Stars of Doctor Who teen spin-off ‘Class’ discuss their popular onscreen relationship
By Will Stroude
After it’s 2005 revival by Queer As Folk writer Russel T Davis, the Doctor Who franchise has had a new life as one of the most inclusive shows to come out of Britain and it’s newest spin-off, Class, has taken that to a whole new level.
The show takes place in Coal Hill Academy, London, where last-of-his-kind Prince from an alien planet, Charlie (Greg Austin), has taken refuge.
The showrunner, Patrick Ness, is known for his young adult fiction based around themes of gay identity, and wanted to create “a show that looks like real life’.
Ness set out to do so by having the show lead by an openly gay couple; Charlie and his boyfriend Matteusz (Jordan Renzo), accompanied by a cast of young BAME (Black, Asian, Ethnic, Minority) Characters.
The show does not hold back on the sex, with the steamy love scenes between Charlie and Matteusz, and violence, making darker than the show from which it origionates.
With clever and wry dialogue, as well as a group of good-looking young actors at it’s forefront, Class finds itself as a perfect mix of Doctor Who and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
In Attitude’s December issue – available to download and in shops now – we chat with Greg and Jordan to chat about what it was like to be part of the popular onscreen pairing, and the pair reveal that they had no trouble portraying a same-sex relationship on screen, despite both identifying as straight in real life.
“In terms of prep, the focus was more on where he was from, says Jordan. “But we worked on our relationship throughout the process to get it as genuine as possible.
“It’s gotten to the point where I have to adjust from addressing Greg as my boyfriend when talking about him.”
Greg adds: “For research, I didn’t feel that I needed to do anything to portray loving another man.
“I feel everyone has the capability to love anyone.”
You can read more about Class in the December issue of Attitude, available to download and in shops now. Available internationally from newsstand.co.uk/attitude.
Words by Olivia Traverso-Madden
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