Debra Messing has opened up about why Will & Grace is more important for viewers today than when it originally aired, amid the ‘disheartening’ violence to the LGBTQ+ community.
The beloved program ran for eight series between 1998 and 2006, and later returned for a further three seasons in 2017.
(Eric McCormack) and his best pal, scatty interior designer Grace Adler (Debra), as well as their friends, Jack McFarland (Sean Hayes) and Karen Walker (Megan Mullally).
The sitcom won a string of awards during the initial run, and was .
Speaking to Metro.co.uk on the red carpet of the Just Jack & Will podcast premiere at Tribeca Film Festival – – Debra was questioned on whether she was surprised that the show was still being watched and quoted constantly.
‘The fact that it’s still being quoted doesn’t surprise me because I think the writers were geniuses,’ she told us.
Pride Month 2023
Pride Month is here, with members of the LGBTQ+ community and their allies celebrating their identities, accomplishments, and reflecting on the struggle for equality throughout June.
This year, Metro.co.uk is exploring the theme of, and what it means to the LGBTQ+ community.
Find our daily highlights below, and for our latest LGBTQ+coverage, .
‘They just had a voice for the show that was so distinct so I’m glad that people are still quoting from it.
‘I’m happy that it’s still being watched. Back then it was important in a different way, to have that on prime-time television.
‘Now, sadly, it feels even more important because the homophobic, anti-trans violence and hate has sprung up is really, really scary and disheartening.
‘I’m hoping that the same people whose hearts and minds were changed back in 1998, when we started, hearts and minds will be able to be changed again.’
Will & Grace was hailed as revolutionary by viewers around the world when the series first premiered 25 years ago,
However, not all of the scenes landed perfectly and Eric recently revealed that TV networks actually banned reruns of one episode over a slur.
Pride Month 2023
Pride Month is here, with members of the LGBTQ+ community and their allies celebrating their identities, accomplishments, and reflecting on the struggle for equality throughout June.
This year, Metro.co.uk is exploring the theme of, and what it means to the LGBTQ+ community.
Find our daily highlights below, and for our latest LGBTQ+coverage, .
Discussing how jokes have aged in the two decades since they were first aired, Debra admitted that ‘many’ probably wouldn’t fare well in present day.
‘I’m sure that there are many,’ Debra added. ‘I have not watched it straight through in a long time, but I have no doubt that there are things we did 25 years ago that would not be right in these days.
‘And I think that’s a good thing!’
