Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman on his first TV crush, ‘Doogie Kamealoha,’ and bringing more queer stories to Disney
Noah’s Arc, The L Word, and the global Drag Race franchise, the actor’s current role on Disney+’s Doogie Kameāloha, M.D. finds him living and working in gorgeous Honolulu, Hawaii for a few months out of the year.But even more than the sun and the sand, what Bowyer-Chapman has most loved about filming on the island of Oahu has been the chance to educate himself on the native Mahu culture, a rich history and community of trans and nonbinary people.In turn, he’s been able to work with the team behind Doogie Kameāloha to weave that culture into the show, which he calls a literal dream come true.“It is the honor of a lifetime to be able to bring to life some of those themes and storylines to this new generation on a Disney show,” Bowyer-Chapman tells us. “When young queer kids turn on their televisions, they can finally see a reflection of themselves and their stories being shone back at them in a positive and true light.”With the second season of Doogie Kameāloha, M.D., we took that opportunity to get Bowyer-Chapman in the hot seat as the latest guest in our rapid-fire Q&A series, Dishin’ It.
In our conversation, the star talks more about the impact Mahu women have had on his life, his early Home Improvement crush, and the film he’s proudest of that he hopes more people get a chance to see.
A post shared by Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman (@jeffreybchapman)Is there a piece of media—whether a movie, TV series, book, album, games, etc…—that you consider a big part of your own coming-out journey, or that has played an important part in exploring your own queerness?
Why does it stand out to you? Anyone who knows me knows how pivotal a role Buffy The Vampire Slayer played in my formative years.
