Q&A w/CREATOR: Malerie Grady
Q: Why make a show featuring a bisexual character?
A: On-screen representation is definitely a part of my motivation, but after some strange dates, I realized how flawed and universal the misconceptions are about bisexuality. I want to turn a harsh mirror on ugly norms and double standards both outside of and within the queer community. But even with all that being said, at the series’ heart, this is a compelling story about a hopeful woman just trying to find love. The fact that it’s in the South makes it all the more interesting to me.
Q: Why is the series set in Atlanta?
A: As a transplant from Los Angeles to Atlanta, I had some expectations about what living as queer person in the South would look like, and while some of those notions came to be true, I also found Atlanta to be such a unique blend of culture that is so specific and different from living in a coastal city. After spending time in Atlanta, I knew that distinctive experience was something I wanted to explore in the show.
Q: Why produce it in Atlanta?
A: Even before the series was officially set here, James (the director) and I explored potentially shooting in Atlanta because it made sense financially, but then on top of that, the talent of the Atlanta film community really came through. Our admittedly meager production budget went so much further than I could have imagined, and we found some incredible talent (many of whom are members of the LGBTQ+ community) for in front of and behind the camera. Once we decided Tough Love should be set in Atlanta, it obviously made the most sense to use the city as the backdrop for the show.
Q: What is your goal with this web series?
A: Everyone has disastrous dates or dates a disastrous person for longer than they should. Tough Love takes this idea and amplifies it under a bisexual magnifying glass, and I’d like to continue to develop my character further with more, longer episodes. James Mackenzie (director) and I have a pilot script for a 30-minute episode, and we’d like to make it!