Miles Heizer To Star In Netflix’s Gay Marine Series ‘The Corps’
Netflix's 'The Corps' will follow a gay teenager who has been bullied and decides to enlist in the U.S. Marines.
Netflix has announced its latest series, and it seems it will be of particular interest to two groups not often associated with one another: LGBTQ persons and those in the military.
The Corps follows the story of a gay teenager who has been bullied and decides to enlist in the U.S. Marines.
The setting is 1990, a period when being gay in the military was a criminal offense, as underlined by “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell.”
His straight best friend also signs on to serve in the Marines, and the two navigate through the challenges of basic training camp and their sexual identities in an era when things were not as good as they are now for many in the LGBTQ community.
At present, Netlifx describes The Corps, which is a working title, as a dramedy, meaning it expects viewers to become emotionally invested and laugh. The subject matter seems touchy, but it’s entirely possible that the talented team behind the title — which doesn’t yet have a release date — will be able to thread that needle and pull it off.
The Corps takes its premise from the inspiring memoir of Greg Cope White, The Pink Marine. The streamer has ordered 10 episodes to start.
The series features an impressive cast led by Miles Heizer, who plays the gay teen Cameron Cope, and Liam Oh, who plays his straight best friend Ray McCaffey.
Additionally, Vera Farmiga will play Cameron’s mother, while Max Parker is set to portray a Marine sergeant who forms a strong bond with Cameron. Other cast members include Cedrick Cooper, Ana Ayora, Angus O’Brien, Dominic Goodman, Kieron Moore, and Nicholas Logan.
One of the biggest selling points of The Corps is the legendary Norman Lear, the mastermind behind the production. Despite being 100 years old, Lear is still hard at work, and The Corps is just his latest project.
Amazingly, it’s not the only thing he has in the works, either — he has another show coming to Netflix later this year.
Lear’s storied career has been marked by numerous successes, particularly in the 1970s, when he wrote and produced some of the most beloved sitcoms of all time. All in the Family, Maude, Sanford and Son, One Day at a Time, The Jeffersons, and Good Times are just a few of the many shows that bear his creative imprint.
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