Actress Sharon Gless made a rare public appearance at the Queer as Folk 25th anniversary reunion panel. Held during the TV Academy’s Televerse Festival, the event drew a crowd eager to see the cast of the groundbreaking Showtime series reflect on its legacy. Gless, 82, spoke about how she felt upon reading the script for the first time, saying she knew “it was trouble, and I wanted to be a part of it.”
The reunion brought together creators Ron Cowen and Daniel Lipman, along with cast members including Peter Paige (Emmett), Gale Harold (Brian), Scott Lowell (Ted), Michelle Clunie (Melanie), Thea Gill (Lindsay), and, to the delight of fans, Sharon Gless.
How ‘Queer as Folk’ Made History
Queer as Folk shattered barriers and gave a voice to a community rarely seen on television. The star’s character, Debbie, was known for her unconditional love and fiery protectiveness of her son, Michael (played byHal Sparks, who was not present), and his friends. Her performance gave voice to many LGBTQ+ viewers and their families. “I knew it was going to be different,” Gless said on the panel. “I knew it was going to change lives.” The performance earned her a devoted following long after her iconic run as Detective Christine Cagney on the hit 80s procedural, Cagney & Lacey.
The Legacy of Cagney & Lacey
Before she was Debbie Novotny, Sharon Gless was a television trailblazer as Detective Christine Cagney on the seminal CBS drama Cagney & Lacey. The show, which ran from 1982 to 1988, was a rarity in its time: a police procedural centered on the professional and personal lives of two female detectives. Gless starred alongside Tyne Daly, who played the grounded, married mother Mary Beth Lacey, while Gless’s Christine Cagney was the career-focused, single woman.
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The show became a critical darling, earning 14 Emmy wins from 36 nominations over its run, with both Gless and Daly regularly taking home top honors for their dynamic performances. Gless herself won two Emmy Awards for her portrayal of Cagney. The show tackled social issues that were considered taboo for television at the time, including breast cancer, domestic violence, and alcoholism, with a two-part episode dedicated to Cagney’s struggles with alcohol.
The chemistry between Gless and Daly was the heart of the show, showcasing a partnership between two women who were not friends outside of work but had deep respect and reliance on each other. Cagney & Lacey broke new ground for women on television, paving the way for the complex female characters seen in countless shows today.
