Of course, the shows "Big Sky" and "Queer as Folk" are very different, and so are characters Jerrie and Ruthie, respectively. "[They're] two completely different types of trans people. Two completely different lived experiences," Keitel summarized to The List.
"For every ounce of optimism Jerrie has, Ruthie has cocaine," she continued. "It's different. Playing Jerrie, who's someone who was sold into sex trafficking and having to overcome that, the adversity that Ruthie faces is a different type of tragedy." This does, though, translate to real world feelings. "So much of the queer experience in 2022 is unfortunately rooted in trauma, but moving past that, there's so much queer joy."
Ultimately, though, there is a thread of connection between Jerrie and Ruthie that is undeniable. "Getting to show Ruthie's ascension into joy and finding herself again in the wake of this tragedy that happens in the pilot, in many ways, does mimic Jerrie's own journey back into joy after being freed from sex trafficking," Keitel explained. "It's a very different journey back to the self, but one [where] viewers can see a parallel, too."
All episodes of "Queer as Folk" are now streaming on Peacock.
