AfterElton - 17/Nov/2008

[Source]
IMHO "Brothers & Sisters" Episode 308: “Going Once ... Going Twice” or Dinner and a show!
Posted by Michael Jensen, Editor on November 17, 2008

Last night's episode of Brothers & Sisters was probably the gayest of the season thus far and not only gave us plenty of Kevin and Scotty, but two Kevin and Scotty kisses. And that's only part of the reason I'm giving this week's episode an IMHO arrow up!

Read more after the jump!

Even with this show's problems — and there definitely are some — except for As the World Turns (even more problematic!) no other program currently on American television even comes close to B&S when the topic is portraying real, three-dimensional gay couples. In fact, only Ugly Betty and Greek have even had gay characters with relationships of late and we all know how much little screen time those pairings have received.
 

Scotty (to self): I'm going to kill you, fry you up in olive oil and feed you to the alley cats.

So even though Kevin's behavior can be arrogant, controlling and borderline nutso (buying a house without discussing it with Scotty! Seriously?) I still love watching him and Scotty because they do seem like a real couple dealing with real issues. Frankly, I think this week's episode did far more than last week's "Prop 8" episode in terms of showing gay people as just people to which the straight audience can relate. 
What is equally amazing is that the show not only had the whole Kevin/Scotty relationship issue, but featured a secondary storyline involving Justin setting up Uncle Saul on a disastrous date with Paul (Dave Foley).  Two gay storylines on a single episode of television? Why do I suddenly feel like I'm living in Canada. 
Here are two clips from last night — Kevin dropping his little bombshell and Kevin apologizing, after first being a jerk again.

And I just love Sally Field as Nora. Best. Thing. On. Show.

I guess we actually had three kisses when you count Scotty kissing Kevin's hand. Very sweet. So what did you think of the episode?

AfterElton - 05/Nov/2008

[Source]
Macfarlane, Barrowman, Takei, Horta and more make the 2008 "Out 100"
Posted by Lyle Masaki on November 5, 2008

Luke Macfarlane for Out (Photo: Greg Lotus)

Out magazine has begin to tease this years Out 100, their annual list of "gay men and women who moved culture". Their first reveal includes out actors Luke Macfarlane, John Barrowman and Sir Ian McKellen, MSNBC rising star Rachel Maddow, actor Wilson Cruz, Ugly Betty producer Silvio Horta as well as newlyweds George Takei and Brad Altman.

Photo credit: Greg Lotus

Find out more about the early revelations along with a few reactions after the break.

Seeing Maddow and Takei on the list reminds me that despite the hurdles we've faced, there certainly have been a few silver linings for LGBT people this year. When Takei and Altman married this year, I was pleasantly surprised to notice how the biggest controversy focused on how Takei snubbed his Star Trek co-star William Shatner. As a kid who watched Star Trek after preschool, Takei was an early role model for me as an Asian-American in an iconic role and I can't help but get a little emotional when I see him as a man who shows the public what an openly gay man can be.

Rachel Maddow

Photo credit: Roger Erickson

I've been a fan of Rachel Maddow since she made her national radio debut four years ago, so it's been extremely gratifying to see her rise to prominence this year. She quickly charmed MSNBC viewers with her smarts and her good-natured sense of snark to the point that her new show was an instant hit. More importantly, the media has avoided trying to define her by her sexual orientation. Instead, she's been largely defined by what she brings to the political discussion and being gay is just simply a part of who she is.

The Out 100 preview also includes singer Missy Higgins, former National Gay and Lesbian Task Force director Matt Foreman, NPR correspondents Ari Shapiro and Diana Nyad, filmmakers Parvez Sharma and Tom Kalin as well as activist Evan Wolfson. It's a pretty inspiring list and one that'll probably get more so when the full list hits on November 14.

Bloggers & Sisters - 27/Oct/2008, 04/Nov.2008

(Source http://blogs.abc.com/brothersandsisters/2008/10/luke-macfarlane.html deleted)

Bloggers & Sisters - October 27, 2008
Luke Macfarlane Interview (Part One)

Hey there, readers, this is your dutiful intern Jeff signing on to 'Bloggers & Sisters' for the first time. Upon wandering onto the fourth floor of Stage 6 in September, I've had the pleasure of leeching onto the talented writing staff of 'Brothers & Sisters,' hoping to retain an ounce of their talent, creativity, and general awesomeness.

Expect great things this season.

Last week I had the opportunity to sit down with Luke Macfarlane, who plays Scotty Wandell, husband of Kevin Walker, and pester him with some questions about his career, his Canadian heritage, and of course, his inclusion in the 'Yummy Yummy Screw' section of Perez Hilton.

Jeff: You're a series regular this season, correct?
Luke: Yes. It's very nice -- as an actor you always want a stable job, so…Brothers & Sisters looks like a pretty stable job.
Jeff: Is this your first series?
Luke: Actually, I was on a series that only lasted a season. On FX, it was called Over There.
Jeff: So, you're from Canada?
Luke: Yes, a place called, London, Ontario. It's about two hours southwest of Toronto. It's a college town…Yeah, it was actually a very good place to be raised.
Jeff: So you started at the beginning of the series?
Luke: I was in the third episode. In the first season, I think I did seven episodes, maybe eight. And then I came back in the second season, and did the same thing. Yeah, lo and behold, it turned into something permanent, which is always really kind of a nice thing. You know, it actually came as a bit of shock.
Jeff: Really?
Luke: Yeah. I was coming back and I was doing some of these episodes and I was still a guest star. I was talking with Matthew and I was like, "Do you know what they have in mind for us?" and he said, "Yeah, I think we're getting married." And I said, "What?"
Jeff: Nice.
Luke: Yeah, the actors are always the last to know.
Jeff: How do you think Scotty's evolved over the last few seasons?
Luke: He's definitely changed a lot. It's interesting with TV because you kind of jump in and you really don't know where the narrative is going to go, so you make bold choices, and you kind of get to tweak as you go along. And unlike with a play script, you don't know where it ends. So yeah, he's definitely changed a lot. I think Scotty's now less concerned with sticking his nose in other people's business. I think he's become more confident in himself.
Jeff: So the wedding episode ? you mentioned you were sort of the last to know ? how was shooting that?
Luke: Oh, it was really wonderful. It kind of felt like we were doing something big, and it was done with great care from the costumes to the script. I know that David had spoken with someone who had officiated gay marriages, so that the words would be accurate and in line. And it was beautiful, you know. I felt like we all felt like were doing something special.

