What can't Jordan Roth do?
The seven-time Tony winner and fashion trailblazer is now ready for his close-up on the small screen with his acting debut. Roth plays the polarizing character, Steven Reinhard, in Ryan Murphy's new FX series The Shards.
Based on the bestselling book by Bret Easton Ellis, the soapy queer drama follows a group of privileged teens whose glamorous lives start to fall apart under the dual threats of a mysterious new student and a serial killer on the loose. The series gets even steamier as the young adults navigate relationship drama, drug-fueled excess, and secret sexual hookups.
During the planning stages of The Shards, Roth reveals that Murphy created his role with him in mind. Murphy even reached out to Roth directly to cast him in the project.
"There's no saying 'no' to Ryan Murphy. He actually sent me a DM! He said, 'I wrote you a part. Call me.' I have never dialed a phone faster. He told me all about The Shards and what he had in mind for Steven," Roth tells Out.
Although The Shards relies on a serial killer as one of the central conflicts throughout the show, Roth reminds viewers that the plot heavily leans into all of the real fears that defined the 1980s for the LGBTQ+ community.
"There is the gloss and the glamour and the glitz and the gorgeous, but there is also at the same time, this darkness. We are at the very precipice, in 1981, of AIDS. There is a serial killer on the loose and that is a plot point in our show, but also a metaphor. It is also a metaphor for this killer targeting gorgeous young people in the prime of their lives and clawing them down."
Roth's production accolades on Broadway are undeniable, but the talented artist always knew he was meant to create a legacy beyond his skills behind the scenes. By finally stepping in front of the camera, the star even pulled iconic looks from his own closet to bring Steven Reinhard to life.
"So much of my fashion life I have been able to bring into my acting life. Fashion is a daily opportunity for self-expression. That kind of self creation and self presentation is a deep part of our cultural legacy. It's a wild ride. Strap in kids!"
The Shards airs Wednesday nights on FX. To see the full interview with Jordan Roth, check out the video at the top of the page.
