Celebrating Pride Month with Grace McLeod: A Journey in Queer Storytelling

By AGBOVERSE Staff

As Pride Month bursts into full bloom, it's the perfect time to spotlight a trailblazing figure in queer cinema and theater: Grace McLeod. Grace, a vibrant playwright and filmmaker in the LGBTQIA+ community, sat down with the AGBOVERSE to discuss her journey, inspirations, and the vital importance of representation in media. Dive into their conversation and explore the dynamic world of queer storytelling that Grace embodies. 

From Intern to Innovator: Grace McLeod’s Journey

Growing up on the Upper West Side of New York City, Grace McLeod always had a passion for writing. She reminisces, “I did a lot of essays and short fiction, but it wasn’t until high school that I had an ‘aha’ moment. I interned doing script coverage, and it clicked for me that people wrote my favorite movies.” She then moved to Chicago for college, attending the University of Chicago. The city’s dynamic theater scene provided a fertile ground for her storytelling skills to flourish even further.

Grace’s work typically draws from her personal experiences to craft authentic and meaningful stories, always with a side (or entrée) of humor. One of her early short films, Under The Table, cleverly uses the familiar trope of a daughter bringing home a significant other for Thanksgiving. However, Grace adds a unique twist by having the daughter bring her girlfriend, which reveals the true social hypocrisies and complexities of queer identities within supposedly liberal families. This film definitely foreshadows Grace’s future filmmaking journey by establishing the themes that continue to inspire her.

Queer Stories with a Comedic Twist

Grace’s passion lies in crafting queer stories that resonate, particularly in the realm of teen comedies. Reflecting on her inspirations, she says, “I was obsessed with shows like Pretty Little Liars and Glee. There was always that one queer character, and I wanted to see them as the protagonist.”

Her love for 90s teen comedies and the iconic Mean Girls drives her creative vision. “I still think Cady and Regina should have ended up together,” she jokes. Grace’s aim is to bring a fresh perspective to the genre, blending humor with the nuances of queer experiences.

Representation & Hot Ted

Grace emphasizes the need for diverse queer stories in media. “When I first came out, I Googled ‘gay movies’ and watched a lot of sad, tragic lesbian films. Now, I want teenagers to find a variety of queer stories, including comedies and teen dramas.”

Her latest project, Hot Ted, exemplifies her innovative approach. “It’s a horror-comedy set at an all-girls sleepaway camp. The campers are obsessed with a new counselor, Hot Ted, but one girl suspects he’s a serial killer,” Grace explains. The film blends humor and horror to explore themes of self-doubt and fear.

Grace is currently in development for Hot Ted, with Kevin Hart’s production company, HartBeat Productions as well as Billy Magnussen’s production company, Happy Bad Bungalow. Billy is also going to be starring in the film while Daisy von Scherler Mayer is set to direct. 

Grace also co-created a fiction podcast series called Two Truths and a Lie with her friend Jessica Fisch about a queer teen murder mystery comedy which they are now developing for TV! Check out the pilot episode HERE

Celebrating Queer Creativity

Grace’s journey from high school playwright to accomplished filmmaker is a testament to the power of perseverance and passion. She credits programs like the Tribeca Film Fellows for transforming her career and encourages those starting out to apply to everything that catches their eye. “Applying to that [TFF] program changed my life. I realized I was a writer, and I haven’t looked back since.”

As we celebrate Pride Month, Grace McLeod hopes to inspire and honor creativity within the queer community. Her dedication to authentic and diverse storytelling not only entertains but fosters the next generation of queer representation.

Here’s to Grace McLeod and all the queer storytellers making their mark in the world. Happy Pride! 

Keep an eye out for Grace’s upcoming projects and stay tuned for more from AGBOVERSE! 

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