Dustin Lance Black Says His New Show Is "Under Attack From the Alt-Right"

Published on 1/10/2017 at 4:15 PM

Dustin Lance Black is perhaps best known for his work on the stunning and transformative 2008 film, Milk. In addition to writing and executive producing, Black also earned an Academy Award for his original screenplay. When it comes to telling LGBT stories like Harvey Milk's, though, Black's just getting started. Enter When We Rise, a new ABC project aiming to tell the history of the gay rights movement, which began with the Stonewall Riots in 1969. On Tuesday, ABC held a panel for the show as part of the Television Critics' Association Winter press tour, and Black was in attendance to stress how vital it is to tell this incredible story. And yes, he managed to allude more than once to today's political climate in the process. Read his poignant quotes below.

On early reactions to the show: "Loud and clear, I want to say this show is under attack from the alt-right. But this show is not a war. We are not against anyone. This shows how we are related. It's a conversation about what its like to be a minority in this word and how important it is for us to work together for equality."
On the show's nationwide appeal: "I think there are a lot of people who voted for Donald Trump who will love this show . . . I don't see this as a show that only half of the country will like. I didn't write the show for half of a country . . . if Donald Trump actually watches the show, he might like the show."
On the show's perfect timing: "I would give anything in the world for it to be less topical right now . . . I never could have imagined that it would land in this moment. I'm not entirely surprised, because as a student of history, we know that history is not a straight line. History is a pendulum."
On including diverse figures who are "alive and thriving": "It was important to me in deciding who to depict that many, if not most [LGBT activists] are still alive . . . I do hope that a new generation looks to these people for more inspiration. We need them more than ever . . . 'We' is the most important word in that title."
On being a minority: "Every single person in this world is a minority. It just depends how you slice the pie."