Luke Macfarlane, as Scotty, says "I Do"

Jeff: And then with Proposition 8…?

Luke: Yeah, it was interesting ? that happened after we did it. There was kind of that great synergy that happens when your work is in line with the world. It was very exciting, and continues to be exciting.
Jeff: So have you noticed a lot of the fan reaction to your character?
Luke: I actually try not to pay attention to that stuff. It's always funny when I hear people talk about Scotty, like "Oh Scotty, he's a fan favorite!" So I was like, "Oh, that's nice!" Really, though, from my personal experience I try to stay away from message boards and all that stuff.
Jeff: So you didn't see your photo spread on Perez Hilton on Monday?
Luke: I heard! It's always funny how your friends from high school are the ones who tip you off. I got two e-mails from friends, like, "Hey ? you're on Perez Hilton!" I try to stay away. Because you're always going to look, and see all the nice stuff, and then you're going to come across that one line that annihilates you, and you're just going to feel bad for a week. So, I learned my lesson early on.
Jeff: So you have a good working relationship with Matthew Rhys?
Luke: Yeah, very good. I think we both come from theatre backgrounds, so our approach to the material is very similar. Yeah, he's an incredible actor, an incredible guy. I couldn't be happier.

(Source http://blogs.abc.com/brothersandsisters/2008/11/luke-macfarland.html deleted)

Bloggers & Sisters - November 4, 2008

Luke Macfarlane Interview (Part Two)

Writers' Intern Jeff Bibeau continues his interview with Luke Macfarlane...

Jeff: So you went to Juilliard?
Luke: Yeah, it was wonderful. As a guy who came from London, Ontario, I didn't know really anything about the theatre. It was a perfect place for me to go because I could be stripped down, you know… do the whole broken down and built back up thing. I didn't have a lot of ideas of what theatre meant.
Jeff: Do you prefer stage to screen?
Luke: It's an impossible question. But both are very different. It's been, frankly, too long since I went back to stage. So I'm looking forward to hopefully doing something on stage soon.
Jeff: Any possibilities?
Luke: No. I'm locked in. ABC owns me. (Laughs)
Jeff: So are you recognized a lot out and about?
Luke: Um…no, I'm not really recognized to tell you the truth. I had a very nice girl push me in the airport last week (Laughs) But no, I'm actually not recognized that much. I grow my beard out and wear a hat. (Laughs)
Jeff: So any other exciting projects coming up?
Luke: Well, the two other passions in my life are biking and cello. I have a race coming up which I'm looking forward to ? a 40 mile mountain bike race. And, uh, I started taking cello again ? I played for thirteen years and I gave it up when I went to Julliard ? and I just started taking lessons again about 6 months ago. Sometime in the next year, I want to have a recital.
Jeff: Do you prefer the United States to Canada?
Luke: You know, the one thing I say about that is that I love going home and it's a great place. I would never turn in my Canadian passport. But I will say that America feels like a good place to be a young person. There's just so many possibilities and job opportunities and such.
Jeff: Do you get to go home a lot?
Luke: Not as much as I want to. I got to go home for Canadian Thanksgiving, and I go home for Christmas.
Jeff: Nice. And your family is all still there?
Luke: Yeah.
Jeff: Do they get to come down here a lot?
Luke: Yes. My twin sister has visited me, and my older sister and my mother have all come individually. When you live in Los Angeles, people tend to want to visit you, especially during the winter months. (Laughs)
Jeff: Without giving too much away, what can we expect from Scotty this season?
Luke: His career is going to take an upturn, so that's exciting. He'll finally be making money like the rest of the Walkers. (Laughs) And, you know, they're doing a really good job of keeping the relationship between Scotty and Kevin really honest, with little tensions here and there.

Scotty proves his mad culinary skills, it's all about presentation

Jeff: So married life is good?

Luke: Married life is good so far. No roadblocks yet.
Jeff: Scotty's a chef ? do you cook?
Luke: No, I love cooking, I love food. But…I'm not a cook. I have fantasies of it one day ? in fact, my friend and I have been talking about taking a cooking class. But, no. (laughs)
Jeff: Any other similarities or differences to Scotty?
Luke: We look shockingly similar. (Laughs)
Jeff: Yeah, I noticed that. It's very disarming.
Luke: Of course, when you're on a television show, you're always drawing from your own experiences. I admire Scotty very much, I think he has a lot of tenacity.
Jeff: So you're not as tenacious?
Luke: No, I don't think I am. (Laughs) Scotty's drawn me out a bit, I think.
Jeff: Is there any approach you like to take when you're working on a character?
Luke: It was funny you know, one of my favorite things is doing all the research. When I do a play, I read as much as I can about it. It was funny, when I got this role, I didn't know really to start with the research. Scotty didn't have a job, and I really didn't know anything about him. I remember going to Facebook and going to people's profiles and trying to like steal traits from them. Thinking that I could find Scotty somewhere in the Facebook universe and I could somehow look at a picture of somebody and copy stuff. But there wasn't a lot of research I could really do on Scotty.
Jeff: (Laughs) You can drown in the Facebook universe.
Luke: Exactly, and just go for miles and miles and miles. But, you know, since he's become a chef, I've been reading a lot of cook books. I like to read; I like to research.

