Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman

Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman is a Canadian actor and fashion model who is widely known for his role as Jay in the comedy-drama series Unreal. He was also one of the main judges on Canada’s Drag Race. His portrayal of Jay, a gay television producer, was acclaimed for its truthfulness and he received much credit for it. Indeed, as an openly gay man, himself, Bowyer-Chapman understands the impact of gay characters in media who are nuanced and three-dimensional.

In an interview, the talented actor expressed his frustration with the industry’s apparent disregard of authentic LGBT roles, which is still dominated by heterosexual narratives. Jeffrey said in that interview that they are good enough. They don’t have to adapt to a straight male or female portrayals to do a character justice. He knows that the LGBT community is valuable and have interesting stories to tell. Wise words from a creative who pulls from real life experiences for his craft.