Northern Irish gay actor Fra Fee stars in first-ever primetime drama centring same-sex adoption

Northern Irish actor Fra Fee is starring in Lost Boys and Fairies, a new BBC One primetime drama that is making history for its portrayal of a same-sex couple embarking on an adoption journey.

With the first episode having aired on June 3, Lost Boys and Fairies is a three-part series inspired by Welsh screenwriter Daf James and his husband’s real experience with adoption. The heartfelt story, filmed in Wales, follows a gay couple as they go through the highs and lows of trying to adopt a son.

Set against the backdrop of Cardiff’s queer scene, the series is a touching and emotional story about love and overcoming obstacles and trauma. It has already received critical acclaim for its innovative portrayal of the adoption process from an LGBTQ+ perspective.

Northern Irish actor and singer Fra Fee stars in the drama as Andy, one of the two main protagonists. Born and raised in Dungannon, Tyrone, Fee has become famous for his roles in the Disney+ series Hawkeye and the 2012 film adaptation of Les Misérables.

In the past, the actor has opened up about the evolving acceptance of LGBTQ+ identities in his home country. “I love going back home now and I feel very welcome. I’m hopeful that young gay people in Northern Ireland have an easier time of it. There’s so much more queer visibility in the media and culture and that makes a big difference,” he shared in a 2022 interview with The Irish Times.

Fra Fee stars opposite Cardiff native Sion Daniel Young in the BBC drama, who has made a name for himself after featuring in National Theatre productions like War Horse and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. In a recent interview with Ryan Tubridy on Virgin Radio, the pair spoke about what it was like to work on a series like Lost Boys and Fairies.

Fee drew parallels between his own personal story and his character’s, saying: “I came from a background similar to Gabriel’s in the story. You know, religious background, Catholic background, very, very rural…”

“You’re the only gay in the village?” Tubridy quipped, to which Fee responded: “Well, you know, it turns out that I’m definitely not!”

He then recounted: “Once I came out, they came out in their droves. Big time! But it’s completely understandable, though, because, you know, there was no visibility, even when I was watching TV as a teenager.”

During the interview, Fee also spoke about Graham Norton and how he paved the way for queer representation in Ireland. “Graham Norton was such a hero because he was an out and proud and brilliant, brilliant sort of media personality and actor.”

Fee continued discussing the lack of representation in media when he was growing up, highlighting how times have changed since.

“Years later to be doing this story that’s just so unbelievably positive,” the actor began. “I think that’s why I find it such a profoundly moving thing to do, because Gabriel and Andy are deeply, deeply in love with each other. It’s a beautiful relationship. It just so happens that they’re two men.”

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