Luke was an absolutely pleasure to hang out with and was more than happy to take time out of his day to talk to me, and to the readers – so keep an eye on Scotty this season and Luke in all his future endeavors.

You can catch Luke and that crazy Walker clan every Sunday at 10pm on ABC – but if you're on this blog, you should already know that. This season is going to be awesome – take it from the intern. I'm not on payroll.

Until next time –
Jeff Bibeau
Writers’ Intern

Juilliard Alumni News - October 2008

[Source -> Source -> Source ]
Alumni News
Q&A With Luke Macfarlane

Scotty and Kevin (played by Luke Macfarlane,

left, and Matthew Rhys) make a commitment to be

life partners on the 2007-08 season finale of the 
ABC TV series Brothers and Sisters. (Photo by

ABC/Michael Desmond)

When Scotty Wandell, the character played by Luke Macfarlane (B.F.A. ’03, Drama) on the ABC hit series Brothers and Sisters, married his partner, Kevin Walker (played by Matthew Rhys), in the program’s season finale last spring, it was an especially meaningful moment for millions of viewers. But for Macfarlane, the moment had particular personal resonance. The 28-year-old native of Canada, who, before becoming a regular on Brothers and Sisters appeared in several Off-Broadway plays, the 2004 film Kinsey, and the 2005 TV series Over There, had recently come out publicly as a gay man in the Canadian newspaper The Globe and Mail. “I don’t know what will happen professionally … but I guess I can’t really be concerned about what will happen, because it’s my truth,” he said in that interview. In honor of Coming Out Month, The Juilliard Journal asked Macfarlane about his decision to make public this private part of his life.


Did playing the role of Scotty on Brothers and Sisters influence your decision to come out publicly?
As actors, I think that our roles always inform us and the choices we make. But I had been thinking about the kind of actor I wanted to be, and the kind of life I wanted to have, for a long time—someone who’s guided by the principle that who they are as an individual is their most valuable resource. And it seemed like I was using the opportunity that Scotty and the show gave me to come out in a way that matched up with the kind of person I wanted to be. It’s a sort of lucky synergy when there’s such congruency between my own life and the life of my character.

Were you concerned about it having a negative effect on your career?
I think anytime as an actor you step out and choose to engage with the media in any sort of way that reveals your personal life, it can be frightening. However, I feel strongly that there is a distinction between revealing my sexual preference and my most private thoughts. My sexual preference is one irrefutable aspect of me, like the color of my skin. I’ve never been interested in revealing intimate details about my life. The concern with engaging with the media has to do with trying to make sure they will understand this difference.

The feedback from everybody has been supportive and positive. I was frankly overwhelmed that so many people took note of it, which I think speaks to a lack of role models in general.

Scotty, your TV character, is in a relationship with Kevin Walker, played by Matthew Rhys, who is not gay. Is it more challenging to portray one half of a gay relationship when the other actor is straight?
No. I’ve always been fortunate enough to be in companies where the work is the reason we’re all in the room together. As actors it’s our job to look for a way into our characters, regardless of our personal attitudes.

How much like Scotty are you personally?
It’s a complex question, because to many people the actor and the character are the same person; we share the same body and same voice for the most part. But the few times where some brave fan of the show has come up to me and asked, “Hey, are you Scotty?” there is this inevitable moment where we both get a bit nervous when they realize that I am not Scotty and they have no idea who I am. My experience in television has been different in that regard than my experience in theater, where the character kind of moves to a quiet place in your mind once the curtain is down. In television you live with your character all day—we both exchange ideas and ways of being. Scotty helps draw me out a bit and I help Scotty relax a bit. Gosh, that sounds nutty, I know! “The schizophrenia of acting,” I once heard it called by [Juilliard drama faculty member] Becky Guy.

In the past, many actors stayed in the closet because of Hollywood’s perceived homophobia. Is the industry becoming less homophobic?
I don’t know. My reasons for coming out had less to do with whether the time was right for the industry, and more about whether the time was right for me. It can be a very destructive force professionally and personally to get caught in the habit of making moves in alignment with Hollywood standards, which frankly have always been pretty unpredictable.

What advice would you give to Juilliard acting students who are struggling with the question of whether to be out professionally?
While I think it’s important for any group to have a place where they can feel comfortable, Juilliard always felt like an open place for me and set me on the path that valued and encouraged self-knowledge. I wouldn’t presume to offer advice to anyone else, and I know from personal experience that it’s not everyone’s path to step out.

—Interview conducted by Ira Rosenblum

GLSEN - Oct, 2008

[Source]

RESPECT LOS ANGELES, October 10, 2008

HONORING

Darren Star

Disney/ABC Television

Lance Bass

for their commitment to all
America's students, regardless of sexual
orientation and gender identity/expression.

Hosted by GLSEN Jump-Start National Student Leaders

Josh Zeller

Jasmine Le

Tabias Wilson

Your support allows GLSEN to empower student leaders across the country to work toward safe schools for all students. Click below to hear one leader’s story.


