It’s a sea-changing time for the LGBTQI+ community. Diversity has found its way onto streamers with such hits as Uncoupled starring Neil Patrick Harris, Heartstopper, Everything’s Gonna to Be Okay, Elite, and other offerings. On the big screen, Bros, despite its shaky box office, became a critically acclaimed rom-com, thanks to Billy Eichner’s genius. And Spoiler Alert, starring Jim Parsons, is a tearjerker of a love story—it hits theaters in December.

Enter: DivaBoxoffice.tv. The ambitious new network—a liaison between A Baker Production and DIVA magazine—begins streaming December 1 with the premiere of Merry & Gay, starring Andi René Christensen (Bel-Air, Hacks), the first non-binary actor to star in a lead role in a holiday rom-com. The touching holiday film is the fourth rom-com from writer/producer/director Christin Baker, known for critically acclaimed, queer feature films such as Christmas at the Ranch, I Hate New Years, and Season of Love, and the Emmy-nominated series Secs and EXECS.
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Plotwise, Merry & Gay is a cheerful romp. Becca Winters (Dia Frampton of The Voice and the band Meg & Dia) finishes her run in a Broadway musical, leaves New York City, and spends the holidays with family and friends in Tennessee. She’s also on board to direct her sleepy hometown’s annual Christmas pageant—Stella Parton figures prominently in that story arc. Meddling but well-meaning mom, Tilly (Hayat Nesheiwat), and her best friend, Lucille Sheridan (Janet Ivey), hatch a plan to reunite Becca and Lucille’s kid, Sam (played by Christensen). Seems Becca and Sam were childhood pals and high school sweethearts to boot.

All good, right? Well… Sam was hurt when Becca left them behind three years ago for a glossy stage career. They have since created a peaceful life as the bartender of the family’s bar. Still, maybe the duos’ reunion will be sweet? Hold that thought—Becca’s manager (Sarah Daddario), comes to town with an offer from Hollywood.

So much for a “merry and gay” holiday. Chances are things eventually turn around. “We’re finally getting to a point in mainstream media where queer stories are being acknowledged as queer stories, but the stories aren’t about being queer,” Christensen told MovieWeb. “We need more of those. We need more of them in genre-specific areas as well. So, in that regard, this film comes out at a perfect time.”

A Bold Launch for a New Network

Josiah Clark/DivaBoxoffice.tv

To be sure, timing is everything. And DivaBoxoffice.tv knows it. With its launch, it suddenly finds itself surfing nicely on a creative wave flowing through the entertainment industry.

“The timing is so right for DivaBoxoffice.tv and this film,” Christensen added. “Both come out during the holiday season and the network’s films can be loved by everyone. Not just queer folks. Who doesn’t love a good Christmas rom-com, right? This one just happens to be ‘non-traditional.’ We’ll keep that word in there for a little while. But eventually, let’s filter it out. Becca and Sam are a ‘non-traditional’ couple. It’s hard to watch the movie and just not feel good afterward. I think that’s a great way to start programming for an underrepresented group of people.”

Also noteworthy, of course, is that Christensen is the first non-binary actor to headline a rom-com. As such, they said it was important for them to dive into the project with vigor.

Related: Exclusive: Michael Ausiello on Honoring Kit Cowan in Spoiler Alert

Christensen noted: “What was unique about this project was its timing in my life. I came out as gay when I was 19, and around 2018, I began connecting the dots between aspects of my childhood. So, I was already on that journey. But I had this hang up about dropping my she/her pronouns completely, because I started using both of them, and had her years. It’s a big transition. It’s a big jump for a lot of people. Then I jokingly said that due to the pandemic lockdown, we were forced to spend a lot of time with ourselves and soul search. I was really starting to get comfortable in my skin and understand who I was. Then Merry & Gay came along. And the character of Sam… I wondered, ‘Was this a non-binary character?’ I don’t believe they were originally written that way.”

As a result, the creative team went through the script and adjusted pronouns. Christensen said they made the decision before flying out to film that they identified as they/them.

“That’s it. That’s Sam. That’s part of me,” they said. “So that’s where I’m at. And the feeling I got on that set when every single person used they/them pronouns was kind of indescribable. It impacted me in such a way that I knew that it was right. Sam was the first non-binary lead in a holiday rom-com. It’s new. It’s groundbreaking. I can’t thank the creative team and cast and crew enough because the film has had a very large impact on my life.”

Creating History

During our interview, this reporter noticed a tattoo on Christensen’s arm. When asked what the words were, Christensen said: “’Choose to dance’—people always assume I’m a dancer, and I did dance in high school, but it’s more of a general way of being,” they said. “I used to be really scared to get off the wall and, literally, dance—like in physical space. Yeah. I just kind of set that aside and tried to carry on. But the tattoo is beautiful to me.”

The beauty of Merry & Gay’s story is evident, too. Winters and Christensen have stellar on-screen chemistry. Of their costar, Christensen said Winters and the cast easily “dropped into our own little Christmas rom-com reality” during the shoot.

Related: Exclusive: Stella Parton on her Role in Merry & Gay, her Sister Dolly, and Embracing Diversity

As for DivaBoxoffice.tv, Christensen said they are excited to see other projects premiere on the platform.

“I feel like a whole new world is opening up for creators, actors, and writers of our community,” they shared. “One of the great things about Merry & Gay is that the focus isn’t about the queerness, or the gender, or the sexuality. It’s about the characters. In that regard—I don’t like the word normalize, because what is ‘normal’ in the first place?—but I do feel we’re getting more representation. Period. We have more visibility.

“On that note,” Christensen added, “We’re in an entirely new period of entertainment and mainstream media. We’ve come a long way. I can’t tell you the number of lesbian films I’ve seen where it was just about being in love with a woman, then it just goes terribly wrong. I remember pining as a younger person for a story that just worked out—something that gave people hope. Being queer and being part of this community is a beautiful thing. I think we’re getting opportunities to show that side of it now. And we’re just going keep going because, as you know… we don’t stop.”

Experience Merry & Gay on VOD and DIVABoxOffice.tv December 1.