When the stars of NBC’s Will & Grace reunited last fall it was to film an election-themed video urging people to vote. In the clip, which went viral, Grace (Debra Messing) and Will (Eric McCormack) were Hillary Clinton supporters with wealthy Karen Walker (Megan Mullally) a Donald Trump supporter and Jack (Sean Hayes) undecided.
Now, months later, Trump is in the White House and the Emmy-winning series has been revived for a 12-episode run on NBC. So how will the revival, again centered around the four friends, two of whom are gay, address the current president and life under the Trump administration?
Only “inasmuch as [the characters] are living in 2017,” series co-creator David Kohan told The Hollywood Reporter at Thursday’s taping of Logo’s Trailblazer Honors at New York’s Cathedral of St. John the Divine.
“It’s not an opportunity to preach. Anyone who needs to be preached to is not going to be listening, so that’s not the purpose. And I don’t think it’s helpful, quite frankly, I really don’t. If people are going to be entrenched in their positions, then telling them how to think is not going to change the way they think,” Kohan, who was honored alongside co-creator Max Mutchnick, added. “It really is just about showing these characters — whom people like —living their lives in 2017. That really is the directive more than anything else or addressing anything else head-on politically.”
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Kohan and Mutchnick will again serve as showrunners for the revival, premiering Sept. 28 at 9 p.m. on NBC, even getting in a plug for the premiere as they accepted their award from Messing on Thursday. The pair, whose program marked the first time openly gay male characters had lead roles in primetime TV, were recognized for their work paving the way for the LGBTQ community to be recognized and portrayed equally on TV today. McCormack, Hayes and Mullally spoke about the series in a video. And former Vice President Joe Biden, who praised Will & Grace for its role in educating the American public, also delivered a special video message for Kohan and Mutchnick.
Logo’s Trailblazer Honors is set to air Friday (June 23) at 9 p.m. ET/PT simultaneously on Logo and VH1. Additional honorees include Cyndi Lauper, Alvin Ailey and LGBTQ activist Cleve Jones.