Friday, October 10, 2008
6:30 Cocktail Reception
7:30 Seated Dinner and Awards Presentation

LOCATION

9641 Sunset Boulevard
Beverly Hills, CA 90210

CO-CHAIRS

Kevin Brockman

Michael Lombardo

Thanks to our Host Committee

and to our Presenters

Billy Baldwin

Candis Cayne

Luke MacFarlane

Jamie Lynn Sigler

Greg Berlanti

Jennie Garth

SPONSORS
To become a sponsor, purchase tickets, tables, & advertisements
or to support GLSEN's work if you are unable to attend
Download this form:
Sponsorship & Registration Form
You may either mail or fax it to:
Blue Room Events, Attn: Traci Hoffberg
5777 West Century Blvd., Ste 1250
Los Angeles, CA 90045
Fax: 310-491-1405
Email: traci@blueroomevents.com

For more information, please contact:
Solonje E. Burnett, GLSEN, Special Events Manager
646-388-6589 or sburnett@glsen.org

Mnet - 08/Sep/2008

[Source]

Scotty Can Sing! 08 September 2008

The Canadian-born Luke MacFarlane's suprisingly deep and sultry voice can be heard on his official fansite. where you can find out more about him.
Fellow Nameless, the band, was created with a friend while Luke was still in highschool. According to Wikipedia. , the band had a promising future and was about to sign a big deal with a popular recording company, before MacFarlane decided that he wanted to pursue acting and put down the guitar for drama classes at Julliard

To listen to Fellow Nameless' music visit the fansite. and be sure to express yourself. Is it any good?     

AfterElton - 12/May/2008

[Source]
The big gay "Brothers & Sisters" season finale: Video clips
Posted by Brian Juergens, Contributor on May 12, 2008

In case you've had your head inside a watermelon for the last several weeks and haven't heard it mentioned on everything from network promos to cable guides to this site, last night marked a gigantic moment in terms of gay visibility on television: Brothers & Sisters' Kevin Walker (Matthew Rhys) married his boyfriend Scotty (Luke MacFarlane) in the big season finale. This marks several firsts (first gay wedding season finale, first gay central character to have gotten hitched on primetime, first out gay man playing out gay man in a series regular role on network primetime), but more than anything, it was just damned good. I'm not a fan of the show myself, but this was perfection.

In case you missed things, we've posted clips of the most important moments after the jump. And also be sure to check out our vow-by-vow recap of the episode over on the main page, as well as our article on gay weddings in movies and TV. Grab some rice, have your tissues handy, and enjoy!
 
Kevin walks in on a family discussion of sibling-not-sibling Rebecca, and of course thinks they're talking about him, leading him to make a rather unceremonious announcement about his wedding to Scotty.

Kevin tells Scotty about what's going on with the Walker clan.

All the business about Rebecca makes Kevin remember an uncomfortable moment with his father, which leads him to attempt a reunion with Scotty's parents. I particularly like Justin's use of the word "mantrimony".

Kevin makes an ill-fated attempt to change Scotty's folks' minds about the wedding, but his father does sneak Kevin a present for his son. It might look like the puzzlebox from Hellraiser, but don't worry - it's cufflinks, not Pinhead.

Finally the big moment comes, and despite a bit of improbably cutesiness about the rings, it's awesome. Although the look on Saul's face is heartbreaking, isn't it?

And finally, Scotty carries Kevin over the threshold. But this being a Walker wedding, family intervenes before too long, and Scotty's mention of his parents sends Kevin back into flashback-land. It was fun while is lasted, right?

If you want to watch the whole episode, head on over to ABC's website and check it out.

ABC News

[Source]

Top This: A Gay Ceremony on ABC's 'Brothers & Sisters'

BY WILLIAM KECK
May 11, 2008

After much anticipation on the set of ABC's "Brothers & Sisters," a wedding cake has arrived. The four-tier creation -- adorned with flowers and blackberries -- is locked in a freezer, out of sight from the curious cast members, who are wondering what the cake topper looks like.

Spotting a prop woman with the topper in her hands, Matthew Rhys -- whose character, Kevin, weds Sunday (10 p.m. ET/PT) in the show's Season 2 finale -- calls her over. "Is it a man and a woman?" he asks. Getting a closer look, Rhys smiles and says, "Oh, it's two men. Fantastic. There were jokes made that they wouldn't be able to find two men, so they'd have to doctor the woman by adding a moustache."

This is no typical TV wedding. It's a gay commitment ceremony -- the first same-sex union on American network TV between series regulars.

"It's all very progressive, evolved and about time," says Rhys.

"It's a milestone, and I was really quite pleased that I got to be a part of it," echoes Calista Flockhart, who plays Kevin's big sis Kitty.

The Walker family and guests have gathered in the living room to watch Kevin exchange vows with longtime beau Scotty Wandell (Luke Macfarlane).

Flockhart's character will officiate at the ceremony while her husband (Rob Lowe) ends up playing a key role -- significant because he's a Republican senator opposed to gay marriage.

During a break, Lowe waltzes off set. "It's pretty romantic in there," he notes, greeting his visiting kid brother, actor Chad Lowe, who explains, "I'm here to witness history."

Michael Desmond/ABC

When Rhys and Macfarlane finally arrive on set in their crisp suits and ties, the cast and crew let out a collective awwww.

There is much affection for the characters, who met at the start of the series. It is a sentiment shared by at least one show fan. Rhys tells of a letter he received from the mother of a gay son. She "took great strength in seeing Kevin interact with his mother, and how little of a problem it is for them," he says. "It was a lovely letter."

The note was a pleasant distraction from the good-natured ribbing he has been taking from his co-stars. "Luke and I were rehearsing who was to stand where, which would put one of us in the woman's position, and a few comments were made," says Rhys. "And neither of us was going to wear a white suit while the other wore black."

Dave Annable and Balthazar Getty, who play Kevin's brothers, have been engaging in their own teasing over Tommy being best man. "Dave's been locked in his dressing room, crying," jokes Getty. And Annable retorts: "Balthazar couldn't handle not being best man."

Both Sally Field (matriarch Nora) and Emily VanCamp (Rebecca) have come to set nursing colds, and producer/director Ken Olin has noticed that the other actors are avoiding hugging them on camera. Conspicuously absent from the gathering is Sarah's (Rachel Griffiths) love interest (Steven Weber), who will not return for Season 3. But her character's two young kids are there, and Griffiths wonders if some viewers will "have a problem with that."

