About When We Rise

"When We Rise" is a TV mini-series revolving around the personal and political struggles, set-backs, and triumphs of a family of LGBTQ+ activists who helped pioneer one of the last parts of the U.S. civil rights movement. This eight-part miniseries aired on ABC from February 27 to March 3, 2017. The series chronicles their personal struggles to exist in a rapidly changing culture, from the HIV/AIDS epidemic to the fight for same-sex marriage.

Making / Production

"When We Rise" was created by Dustin Lance Black, who also wrote several episodes and directed the finale. The series was inspired by Cleve Jones's memoir "When We Rise: My Life in the Movement". Other directors who contributed to the series included Gus Van Sant, Dee Rees and Thomas Schlamme. The series aims to portray key moments of the movement that occurred from the Stonewall Riots in 1969 to present.

Actors

• Guy Pearce as Cleve Jones - Guy Pearce delivers a compelling portrayal of this profound and fearless LGBTQ+ activist who was the driving force behind the series.
• Mary-Louise Parker as Roma Guy - She plays a social justice activist working through her beliefs and actions for societal equality.
• Michael Kenneth Williams as Ken Jones - Depicts a strong and resilient African-American community organizer dealing with racial and sexual discrimination.
• Rachel Griffiths as Diane - Rachel Griffiths plays Diane, the partner of Roma Guy and gives a strong performance as a women's rights activist.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The series was partially filmed in San Francisco.
• All the major characters are based on real people who were key figures in the LGBTQ+ civil rights movement.
• The series is named after the memoir of Cleve Jones, who was also a consultant on the show.

Quotes

• "It's not for them. It's for us!" - Roma
• "I knew I couldn’t forget being free, being seen, being in love." - Cleve Jones
• "It was the first time I saw it in myself - the potential to change the world." - Ken Jones

Music, Soundtrack

• The series features a score composed by Danny Elfman and Chris Bacon.
• The soundtrack features songs from artists like Lady Gaga, Melissa Etheridge, and Troye Sivan among others.