Matt Bomer and Nathan Lane’s ‘gay Golden Girls’ TV show: what we know so far

Matt Bomer and Nathan Lane are set to star in Mid-Century Modern, a gay take on The Golden Girls set in Palm Springs, according to reports.

Variety first revealed news of the show, which focuses on gay men after mid-life, last month. James Burrows is to direct the pilot.

The multi-cam Hulu series will be created by TV giant Ryan Murphy – known for Glee, American Horror Story and more – plus Will & Grace’s Max Mutchnick and David Kohan.

Who is who in Mid-Century Modern?

According to Variety, Bomer will play Jerry, a ‘ditzy’ character akin to The Golden Girls‘ Rose.

Lane, meanwhile, will play Bunny, a character inspired by Dorothy in The Golden Girls. Linda Lavin will play Lane’s mother.

The show’s title, Mid-Century Modern, is probably a reference to the popular style of architecture in the Californian destination of Palm Springs.

Mid-Century Modern synopsis, as per a Hulu release

“The series follows three best friends — gay gentlemen of a certain age – who, after an unexpected death, decide to spend their golden years living together in Palm Springs where the wealthiest one lives with his mother and a naked Gen Z housekeeper.

“Mid-Century Modern stars Nathan Lane as Bunny Schneiderman, Matt Bomer as Jerry Frank, and Linda Lavin as Sybil Schneiderman, Bunny’s mother. A successful businessman with one foot in retirement, Bunny is forever in search of love, but he first has to be convinced he’s worthy of it. 

“Like her son, Sybil’s strengths are her weaknesses: wise, caring, and iconoclastic – which sometimes means she’s critical, smothering and amoral. Jerry left the Mormon Church and his marriage in his early 20s after his wife informed him and the rest of the congregation that he was a homosexual. Now a latter-day saint in the literal sense of the term, Jerry is pure of heart. He is also hard of body and soft of head.”

What was The Golden Girls?

An enduring gay favourite, The Golden Girls was a beloved American sitcom that aired from 1985 to 1992.

A Sexy and the City-style exploration of friendships between women, but with a focus on the over 50s, the show followed four-sharped tongued seniors living in Miami.

The cast included Bea Arthur as Dorothy Zbornak, Rue McClanahan as Blanche Devereaux, Estelle Getty as Sophia Petrillo and of course, the iconic Betty White as Rose Nylund. Each actress won an Emmy for her role.

All four have since died. White passed away in 2022 at the age of 99.

Who are Matt Bomer and Nathan Lane?

Bomer, who came out publicly as gay in 2012, is known for TV shows like Fellow Travellers and American Horror Story, as well as films like The Boys In the Band and Maestro.

For 2014’s The Normal Heart, Bomer won a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film.

Lane, meanwhile, is known for TV shows like Sex and the City, plus films like The Lion King and The Birdcage. He came out publicly as gay in 1999.

Both actors are also established stage performers, with Lane having won three Tony Awards. Lane is also the recipient of two Daytime Emmys and one Primetime Emmy.

How old were The Golden Girls when the show first aired?

When The Golden Girls’ pilot first aired on 14 September 1985, Arthur was 63 years old, White was 63, McClanahan was 51 and Estelle was 62.

At the time of writing, Bomer is 46 and Lane is 68.