She hopes not, but the liberal-leaning show does attempt to recognize those who oppose gay marriage by introducing Scotty's disapproving parents, who skip the ceremony. That volatile relationship is expected to be explored in Season 3. Another possibility: children.

"It would be interesting to go down the adoption route and see from a legal aspect how Kevin would campaign for that," says Rhys, whose character is an attorney.

Adds Macfarlane: "Kitty makes a speech about Scotty and Kevin building a family, which hopefully is foreshadowing."

Executive producer Monica Breen assures, "They will be a family. Kevin deserves a stable relationship in the same way that Kitty, Sarah and all the others deserve it. He will be facing many questions in his life — but now he has someone to share that with."

CANOE CA. - 10/May/2008

[Source]

'Brothers & Sisters' star poised for success

By JAMES REANEY -- Sun Media

Luke Macfarlane has gone from Slipnaught to tying the knot.

Back in the 1990s, the London Central secondary school grad was the singer in a hyper-talented young band, Slipnaught.

This weekend, the Juilliard Drama Division-trained Macfarlane's character, Scotty Wandell, is getting married on ABC-TV's hit Brothers & Sisters. It airs on ABC tomorrow and Global on Monday.

This weekend's season finale is the latest stop on a remarkable journey for the London-born actor. Back in the day, you could have seen him here, playing Slipnaught farewell gigs at London clubs.

Universities and colleges in Canada and the U.S. were calling. Macfarlane, 28, made his mark in theatre at Central, where the now-retired Ann MacMillan, department head and "drama queen," helped lead an exciting program. Macfarlane went to Manhattan on a scholarship and off-Broadway on his talent before moving on to Hollywood. He would also come back to Central to share his war stories.

He was seen in Over There, an FX TV series about American soldiers on their first tour of duty in Iraq. The buzz around Slipnaught fans was that Over There paid enough for Macfarlane to settle his Juilliard bills.

Slipnaught was not your everyday high school band -- and the Wandell ceremony is not your cliched TV season-finale wedding. Wandell is marrying Kevin Walker (Matthew Rhys) in a gay commitment ceremony, making history on U.S. network TV.

"From a standing outside perspective, and also as someone who is gay, I think that it's a very exciting time," Macfarlane recently told a Toronto newspaper. "How exciting that we're saying, 'This can be part of the cultural fabric, now,' because it is two series regulars, two people that you invite into your home and you see every week. It's telling of the beginning of more waves and I'm very proud of that."

Macfarlane hardly needs a Free Press columnist to second that emotion, but here is one who is happy to do so. Macfarlane should be proud.

So should Brothers & Sisters. Scenes made available to The Free Press show the finale to be a TV wedding to treasure.

There is love, family, tensions, doubts, misunderstandings, rings, bitterness and humour.

There are scenes from any impending marriage, on TV. Or anywhere. Scotty sweetly chides Kevin for seeing him just before the ceremony.

Calista Flockhart's character, Kitty, recalls an outfit that just "screamed bride" to her and Kevin, her younger brother, when they were children.

"I got carried away. I don't regret it," says Nora (Sally Field) of elaborate preparations she has made for the ceremony.

It is hard to believe U.S. network TV has waited until May, 2008 to make such history.

So, ABC has become the Brooklyn Dodgers of the gay wedding day, if you will. Now, which U.S. network will be the Boston Red Sox? For non-baseball fans, that is a U.S. pop culture reference to the way some major-league teams -- the Red Sox were the worst, but the Detroit Tigers and New York Yankees weren't much better -- simply would not integrate their lineups until years after Jackie Robinson had starred with Brooklyn, starting in 1947.

For now, it is exciting to see a London actor in such a finely poised and powerful slice of U.S. TV. Macfarlane, nicely turned out for the wedding, is in classy company.

It is not so much the cast's other men -- with the slithery Rob Lowe always good for a glimpse of TV noir -- who carry Brothers & Sisters.

It is the women in the cast.

Macfarlane finds his own sense of pace and place with Field, Flockhart and other "sisters" including luminous fellow Canadian, Emily Van Camp who plays Rebecca and is even more quietly beautiful than she was on Everwood.

This viewer is not a Brothers & Sisters regular. But if it keeps giving such face time to Macfarlane, the pride of London, and VanCamp, the pride of Port Perry, that will have to change.

Whatever comes along, Macfarlane -- and Scotty -- can be expected to handle it with the same cool he showed back in the day with Slipnaught.

The London band included Macfarlane and other friends who had met in elementary school at Lester B. Pearson school for the arts.

At various stages, the group was known as Fulcrum or Fellow Nameless. It lasted into the new millennium with various lineups.

It was as Slipnaught that Macfarlane and his friends found out about the rock and roll name game.

Slipnaught was dogged by the similarity of its name to a U.S. death metal rock band, Slipknot. That Slipknot turned out be a scary outfit of several hundred Iowans in clown masks.

Slipknot's metalhead fans occasionally drove many miles only to find that this progressive, jazzy, smart, charismatic London band, Slipnaught, wasn't . . . Slipknot.

The crash of a metalhead's dream is so often ugly, is it knot?

Slipnaught just kept making its own sound and called its first farewell gig "the Final Frontier" -- final to indicate the end, but frontier for the unknown future that lies ahead.

That works for the Brothers & Sisters wedding episode, too.

The media buzz around the Brothers & Sisters wedding guarantees at least one thing about Macfarlane's future.

When Over There's 15 minutes of fame were over in 2005, Macfarlane was reflective. "Being in Over There is a wonderful thing, but at the same time, I don't want it to be the highlight of my career," he said.

Starting this weekend, there is no danger of that.

