How State of the Union's Nonbinary Barista Challenges an Older Couple
State of the Union. The 10-episode (10 minutes each) series stars LGBTQ+ icon Patricia Clarkson (High Art, Far From Heaven) as Ellen and Brendan Gleeson (The Tragedy of Macbeth) as Scott — a Connecticut couple coming apart in large part over social issues.
They interact regularly with Jouléy’s character Jay at the coffee shop ahead of their couples counseling sessions. Directed by Stephen Frears (Philomena, Dangerous Liaisons, My Beautiful Laundrette) and written by Nick Hornby (About a Boy), the series explores the implacability of some folks to accept that life as they knew it is changing.
With each cup of coffee Jay serves to Scott, he’s forced to grapple with their being nonbinary as well as, often, environmental issues, ethical coffee production, the impending obsolescence of cow’s milk in hot beverages, etc., that come up in conversation.
Meanwhile, Clarkson’s Ellen, who begins as the more progressive half of the couple, eventually makes assumptions about Jay — that they must be vegan, and more.With roles on High Maintenance, Blindspotting, and Inventing Anna, nonbinary actor Jouléy’s character acts as a bit of a pedagogue to Ellen and Scott, who both make assumptions about their gender and sexual identity.
