In the late 1990s, Andy Parker, then a closeted gay teenager, took an unexpected step: he invited a Marine Corps recruiter home. His aim was to persuade his parents that joining the military was a good path for him.
Parker openly admitted that this decision stemmed from a desire ‘to prove something, or escape something, or run from who I was.’ His parents, though not entirely against the idea, were understandably baffled by his choice.
While Parker ultimately didn’t enlist, a serendipitous event occurred over two decades later during his work with Sony Pictures Television. He received a copy of ‘The Pink Marine,’ a 2016 memoir by Greg Cope White, who had joined the Marines in 1979 as a closeted teenager.
For Parker, reading ‘The Pink Marine’ felt like glimpsing ‘the road not taken.’ He eagerly seized the chance to adapt this powerful coming-of-age narrative for a screen adaptation.
The culmination of this effort is ‘Boots,’ a new series set to premiere on Netflix this Thursday, overcoming production hurdles caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and Hollywood strikes. Andy Parker serves as its creator and co-showrunner for this poignant comedic drama. Notably, it also marks one of the final projects executive produced by the legendary Norman Lear, who passed away in 2023 at 101, and who had been a longtime mentor to Cope White.
Jennifer Cecil, co-showrunner known for her work on shows like ‘The Umbrella Academy’ and ‘Private Practice,’ described ‘Boots’ as ‘the little engine that could.’ She emphasized the profound belief everyone involved had in the series, a level of dedication she noted is not always common in the industry.
The narrative of ‘Boots’ centers on Cameron Cope, a character inspired by Greg Cope White, portrayed by Miles Heizer. Cameron is a young, gay recruit who joins the Marines in 1990 alongside his straight best friend. He faces the rigorous physical and mental demands of boot camp, all while concealing his sexuality during a time when it was illegal for gay individuals to serve openly in the military. This challenging period preceded the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, which was implemented in 1993 and remained in effect until 2011.
This series premieres at a particularly sensitive time for queer individuals within the U.S. armed forces. Just last February, a Trump administration policy was enforced by the Defense Department, mandating the discharge of transgender troops.
Parker clarified that the show’s intent is not to be a polemic, but rather ‘to shine a real light on the personal cost of these policies.’ He hopes it will reveal the profound psychological, spiritual, and emotional toll on individuals forced to conceal their true selves, lie, or feel ostracized from an organization they cherish and a country they wish to serve.
During his service in the early 1980s, Cope White privately came out to his close friends and family. He remarked on the irony that ‘The Marines definitely gave me the confidence to come out.’
Cope White’s professional relationship with Lear began in the 1990s, collaborating on short-lived sitcoms like ‘The Powers That Be’ and ‘704 Hauser.’ Their shared veteran status — Lear a technical sergeant in the Army Air Forces during WWII, and Cope White a six-year Marine communications specialist before becoming a TV writer — formed a strong bond.
Cope White recalled Lear’s fascination with the ‘sergeant element’ of his life and his passion for ‘exploring stories of ‘other.’’ He credited Lear’s years of mentorship and their military anecdotes as the crucial foundation for writing his memoir.
Throughout the development of ‘Boots’ at Sony, in collaboration with Lear’s Act III Communications, Lear played a thematic role, shaping ‘the spirit of the show,’ as Parker explained. He even had the opportunity to view an early cut of the premiere episode.
While drawing inspiration from Cope White’s memoir, the series intentionally changes names and plot details. The setting was also moved from 1979 to 1990, a strategic decision by Parker to place the narrative before the ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy took effect, and to introduce the looming threat of the first Persian Gulf War as a backdrop for a possible second season.
Parker emphasized that the showrunners actively avoided creating a ‘drab and bleak’ military drama. Instead, ‘Boots’ features a vibrant soundtrack filled with period-appropriate anthems from artists like Wilson Phillips and George Michael. Composer Jongnic Bontemps further enhanced the energetic score by ingeniously incorporating military items such as ammo cans and bullet casings as percussion.
After an extensive casting search, Miles Heizer, known for his supporting roles in NBC’s ‘Parenthood’ and Netflix’s ’13 Reasons Why,’ was chosen for the lead. His natural lack of machismo proved to be a valuable asset, fitting the character of Cameron who begins boot camp utterly unprepared.
Heizer humorously recounted the types of roles he often auditions for, noting that playing ‘Jennifer Lawrence’s husband with two children’ feels unrealistic for him. However, when he saw the casting call for a ‘scrawny, gay loser’ for ‘Boots,’ he instantly recognized it as a role he could truly embody.
Despite being 31 years old and portraying an 18-year-old, Heizer, who came out at 19, found it surprisingly easy to reconnect with the mindset of a closeted teenager.
Heizer reflected, ‘Sadly, it’s so easy for me to jump back there.’ He cherishes Cameron’s journey because it’s not about the character discovering his sexuality; Cameron is already aware and accepting of being gay. The true conflict lies in the ‘conundrum of learning all these new things about yourself at the cost of hiding this other part of yourself.’
Cope White, now 65, shared that early in his entertainment career, he often felt pressured to conceal his sexuality. While Hollywood attitudes have progressed, he still views the casting of Heizer, an openly gay actor, in a role based on his own life as revolutionary, having once believed he would never ‘live to see a time when we’d be able to cast an out gay actor to play a gay character.’
A pivotal element from Cope White’s memoir that he insisted on bringing to the screen was the authentic depiction of his deep, platonic friendship with his straight best friend, Dale. In the series, this character is named Ray and is played by 24-year-old newcomer Liam Oh.
Oh noted that often, narratives involving gay and straight characters subtly weave in ‘secret longing.’ However, he emphasized that Cameron and Ray’s bond is different: ‘They are not attracted to each other. They just love each other.’
While the series primarily focuses on Cameron and his all-male platoon, women are featured in significant supporting roles, including a strong commander portrayed by Ana Ayora and Cope White’s unique mother, Barbara, played by Vera Farmiga. Heizer admitted that acting alongside Farmiga was ‘absolutely terrifying’ at first, as she is ‘someone that I’ve loved and looked up to for such a long time.’
Filming primarily occurred in New Orleans, with a decommissioned naval base serving as the stand-in for the Marine Corps training facility on Parris Island, S.C. The intense Louisiana heat added significant challenges, particularly for the cast who frequently performed outdoor scenes in full uniform, burdened with heavy packs and replica firearms.
To guarantee an authentic portrayal of the boot camp experience, the writing team included three Marine veterans, one of whom was Cope White himself. Additionally, three other Marine veterans acted as dedicated military advisers, ensuring accuracy. Parker clarified that their role was to provide authenticity, not to grant ‘permission’ for creative decisions.
The showrunners were keenly aware of potential reactions to ‘Boots,’ given existing perceptions of the U.S. armed forces. Parker stated he ‘never wanted this to be a propaganda piece for the military,’ nor did he intend it to be an ‘assault against it.’
He concluded by stating that a core theme of the show is ‘who gets to be counted as an American, who gets to be included in the story.’ Referencing Norman Lear’s legacy of expanding narratives, Parker expressed hope that ‘Boots’ achieves a similar goal in an appealing and impactful manner.