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MINI BIO

Born and raised in London, actor Luke Macfarlane appeared in several off-Broadway plays before making his feature film debut in Kinsey in 2004. He was cast as Bruce, the son of sex researcher Alfred Kinsey, played by Liam Neeson. Macfarlane had a major role in Over There, an FX TV series about American soldiers on their first tour of duty in Iraq. He's a graduate of Lester B. Pearson School for the Performing Arts and Central secondary school.

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IF YOU WATCH

What: Season finale of Brothers & Sisters

When/Where: Tomorrow, 10 p.m., ABC; Monday, 10 p.m., Global

ET Online - 09/May/2008

Secrets from the Brothers & Sisters Finale
ET Online
May 9th, 2008
Source (http://www.etonline.com/news/2008/05/61485/index.html deleted)

Secrets From The 'Brothers And Sisters' Finale
Uploaded by lukemacfarlanefans. - Full seasons and entire episodes online.

ET was exclusively behind the scenes when "Brothers & Sisters" filmed its season finale -- and now we can show you the history-making television event before it airs on Sunday night.

On last week's episode, Kevin (MATTHEW RHYS) proposed to his same-sex lover, Scotty (LUKE MacFARLANE). This week, the two will celebrate their decision to be life partners with a commitment ceremony officiated over by Kevin's sister Kitty (CALISTA FLOCKHART).

"It just feels like the natural flow of the Walker family," ROB LOWE, who plays Kevin's brother-in-law Senator Robert McCallister, tells ET's JANN CARL, who is on the set for the event. "It doesn't feel gratuitous, or really just standout. That's where Kevin was heading and it's really organic which is really nice.

"Ten years ago, there wouldn't have been a gay character portrayed the way the show does in primetime, I don't think. I also don't think we would be able to do the same kind of political storylines that I get to do on the show."

Rob's character is a Republican senator who voted against gay marriage, even though he has a gay brother. And McCallister's brother, who is a minister, previously dated Kevin. All that aside, when Kevin realized he forgot to get a ring, the ceremony comes to a halt, until McCallister loans them his.

"There's a lot of interesting stuff that has been coming up for me, which is good," Rob continues. "That's what you want as an actor. You want a lot of paint on your palette to paint with."

"Brothers & Sisters" airs Sunday night at 10 p.m. on ABC.

GLAAD - 09/May/2008

ABC Makes History with Kevin-Scotty Wedding

GLAAD, by Damon Romine
May 9th, 2008
Source (http://glaadorg.nexcess.net/2008/05/abc-makes-history-with-kevinsc.html deleted)

An estimated 12 million viewers will tune in Sunday to the season finale of ABC's Brothers & Sisters and witness the wedding of Kevin (Matthew Rhys) and Scotty (Luke MacFarlane) in the presence of their family and friends. For fans, this is a natural progression for the couple whose relationship spans the past two years. But what’s historic is that this is the first wedding of its kind. The first.

There have been a handful of gay guest characters married in “very special episodes” over the past two decades, as well as a couple of weddings on pay cable. But this is a first for series regular characters on network television and is cause to celebrate.

Once the vows are spoken, however, there will be no ink to dry on a legal marriage license because Kevin and Scotty reside in California, not Massachusetts, which remains the only state where they could legally wed. California does possess one of the most comprehensive domestic partnership laws in the nation, but the state’s domestic partners still lack the 1,138 federal protections that are provided to married straight couples, thus making it harder for committed gay couples to take care of and be responsible for each other.

Millions of gay Americans are being denied the legal protection their unions deserve, and anti-gay initiatives are currently under way in Arizona, California and Florida to put measures on the November 8 ballot that would further distance gays and lesbians from the security of marriage. Additionally, none of the presidential candidates currently support marriage for gay and lesbian couples. But the power of the media rests it its ability to show images of couples like Kevin and Scotty in loving, committed relationships. These programs demonstrate to voters that gay couples should not be prevented from fully taking care of one another.

This being television and Brothers and Sisters, a family drama that thrives on obstacles, there is no doubt that ongoing seasons will include Kevin and Scotty facing their own challenges. But they will deal with them while being treated like all other couples on the show. And isn’t that all we’re asking for in real life as well?

USA Today - 09/May/2008

[source]

Top this: A gay ceremony on ABC's 'Brothers & Sisters'

Updated 5/9/2008 2:42 PM

A network TV first: Kevin (Matthew Rhys), left, and Scotty (Luke Macfarlane) make a commitment to be life partners on the season finale of ABC's Brothers & Sisters on Sunday.

By William Keck, USA TODAY
BURBANK, Calif. — After much anticipation on the set of ABC's Brothers & Sisters, a wedding cake has arrived. The four-tier creation — adorned with flowers and blackberries — is locked in a freezer, out of sight from the curious cast members, who are wondering what the cake topper looks like.

Spotting a prop woman with the topper in her hands, Matthew Rhys — whose character, Kevin, weds Sunday (10 p.m. ET/PT) in the show's Season 2 finale — calls her over. "Is it a man and a woman?" he asks. Getting a closer look, Rhys smiles and says, "Oh, it's two men. Fantastic. There were jokes made that they wouldn't be able to find two men, so they'd have to doctor the woman by adding a moustache."

This is no typical TV wedding. It's a gay commitment ceremony — the first same-sex union on American network TV between series regulars.

"It's all very progressive, evolved and about time," says Rhys.

"It's a milestone, and I was really quite pleased that I got to be a part of it," echoes Calista Flockhart, who plays Kevin's big sis Kitty.

The Walker family and guests have gathered in the living room to watch Kevin exchange vows with longtime beau Scotty Wandell (Luke Macfarlane).

Flockhart's character will officiate at the ceremony while her husband (Rob Lowe) ends up playing a key role — significant because he's a Republican senator opposed to gay marriage.

During a break, Lowe waltzes off set. "It's pretty romantic in there," he notes, greeting his visiting kid brother, actor Chad Lowe, who explains, "I'm here to witness history."

