You get to exhale now, Simon.
It's the powerful scene that's opened hearts and minds around the world. When Jennifer Garner's character said those iconic words in 2018's hit LGBTQ+ film Love, Simon to her gay son, queer people truly felt seen in more ways than one. Coming out is an extremely difficult process for millions of people, so Garner's impactful message of support helped heal many on their respective journeys.
Although the film came out eight years ago, the touching scene has become one of Garner's defining moments. The actress even called Love, Simon the most "important" role of her career, and she still feels that way to this day.
"Truly nothing touches my heart more than being approached about Love, Simon. It doesn't matter if you ask me to shoot it on the moon. I want to practice saying those lines. I want to be this mom," Garner tells Out.
Not only has Love, Simon helped countless queer fans come to terms with their sexuality and identity, but it's created a path for parents to love and accept their children.
"I want to help other women or parents see a way through. If their child tells them something that culturally might be hard for them to hear, I want to help them see the path forward. I'm just so grateful I got to play that role," Garner says.
There's no denying the impact of Love, Simon, but Garner is now starring in another emotional and relatable series titled The Five Star Weekend. Based on the popular book, the Peacock show follows a group of close friends as they come together to support Garner's character after she loses her husband in a car accident.
Starring alongside Garner is a stacked cast that includes Chloë Sevigny, Regina Hall, D'Arcy Carden, Gemma Chan, Judy Greer, and more. The talented stars portray dynamic women who are all experiencing their own struggles as they figure out their next chapters at a certain age.
As a gay icon herself, Sevigny was thrilled to add another exciting project to her incredible résumé of TV shows and films that have resonated with the LGBTQ+ community.
"From If These Walls Could Talk to Boys Don't Cry, I just knew that these were stories that I wanted to see and I thought the world should see. I think it's great to normalize it in people's homes. They turn on the TV and see it. I think that can only benefit all the viewers out there," Sevigny tells Out.
In addition to Garner and Sevigny, Carden shines in The Five Star Weekend as she plays a woman who starts to question her sexuality later in life after being married to her husband and having children.
"It's not uncommon! I know more and more people in my life who are coming out later in life. To see Brooke come into herself... she's so afraid of anything she deems not perfect. She's put up this shiny exterior of what she thinks is her perfect life. It's such a beautiful thing to watch. You have one life," Carden says.
The true theme of The Five Star Weekend is chosen family. There are so many uncertainties that come with the rollercoaster of life, so Chan hopes audiences can take a deep breath and connect with their loved ones while watching this series.
"It's so important. Friendship is the breadth of life. I don't know where I'd be without my nearest and dearest friends. This show explores the complexities of friendship. The lesson to me is that we should all afford each other some grace and ourselves some grace," Chan says.
The Five Star Weekend is streaming now on Peacock. To see the full interview with Jennifer Garner and Chloë Sevigny, check out the video at the top of the page.
