‘Nashville’s Palladio on gay plot: ‘There’s a lot of pressure’

Nashville

‘s Sam Palladio has discussed the show’s ongoing gay storyline.

The actor – who plays Gunnar Scott in the ABC drama – said that there has been “a lot of pressure” for the cast to get the storyline right.

Over the course of Nashville‘s second season, viewers saw Will Lexington (Chris Carmack) struggle to come to terms with his sexuality, despite Gunnar’s encouragement to come out.

Will’s sexuality was revealed to viewers towards the end of the first season when he tried to kiss Gunnar early on in their friendship.

Talking to Glamour about the plot, Palladio said: “I think it’s great. I think it’s been well executed and Chris Carmack who plays Will is a great great friend of mine and I have so much fun working with him on set, we’re like a couple of brothers, and some of my best work has been with Chris.

“It’s a lot of pressure with that sort of storyline, in a conservative region and in a subject that within the country music scene is still kind of kept under wraps and there’s rumours and secrets that fly around and it’s not an environment necessarily where country singers come out all the time.

He continued: “It’s not necessarily that sort of safe environment whereas in other music where it’s not a problem at all you get more followers from being gay or being open about it, whereas here it can be seen as something that’s not celebrated.

“That shouldn’t be the case of course, but, yeah, those storylines have been great,” the British actor added.

Nashville will return to ABC in the US on Wednesday, September 24 with an episode that will feature live performances direct from the set. The new season is expected to air in the UK in 2015.

> ‘Coronation Street’: Antony Cotton teases new gay storyline
> ‘True Blood’ star criticises Luke Grimes for ‘gay’ exit