It's A Sin Q&A - Frameline

About the series:
Set in 1981, Ritchie (Olly Alexander), Roscoe (Omari Douglas) and Colin (Callum Scott Howells) are young lads, strangers at first, leaving home at 18 and heading off to London with hope and ambition and joy… and walking straight into a virus that most of the world ignores. Year by year, episode by episode, crossing the whole decade, their lives change as the mystery of that illness starts as a rumor, then a threat, then a terror, and then something that binds them together in the fight.
Panelists include:
Russell T Davies, Creator, Writer
Lydia West as Jill Baxter
Olly Alexander as Ritchie Tozer
Neil Patrick Harris as Henry Coltrane
Callum Scott Howells as Colin Morris-Jones
Omari Douglas as Roscoe Babatunde
Nathaniel Curtis as Ash Mukherjee
Moderated by Russell Tovey (LOOKING)
With thanks to HBO Max.

[@jjhall1963]

I've been positive, longer than I've not been positive. I'm 57yo and have been positive for 33 years. Fortunately, I've been able to measure my profound loss and grief with so much love and joy. When you are dying everything matters, and yet nothing matters. I love and miss so many of my f-d up and crazy-ass friends. When you think you are going to die and you don't, is a major gift. Insight is wonderful..........Any time I feel down, I remember I've won the greatest lottery of all, I'm healthy and still alive. Thanks for the wonderful series.

[@ce3586]

I know what you're saying. I've literally been poz for 50% of my life at this point.

[@jjhall1963]

@@ce3586 Let's keep it going......

[@jm7804]

Wow. Good for you John. I would recommend that you never live like there's no tomorrow, because obviously you've had many, many tomorrows. Looks like you're in it for the long haul just like the rest of us. I knew people back in the day who got diagnosed and went on expensive trips, blew money left and right, and did every reckless thing you can imagine. And they never got sick. Then they were positive and big time broke.

[@jjhall1963]

@@jm7804 Thanks for the encouraging word.

[@ashleighfallon7897]

Wow! You're brave for sharing your story. Positive people can live a normal life and I'm sure you'll be 80 y/o pissing yourself and moaning about the weather in a nursing home just like a negative person. 😂Take care . Stay safe xxx

[@lawrenceforsyth632]

I tested positive in 1986. I found myself in tears at times while watching. So many friends are no longer here so I've gone through survivor guilt also. At 71 it's surreal to have gone through that period and be in retirement now, doing well on meds (started on Biktarvy this year).

[@chrisbee9164]

Long may your meds continue to keep you well. You have nothing to be guilty about, but I know what you mean. I’ve suffered something similar. God bless xxx

[@ashleighfallon7897]

We love you, Lawrence xx

[@donna5580]

Neil Patrick Harris sounded like Mrs Doubtfire when he was trying to do the Welsh accent...Love this series so much!

[@maxmartinez5930]

I was surprised how I became invested with the characters. Very well written and acted. I was really effected by the stories.

[@promenteryrobbins]

Callum is a superstar among the stars

[@simonchune9513]

💯❤️

[@joelarama]

I could literally weep seeing you all. What an incredible series. I was a true ugly mess after the last episode and I really missed all of your characters. Such classy, CLASSY TV and writing. 👏🏼☺️

[@daviddeveau5101]

Wonderful show and great cast. The story took me back to the time when i had to call my friends parents in 1990 (in Toronto) to tell them he was in the hospital with AIDS. I lived through the whole thing. And it's a miracle that I am here to watch great drama like this. Cheers to us all.

[@alanmundy1536]

Yes for those of us who have lived for 30 years or more with this disease, one is left wondering why one has lived when so many others died. In my case in more than 30 years I have never had a AIDS related illness and indeed despite having had cancer and sepsis four times in the past two years, I have survived.

[@j.michaels4566]

Roscoe's breakdown over how people around him were dying but he was somehow unscathed hit home. I had a guilt cry after that episode. I think there are a lot of people my age who lived thru the 80's and saw people die that felt that at some point in their lives. Thank you to everyone involved for this great project that really effected all lgbtq+ people then and now. This is our story, our history. Thank you.

[@SD-bi2cf]

OMG this is fabulous!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The chemistry between them all is just as it is in the series. Magnificent on so many levels!

[@roberthardy7781]

An excellent show which truly helped me. After 17years of dealing with my diagnosis on my own and keeping it secret and hiding meds, this helped me tell my family and close friends . Thank you from the bottom of my heart. It’s been hard and now getting easier for me xx xx xx

[@fatmasaid7401]

So proud of you, and sending lots of love.

[@maillad]

a masterpiece of history.. I have no words but sublime... thank you

[@RoulinBrooks]

It's cracked me up when Neil was doing a pretty bad Welsh accent and Russell said laughing "That's Irish."

