It's time for a trip to The Bay!
The digital crime-drama series, which recently dropped its season 10 on Prime Video, deals with the scandals and love affairs of the affluent residents of Bay City. There's a lot of drama in this seaside town. But one of the steamiest moments in the new season occurs when Isaac (Dahveed) drops his towel in a prison shower scene alongside Quincy (Anthony Bowens, an Out100 alum and professional wrestler).
"I play Isaac, a Colombian inmate who is the right-hand man to one of the prison’s most intimidating figures," Dahveed explains about his character. "He’s reckless and dangerous, but there’s humanity and vulnerability underneath that. The infamous shower scene brings so much of this season’s simmering tension to a breaking point. Everyone has something to hide, even when there’s nowhere to hide it. It was a cool scene to play."
Season 10 originally premiered on Popstar! TV last December but has gained fresh interest (and social media thirst) after its release on Prime Video. For those wondering about the full-frontal: "No prosthetic. I brought my own equipment," Dahveed confirms.
The bisexual actor, who previously appeared in Pose and When They See Us, is proud of his moment to be vulnerable on-camera. "It felt like a love letter to my body," he shares. "I haven’t always been comfortable in my skin. Especially online, it can feel like we’re constantly being ranked by how desirable we are. I wanted to show up without treating my body as something I needed to fix first. I’m Latino, hairy, tattooed, and uncircumcised. I haven’t often seen bodies like mine represented this way onscreen. Getting to bring mine to a mainstream audience, exactly as it is, felt empowering. This is me: uncut, unfiltered, and comfortable in my own skin."
"A naked body doesn’t automatically make a scene sexual," he adds. "My penis is part of my body, and the context matters. Once the cameras rolled, I was thinking about Isaac’s intentions and the tension in that room. Everyone on set made me feel comfortable enough to commit fully to the performance."
Dahveed shares that overall, it was "exciting" to join The Bay, which has garnered 23 Daytime Emmy wins since debuting in 2010, including 10 trophies for its lead Kristos Andrews. It was also an opportunity for the Colombian native to connect with his background. "Getting to collaborate with a fellow Latino, creator and showrunner Gregori J. Martin, and bring Colombian Spanish into some of the dialogue made it especially meaningful. I loved bringing that part of myself to the character," he says. In addition to acting, Dahveed is a musician whose "bisexual weed anthem" was a hit on social media in 2024.
His experience with The Bay marked Dahveed's return to acting following the tragic loss of his husband last year. He's grateful for the opportunity. "I came back with a deeper appreciation for being alive and getting to do what I love. There’s something precious about being here, in this body, with yet another story to tell," he says.
"If the scene gets people looking, I’m happy to have their attention. I hope they stay for more."
The Bay is now streaming on Prime Video and Tubi.