When Rhys and Macfarlane finally arrive on set in their crisp suits and ties, the cast and crew let out a collective awwww.

There is much affection for the characters, who met at the start of the series. It is a sentiment shared by at least one show fan. Rhys tells of a letter he received from the mother of a gay son. She "took great strength in seeing Kevin interact with his mother, and how little of a problem it is for them," he says. "It was a lovely letter."

The note was a pleasant distraction from the good-natured ribbing he has been taking from his co-stars. "Luke and I were rehearsing who was to stand where, which would put one of us in the woman's position, and a few comments were made," says Rhys. "And neither of us was going to wear a white suit while the other wore black."

Dave Annable and Balthazar Getty, who play Kevin's brothers, have been engaging in their own teasing over Tommy being best man. "Dave's been locked in his dressing room, crying," jokes Getty. And Annable retorts: "Balthazar couldn't handle not being best man."

Both Sally Field (matriarch Nora) and Emily VanCamp (Rebecca) have come to set nursing colds, and producer/director Ken Olin has noticed that the other actors are avoiding hugging them on camera. Conspicuously absent from the gathering is Sarah's (Rachel Griffiths) love interest (Steven Weber), who will not return for Season 3. But her character's two young kids are there, and Griffiths wonders if some viewers will "have a problem with that."

She hopes not, but the liberal-leaning show does attempt to recognize those who oppose gay marriage by introducing Scotty's disapproving parents, who skip the ceremony. That volatile relationship is expected to be explored in Season 3. Another possibility: children.

"It would be interesting to go down the adoption route and see from a legal aspect how Kevin would campaign for that," says Rhys, whose character is an attorney.

Adds Macfarlane: "Kitty makes a speech about Scotty and Kevin building a family, which hopefully is foreshadowing."

Executive producer Monica Breen assures, "They will be a family. Kevin deserves a stable relationship in the same way that Kitty, Sarah and all the others deserve it. He will be facing many questions in his life — but now he has someone to share that with." 

Out in Hollywood - 29/Apr/2008

[Source] 

Exclusive: Matthew Rhys and Luke MacFarlane on their TV nuptuals...

Don't you just love all the drama of that "exclusive" headline? Well, I guess I'm feeling a little over-the-top after chatting-up both Kevin AND Scotty within moments of each other at a Television Academy event in North Hollywood last night. Oh wait! Kevin and Scotty are just TV characters - gay TV characters - played by actors Matthew Rhys and Luke MacFarlane.

I wanted to get their thoughts on this wonderful plot development that has Scotty and Kevin - an on-and-off-again couple since the beginning of the show - tying the knot in a commitment ceremony in the second season finale in a few weeks.

On the commitment ceremony:
Matthew: "It was great, perfectly put together. We didn't get there easily, there's no wasn't an easy road there up to the last few second, just like the turbulent path that we've had. There's a lot of drama before getting there but then you know, it's all resolved. And about time I think."
Luke: "It means that the audience is ready because, you know, in television we make sure people are ready before we foist anything upon them by sort of testing it and stuff. It means that the world is ready and it also means that the characters in their lives are ready too. It's a beautiful thing that's happening but also a very appropriate thing."

On working together:
Luke: Matthew's a wonderful actor, he just oozes charm. From day one it's always been super simple with him.

Matthew: "We do have (chemistry). It's a real joy to work with him, a pleasure. As much as (Kevin and Scotty's) drama came from their turbulence and the conflict in their relationship, being now in this (committed) relationship opens up a world of drama for them to play out. So, it's all exciting times.
"What's great is they really have picked two very diverse characters, the two of us compliment us very well as characters. Kevin can be a little bit uptight at times whereas Scotty, is a little bit too much of a free-spirit. So when the two meet, it makes for humorous times.

On Kevin's growth as a character:
Matthew: "It's been great to over two seasons have this arc, this sort of turbulent arc, and somewhere that he's reached which is what you want. You don't want to be ping-ponging back between old stories. So I'm glad the character's evolving."

On a lighter note, one of the pre-strike episodes had Kevin and Sarah (Rachel Griffiths) joining Scotty and his friends at a karaoke bar. Kevin, tired of being known as uptight, gets real drunk and begins singing to Scotty from the stage. Did Matthew have fun filming such a silly scene?

"It was fun. For me, as a Welshman, to desecrate a Tom Jones song like that, it was I found painful. And then to do the same to a Willie Nelson song, it was painful to be that bad! It came very naturally, of course. What I did was pretty unforgiveable."

Out in Hollywood - 29/Apr/2008

[Source]

A chat w/Luke MacFarlane...

He had them at mango salsa.

When Luke MacFarlane's endearing character of Scotty sat down to dinner for the first time with the Walker clan on "Brothers & Sisters," it was a big outdoor party scene where Sally Field's Nora had just humiliated her late husband's mistress Holly (Patricia Wettig). The tension was incredibly high until Scotty piped up and asked, "Is this salsa mango?"

Scotty Wandell and Kevin Walker (Matthew Rhys) had instant chemistry from the minute the financially struggling waiter-turned-chef walked into his law office on a legal matter. He cut through Kevin's veneer with quirky humor and charm and you knew he had Kevin's heart when he bit into a red velvet cupcake and smiled at the end of one of their early episodes..

"My whole experience on the show started off as just a few episodes and it's just become more and more and more and I'm so grateful for that," Luke told me Monday night when we chatted before the start of the "A
Conversation With Brothers & Sisters" event at the Television Academy in North Hollywood.

Luke, 28, was among the 12 cast members who participated as he was recently promoted from recurring character to full-fledged series regular: "They are making a regular for season three. It's very, very nice. We all know in television it's hard to get a gig that lasts for a long time so when the agent calls up and says, 'You're guaranteed these number of episodes you feel very, very lucky."