[@gclout011]

At 18, I came out and it was 1980 and I was thrust into gay culture working at a gay gym. Life was finally amazing, but soon clouded by the terrible devastation of loved ones, friends, and clients. Glad to see the emotions of the time so well played out here...Never forget!

[@martinmaynard141]

Me too. I remember saying cerca 1983 it may be worse for those of us who survived. I am glad to say that I am now hitting 60 and can look back on a life well lived because at 22 I didn't know how long I would have.

[@hooper-binx4828]

Nathaniel’s smile makes my heart warm

[@dav7444]

Absolutely fabulous series and terrific writing and acting from all the main players and supporting players. Quality. And with many people like me (I was 16 in 1980), this has brought a lot of memories

[@Challenger540i]

Russell Tovey is our leader here in the UK.... a wonderful, talented gentleman x And what a cast and show...awesome! Super proud ! x

[@marioredboy78]

I just adore Callum! I can't wait to see what's next for him. His personality and relatedness and his accent🙌🏾💜🔥

[@curtbonnell4308]

This is an AMAZING series and I highly recommend it to everyone. All the actors are superb but I must admit that the Colin character won my heart. And can I just say that I was sooooooo delighted when Colin's boss got what he deserved, dirty bastard!!!!!!!!

[@that1monk]

I've lived through two pandemics now that have affected me personally, since I'm an HIV long term survivor. It's wonderful to know that the younger generations have ways to understand our shared history.

[@lindsayiddon4008]

I want to be friends with every person interviewed here.

[@vampire7144]

Same though 😭

[@cgrant2522]

I've watched and cried through this programme. I still think its important even in the generation to educate about HIV aids. The stigma is still there. I recently found out a young in Scotland died of aid not known he had it over 2 yrs and pasted away Jan last year.

[@wordscontrolminds]

It’s really quite shocking that in an era when we have fantastic medication, people are still dying - I think there’s still a lot of fear and stigma around getting tested. If everyone got tested we could end this chapter in history.

[@rodbacote8607]

It's truly a brilliant show. It reminded me of the dear friend I lost just a couple of years after I moved to LA in the early 90's. But I think it resonates today because we are reminded of all the losses we're experiencing in the pandemic as well as back then. But it also angers me that there is still no cure and it goes back to that adage about how if a disease was impacting the straight population, they'd move faster to find a cure. And now there are how many different vaccines to deal with covid? And while there are things like Prep to help with HIV, I think about how many could have been saved if the same expediency had been used to fight AIDS in the 80s.

[@blanchefan]

What a lovely bunch of people--talented and charming!

[@zanadu4]

Thanks Frameline for this timely presentation.

[@lynneroberts9602]

I was a brand new nurse during the 80s and the " care" these patients recieved ( where I worked ) was the best that we could provide at the time , sadly fear and ignorance influenced our practice ( and lack of research) Absolutely fantastic series , thanks to all 😀

[@johnrmce]

Having known someone who was my girlfriend's uncle who died of AIDs in the 80s and the fear we all had that we could catch it from drinking out the same cup and they were put into isolation and so brought back so many memories and was excellent.

[@damianleah6744]

Love how they have all got huge smiles on their faces 👍🏻👍🏻😎😁

[@harvey1965]

An amazing cast. An amazing series. I lived through this at the time and at the same age of the characters AND the show is so accurate and true to what it was like to live through! It was heart breaking and terrifying at the time and Russell T. Davies has captured in perfectly. This show took me back to both the joy, terror and trauma which inhabited this time in my life. Superb series; thank-you Russell, from Australia. In regard to Tovey's point about actors and audiences disappearing; so true, in our little gay circle of folk in Melbouurne Australia ... people disappeared - slowly for years and years. People we knew, familiar faces from out and about just disappeared... one day there and then gone. It was and still remains such a heartbreaking time - a wound we all quietly carry to this day. God bless all the beautiful men and lads we lost AND there were so, so many.

[@alansw10]

The bond between these players is SO undeniable. Bravo.

[@karapinksen3755]

A beautiful and powerful series, thank you for your fabulous representations of that terrible time. Took me two days to recover from the weeping though....too many beautiful people lost. As a mom of an lgbtq kid, I’m grateful that the world has changed.

[@richardhunter7363]

I didn't just cry over this program, I sobbed. I was 18 in 1981, the same age as the characters. I remember sitting round the TV watching the public info film and the stories that we heard, scared of the information we were being given. But more than anything, I was ashamed of the way we treated people, this I was not aware of. The isolation wards and enforced lock ups. This is one of the most powerful pieces of TV I have ever watched and even with people talking about the show I have cried just watching this interview.

