What made you want to create Two Brothers in the first place, and what has kept you emotionally connected to Aaron and Aiden throughout three seasons?
Growing up I never saw anyone like me on tv. I never saw a black gay character in any of the shows that I was watching. Even when season one came out, there were no shows out there that were Canadian based that had two black males as leads. None with a black gay lead. Since then things have changed, but I still feel that more shows like this need to be showcased. A lot of shows that we see are based in the states. But in Two Brothers we mentioned Canadian cities and it is very obvious that the show is set in Ontario.
I’ve stayed emotionally attached to Aiden and Aaron because I see myself in both characters.
You draw from some of your own personal experiences when shaping Aaron’s journey. How much of yourself do you see in him, and has that relationship changed as the character has evolved?
A lot of what Aaron and Aaron go through in the series is stuff that I have been through in my personal life. Obviously I have had to change some things for tv to make it more interesting. It’s funny because throughout the four years I have been writing this character, a lot has happened in my personal life where art started imitating life. For example, season two I had written that Aaron had a choice to reconnect with his homophobic father and that decision put a strain on his and Aiden’s relationship that bleeds into season 3. After I had written that and we had finished filming, I got a phone call from my homophobic father, and I had to make a decision of whether or not I wanted to let him back into my life. The timing was crazy!
Season Three explores HIV stigma, mental health, trauma, toxic masculinity and PTSD. What made this the right moment for you to take the story into these areas?
Our show is known for pushing boundaries. Season one we focused on colourism, homophobia, and racism within the small community, Season 2 focused on PTSD, alcoholism, and sexual assault. Now Season 3 will be the aftermath and how these characters choose to deal with it and how it affects their mental health.
The HIV storyline is told through a heterosexual couple, which challenges the misconception that HIV is only an LGBTQ+ issue. What did you hope audiences would take away from that storyline?
I wanted to tell it through a heterosexual couple because there’s a lot of people out there who think that only members of the LGBTQ+ community are affected by it, and not everyone knows about U = U. Even some of the actors on the series had no idea, so it even educated them. I hope that people watching will understand HIV is untransmittable. We want to drill it in people’s minds. Undetectable means Untransmittable.
This season also reveals major family secrets and changes what the brothers thought they knew about their past. What interested you most about exploring the idea of discovering that the story you believed about your family was not the whole truth?
This story line is actually one that I pulled right from my own experience. I can’t say much more about that without spoiling it. This is something I plan to explore into season 4 , if we are lucky enough to get another season
Two Brothers has always dealt with difficult subjects, but you also bring in influences from ’90s films and shows like Scream and Cruel Intentions. What do you enjoy about mixing darker, socially conscious storytelling with those nostalgic genre influences?
The opening of SCREAM and Kevin Williamson writing is what made me want to become a writer. When I found out that we would be filming later than expected and we had the possibility of being released in October. I figured this was my chance to do a Halloween episode and bring in my horror roots. I love calling back to 90’s nostalgia , Cruel Intentions was one of my favourite movies , so there is a scene that calls back to that as well.
After winning Best Actor at LA Webfest and seeing the series receive recognition for its cast, writing, editing and LGBTQ+ storytelling, has that recognition changed the way you see yourself as an actor and filmmaker?
I wouldn’t say it changed the way I see myself as an actor and filmmaker, but it does give me the drive to keep telling these stories and hopefully with future awards we can reach a bigger audience. Crossing of fingers for a CSA (Canadian Screen Award) next year !
You are not only starring in the series, but also creating and writing it. How do you balance the different sides of yourself when you are both inside the story as an actor and responsible for shaping it as a creator?
I try to seperate the two. When I’m writing it, I take myself out as an actor and I focus on the story itself. This allows me to just concentrate on acting when I’m on set. But it also allows me as the creator to change things that need to be changed while filming. One example, while we were filming we lost a location. So I needed to quickly rewrite an entire storyline that was based around that location.
After everything Aaron and Aiden have been through, what do you think these characters have taught you personally about resilience, forgiveness and healing?
I would say that I use these characters as an outlet to experience both. LIke when my father came back into my life. Aiden is the result if I let my father back into my life, and Aaron is the result of me choosing not to forgive. They taught me that some families are born. Others are built. Which is the tagline for this season
Looking beyond Season Three, what do you hope Two Brothers ultimately leaves with the audience, both as a story and as a piece of your own artistic journey?
I hope Two Brothers leaves them with someone they can relate to, someone they can see themselves in. Growing up , I didn’t have that. So if just one person look at the show and says to themselves “I feel seen”. Then I’ve done my job.