Luke, who studied drama at Julliard, was previously best-known for his role as Pvt. Frank "Dim" Dumphy in the series "Over There." The Canadian actor had never given any interviews about his personal life until discussing his sexuality for the first time in an interview with the Canadian newspaper The Globe and Mail a few weeks ago 2008. He decided to share that not only is he playing a gay man on TV, but he is a gay man in life.

""It's been relatively simple for me," he said of the increased spotlight. "I'll say that I decided to do that interview, I decided to answer those questions in an effort to make my life simpler and that's going to contunue to be my motto. So, I'll have to say, it hasn't been that hot a light on me at all."

Even though through much of show's first season the writers had Kevin struggling with commitment issues and go on to have relationships with a closeted soap actor (Jason Lewis) and a minister (Eric Winter), Scotty had been a fan favorite from his first scene and audiences wanted to see he and Kevin together.

Said Luke: "Well, I do know that the fans had a lot to do with Scotty staying around as long as he has so I'm grateful for them."

I mention to him that now that Scotty is getting more airtime, the fans now want to get to know Luke himself a little better. He laughed a bit nervously and said, "In time."

We look forward to it.

AfterElton - 25/Apr/2008

[Source]

A few more Kevin and Scotty pics from the "Brothers & Sisters" gay wedding finale
Posted by Brian Juergens, Contributor on April 25, 2008

 Yesterday we shared a handful of pics from the upcoming gay wedding finale of Brothers & Sisters, and last night ABC released a few more of the grooms-to-be preparing (big thanks to Lee for the tip!)

Wait, isn't it bad luck for the intendeds to see one another before the ceremony? Shouldn't the maid of honor be helping with that? Or at least ... Patrick Dempsey?

 (All photos Copyright © 2008 ABC Television Studio/Michael Desmond)

AfterElton - 24/Apr/2008

[Source]

"Brothers & Sisters": New Kevin & Scotty commitment ceremony pics!
Posted by Brian Juergens, Contributor on April 24, 2008

ABC just released pics of Kevin and Scotty's wedding on the upcoming Very Special Episode of Brothers & Sisters, and we've got 'em for ya. Last time we reported on the upcoming gay wedding finale, Luke MacFarlane hadn't come forward yet to publicly announce that he is a gay-type person. Now it's all the more wonderful to see these pics ... oh damn, we always cry at weddings! Where's the open bar...

Here's ABC's description of the episode:

"Prior Commitments" - Kevin and Scotty make a commitment to be life partners, Saul finally deals with his identity in a public way, and the family discovers that William (guest starring Tom Skerritt) kept yet another painful secret from his family, on the season finale of "Brothers & Sisters,"

Tons more pics after the jump!

(All photos Copyright © 2008 ABC Television Studio/Michael Desmond)

The drama continues on ABC's 'Brothers & Sisters'

[Source]

The drama continues on ABC's 'Brothers & Sisters'

By William Keck, USA TODAY
April 19, 2008

Nearly the entire "Brothers & Sisters" cast has gathered on a sound stage at Disney Studios to shoot the May 11 season-ending finale. As usual, someone in the Walker clan is experiencing a momentous occasion.

But that's four fresh episodes away; the show finally returns Sunday (ABC, 10 p.m. ET/PT), and there's plenty of drama in between.

Romance will be in the air for many, including Walker son Kevin (Matthew Rhys) and his on-again, off-again boyfriend Scotty Wandell (Luke MacFarlane). Kevin appears to be ready to settle down for good, and "there are sort of a series of proposals that are done sort of badly by Kevin," teases Rhys. Boding well for the union's success: MacFarlane has been added to the cast as a full series regular for next season and is expected to assume a permanent position in the annual Walker family photo. Among other developments:

The paternity question

A lingering mystery in the series has been who fathered the daughter of the late Walker patriarch's mistress, Holly. Before the writers' strike, thirtysomething alum Ken Olin returned to his acting roots to play a man who might be the biological father of Holly's daughter, Rebecca (Emily VanCamp). In one of the new episodes, viewers will learn if Olin's David or the late William Walker is the true daddy. "It's a potentially devastating experience to be going through," says VanCamp. "She's fallen in love with this family."

Romantic entanglements

Complicating the paternity situation is a possible attraction between Rebecca and the young man she believes to be her brother Justin (Dave Annable). For months, VanCamp and Annable have been instructed to play a repressed attraction between their supposed siblings. Rebecca's true paternity, Annable says, will leave both "confused and unsure in which direction the relationship should head. There are a lot of feelings they have to deal with."

Business moves

Sarah (Rachel Griffiths) returns her focus to the family company, and mom Nora (Sally Field) will begin a new career that uses her homemaking skills. But Sarah might be looking for a new job before too long. "Saul (Ron Rikfin) and Sarah put the company on the edge," Griffiths says, "and by the end of the season we're at risk of losing the whole Walker family wealth."

A ticking biological clock

Calista Flockhart's Kitty has been struggling to have a baby with new husband Robert (Rob Lowe). Flockhart savors the story line. "A lot of women are choosing to have careers and waiting to have children until their late 30s and early 40s and coming up against the fact that they can't," Flockhart says. "It speaks to a lot of women who are in Kitty's situation." By season's end, the couple will decide how they intend to become parents, supervising producer Monica Breen says.

Political maneuverings

Robert lost his bid for the White House, but Lowe says he will be asked to accept the vice presidential nomination. The big question: Will he accept? Flockhart, for one, hopes he does not. "We can't possibly compete with Hillary and Obama and John," she says of the current real-life front-runners. But Breen hasn't totally abandoned her Camelot dreams. While Breen acknowledges that moving Kitty to D.C. "would fissure the family togetherness, I would love to end the series with the Walkers being the first family of America."