Angus O’Brien. Photo: Instagram
Actor Angus O’Brien, an out gay man, is gaining recognition for his role as recruit Thaddeus “Beau” Sterling Hicks in the Netflix military drama Boots.
While the series’ central gay storyline focuses on the openly gay actor Miles Heizer as the closeted protagonist Cameron Cope, O’Brien’s presence as an openly queer actor in a secondary but prominent recruit role adds to the show’s authentic LGBTQIA+ representation.
O’Brien plays Hicks, who is described as an unpredictable “wild card” and a troublemaker. His character brings an unhinged, yet sometimes endearing, energy to the intense boot camp setting.
The series, set in the early 1990s before “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” explores the hyper-masculine, secretive environment faced by queer people in the military. Having out gay actors like O’Brien, Heizer (Cameron Cope), and Max Parker (Sgt. Sullivan) in key roles underscores the show’s commitment to authentic storytelling, even when those actors are playing straight or antagonistic characters.
O’Brien’s casting is viewed as a significant breakthrough, positioning him as a rising queer voice in Hollywood. He has been vocal about his experiences navigating the industry:
In a 2018 essay for Teen Vogue, O’Brien wrote about the complicated experience of playing a character who was a transphobic bully on the show Rise while he himself is an advocate for the LGBTQ+ community.
He emphasizes the importance of queer stories being told and the need for greater representation for all marginalized people within the industry, even as a “straight-passing, white, cisgender, gay man.”
O’Brien has also previously appeared in the series Hightown and Night Sky. His visibility in a high-profile, globally-distributed show like Boots is seen as a positive step for queer actors.