[@richardkeating3575]

This starts on Israeli television next Sunday. I can't wait to see it, especially after seeing this.

[@djpookie2000]

I just finished it, and loved every minute. Every character touched me. I'm sad it is over.

[@bradleywilliams3238]

Russell is something else !

[@StephenTurnerVlogs]

Such a great interview. I love them all even more if that was possible.

[@BamblingsofNaffy]

This is one of the most heartwarming things to watch. Thank you x

[@hunglikejesus6097]

This show was so damn good I couldn’t help but enjoy it. Though I watched it much like I watched Brokeback Mountain with a bit of wonder and embarrassment. I’m not gay, but I’ve tried to put myself in the shoes of someone who is and it never works. It’s like trying to imagine being white while not white. Anyway, the show kept me in tears and brought me better level of understanding. By the way, Lydia West has these most beautiful smile in the world.

[@tsg50647]

Loved the Show!❤️..great work too Russ x

[@knappflickan]

I absolutely adore this show & this amazing CAST! ❤️✨🙌

[@tatita9]

You created something very important. You can be proud.

[@dorothy1329]

i absolutely LOVED the show and i absolutely loved this interview ! these are a group of people i would so happily sit and listen to for hours, all of them !

[@highheartwellness]

Wonderful panel discussion! Thanks for writing about these stories Russell

[@0211coxy]

Neil! Take Callum to ellen with you!

[@RM-lj8bv]

Best thing on telly in a long time.

[@robertmcbride1859]

I love this interview. Wonderful.

[@markbaker2826]

Fckn Awesome Russell !

[@HellaGeo]

So awesome! Thank you for getting this together and sharing!!! ❤️🏳️‍🌈

[@anthonywatts2033]

Just wished I had bought the Pink Palace apartment back then!

[@spiritsky111963]

loved this show. so emtional

[@traceyhouston9152]

Tears are tripping me !!😂😂😂😂 love it!!!

[@unclenelvis]

I'm a gay of a certain age and it brought more than a tear to my eye. Xx

[@MikePhillipsTraining]

Fantastic! Loved the series - especially 31 + years of being diagnosed, at age 22. With no disrepect to the celebrities who have, rightfully praised this phenomenal series. I'd say that those of us with HIV who lived through it, are in some way the best judges. It's been raw, brutal and, most importantly, authentic. I personally knew the real Jill (Nalder) back at that time. I'd love to thank her and RTD in person. You're awesome. Russell Tovey, a perfect host - our hero! Yet all the friends I lost (not celebrities) would be applauding Its a Sin for ensuring they aren't forgotten. Thank you all. Your impact has been massive.

[@MrFoziy79]

@@MikePhillipsTraining 100% agree with all your comments :)

[@MikePhillipsTraining]

@@MrFoziy79 Thanks Paul. Without doubt the best thing I've seen in years - with the exception being Years and Years with the incredible Russell Tovey.

[@philiplee5994]

La 💘

[@jennywren8170]

La

[@chrisevans6290]

Callum is awesome

[@Michael-xi9nb]

Lydia in cut-out Prada(?) Yes!

[@kenb3552]

The shame about the US release - it was restricted to HBOMax. LOTS of people don't have HBOMax - it's too new. So, It's A Sin has not taken off here in the US - not at all. Sure gay people have gone out of their way to see it, but the rest of America hasn't even heard of it. Truly a shame.

[@sandraburns1180]

I want to be in Ollys gang ❤

[@megan3206]

La 💕💗💕

[@jeffreyH360]

Russ.... Patrick should have picked Kevin ( Looking)

[@fong03]

Ignoring the writer and focuses only on the actors. Well done, Russell. 😂 RTD should never hire him again haha

[@johnfuture4328]

Hey there,, I'm from California 34 yrs old single gay,, you?????,,,,,.

[@tyamada21]

A very interesting video - thank you all very much : ) I'd like to recommend a new mind-blowing autobiography by a gay author which I think you'll also find to be extremely interesting to know about, titled: Saved by the Light of the Buddha Within.

[@davidmcclellan9959]

HI RUSS HOW YOU DOING LOVE DAVID

[@ElizabethCarterMedia]

[@amyclarke41]

ok

[@gareth3152]

Russ (yeah I'm str8? acting) mate.( Toxic, yeah mate)

[@gareth3152]

Uffff, like, like, like, like, like, like. Grow up creep

[@jamesc7019]

Hated It’s a Sin. Bad writing & bad acting. Nothing like Gay 80s

[@anthonywatts2033]

Don't know where you lived in the 80s (perhaps Narnia?) But bloody close to my lived experience.

[@saywhat1512]

@J Cann. As a troll you’re pathetic, mate.