9-1-1: Lonestar star Brian Michael Smith had his real life collide with his reel life on last night’s episode of the new show on FOX.
Brian Michael Smith plays Paul who is part of the 126 in Austin, Texas. The entire crew is made up of people from different walks of life including the LGBTQ community. Paul is a transgender man and so is Smith.
Who is Brian Michael Smith on 9-1-1: Lonestar?
Viewers may recognize Brian Michael Smith from his other television roles. Before joining 9-1-1: Lonestar, he was cast in bits roles for Blue Bloods, Chicago P.D., and Homeland. Following the small roles, Smith was cast in recurring roles on Queen Sugar and The L Word: Generation Q.
While Smith’s gender at birth was female, he identified as male. With the help of a supportive mother and a close-knit family, he was able to live out his childhood as a boy as well.
Smith has become an advocate for the LGBTQ teen community. He has encouraged them to create their own media, covering their stories and bring more accurate representations of their lives.
Not only has Brian Michael Smith advocated for better transgender representation in television, but he has also put himself out there for those roles as well. Paul on 9-1-1: Lonestar is exactly that character.
Paul’s plight on 9-1-1: Lonestar
During last night’s episode of 9-1-1: Lonestar, Paul found himself flushing glitter out of a pretty woman’s eye after a strip club fight gone wrong. Viewers assumed this was going to go somewhere, but how it played out wasn’t exactly everything it could have been.
Josie showed up with a basket of food to thank Paul and hinted she was interested in him. That set off a chain of emotions and confessions about dating as a transgender male. Brian Michael Smith talked to TV Line about the storyline and how it was an “honest look” into that world.
He did eventually ask her out and the two had a great time bowling. Paul had to tell Josie about himself before things went further and her initial reaction wasn’t positive. She showed back up at the fire station and apologized but revealed she still wasn’t comfortable with the situation. Unfortunately, that isn’t uncommon.
Kudos to Ryan Murphy and 9-1-1: Lonestar for not being afraid to tell real stories about real people on time.
9-1-1: Lonestar airs Monday nights at 8/7c on FOX.