different perspective, sometimes it hits you a little
02:08bit differently.
02:09Sometimes you can really come to understand something when you see it through somebody
02:12else's eyes or when you take a walk in someone else's shoes.
02:14And again, that's the power of media.
02:16That's the power and what's beautiful about television and about film.
02:19It gives you an opportunity to walk in someone else's shoes and teach you something about
02:23yourself.
02:24For you, the final season of 9-1-1 Lone Star is about to premiere at the end of this month.
02:29What are you excited for fans of the show to see in the new season?
02:32I'm so excited for people to see just how much each character has grown and the new
02:35challenge that they're going to face this season.
02:37I mean, of course, you're going to have the explosions.
02:39You're going to have the crazy disasters.
02:41But there's a lot of personal, interpersonal stuff going on between all the characters.
02:45I'm particularly excited about seeing what's going to play out between Paul and Marjan
02:48in the first couple episodes, you know, from besties to rivals, I think is a real fun story
02:53to play out.
02:54And they do not disappoint in how they explore that this season.
02:57Finally, what are you going to miss most about being on the show?
03:00I'm going to miss going to work with my family and friends.
03:02We really grew together as a unit.
03:04The storytelling has been amazing and powerful throughout the five seasons, but we really
03:07bonded.
03:08I mean, we've gone through a pandemic together.
03:10We've gone through strikes together.
03:11We've gone through disasters, you know, real and fictionalized.
03:15And it just really brought us together as a family.
03:16And I just enjoyed going to work every day with everyone on it.
03:18So I'm going to miss that.