User:DaniloDaysOfOurLives/Kyle: Difference between revisions
→Development: Added quote Tags: Mobile edit Mobile web edit Advanced mobile edit |
→Development: Added Tags: Mobile edit Mobile web edit Advanced mobile edit |
||
| Line 32: | Line 32: | ||
==Development== |
==Development== |
||
As Sally debuted before Kyle, Wallace became the first transgender person to play a transgender character in a British soap opera.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Soap's Transgender Journey |magazine=[[Inside Soap]] |date=16–22 June 2018 |issue=24|page=15}}</ref> |
|||
"Kyle was introduced under mysterious circumstances initially as questions surrounding Stacey's key brought him into her life".<ref name="Exit 2" /> |
"Kyle was introduced under mysterious circumstances initially as questions surrounding Stacey's key brought him into her life".<ref name="Exit 2" /> |
||
Revision as of 11:31, 1 July 2024
| Kyle Slater | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EastEnders character | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Duration | 2015–16 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| First appearance | Episode 5164/65 30 October 2015 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last appearance | Episode 5391 25 November 2016 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Classification | Former; regular | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Created by | Dominic Treadwell-Collins | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Introduced by | Dominic Treadwell-Collins | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Kyle Slater is a fictional character from the British BBC soap opera, EastEnders, played by Riley Carter Millington.
Casting and creation
In February 2015, EastEnders executive producer Dominic Treadwell-Collins announced at National Student Pride that EastEnders was looking to cast a transgender actor for a transgender storyline.[1] He explained that he wanted to do research on the subject in order to tell the story "properly", which he said he "always" likes to do for the soap.[1] At the time of his announcement, rival soap operas Coronation Street and Hollyoaks had had transgender characters played by non-transgender actors.[1] Treadwell-Collins spoke about wanting to cast a transgender actor, explaining, "you have to cast a trans actor, but you also don't want to mess up the story because EastEnders reaches so many people and a lot of our audience are quite traditional. The power of EastEnders is we can change the world a little. You can change it gently and influence people who would be maybe quite bigoted".[1] EastEnders worked with groups in the transgender community and held workshops to find an actor for the role before creating and developing the character.[2]
On 9 October of that year, it was announced that 21-year-old transgender actor Riley Carter Millington had been cast in the role of Kyle.[3][4] It was Carter Millington's first acting role, and he was excited to be joining the soap, saying, "I can honestly say that I have now fulfilled my two biggest dreams - to be living my life as a man and to be an actor".[4] He added that he could not wait to "get stuck in with filming" and was looking forward to what was in store for Kyle.[3] Not much was revealed about the character, but it was reported that he would move in briefly later that month and then be a "new permanent resident" by the end of 2015.[4] It was also revealed that Kyle has "secrets" and would be " thrown right into one of [the soap's] biggest stories".[3][4] Speaking of the casting, Treadwell-Collins revealed that he made sure to cast the right actor for the role after being very moved by the life stories of the transgender actors who auditioned.[4] He explained, "The people we met showed us a strength and bravery that took our breath away. To go through as much as they have while maintaining humour and a positive view on the world is testament to what special people we met".[4] He also believed that EastEnders was well-known for "pushing boundaries with stories", such as the HIV diagnosis of Mark Fowler (Todd Carty) and the first gay kiss on a British soap opera, adding that the soap has "always led the way in changing audience perceptions about 'difference'".[4] He added that the EastEnders story team had worked with Millington to make Kyle "fresh and relatable" and hoped that fans would quickly take him "to their hearts".[4][3] The producer also stressed that casting Millington was not an act of tokenism, calling the actor "an inspirational young man whose warmth immediately comes through the screen" in addition to a "talented" actor.[4][3][2] EastEnders casting a transgender actor to play a transgender character made British soap opera history., and EastEnders bosses described it as landmark moment.[3][5] One of Millington's former tutors at Eccles College told Manchester Evening News that she always knew that Millington was "very talented" and would succeed, adding, "Everyone one at Eccles Sixth Form Centre is very proud of him".[3] Days after the announcement, Millington was pictured filming with Lacey Turner, who portrays Stacey Slater, in what was thought to be a Christmas episode.[2] Millington initially signed a six month contract, and this was later extended to twelve.[6]
Reflecting on the role in 2022, Carter Millington explained, "When I went to university to study acting I was in my own little world, trying to be stealth. I was new into my transition and my main focus was just trying to get on with life and, in a way, avoid those feelings and emotions that are attached to it. When I got the role on EastEnders people knew, suddenly, who I was, my identity. They had those questions in their mind regarding my body. It was, at times, quite intrusive. But now I see the bigger picture. I have a great life. I've been really fortunate, in comparison to a lot of people. I've never received or had to deal with harassment, bullying, things like that".[7]
Development
As Sally debuted before Kyle, Wallace became the first transgender person to play a transgender character in a British soap opera.[8]
"Kyle was introduced under mysterious circumstances initially as questions surrounding Stacey's key brought him into her life".[9]
Kyle arrives in mysterious circumstances.[10][9] Kyle begins stalking Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner) and reveals to Stacey that he is her paternal half-brother, but Stacey's dying great uncle, Charlie Slater (Derek Martin) tells that Stacey's father, Brian Slater, only had daughters (in addition to Sean (Robert Kazinsky)).[10][11] However, EastEnders bosses confirmed that Kyle is Stacey's brother and was assigned female at birth.[10] Kyle repeatedly tries to get Stacey to believe that they have the same father and tells her that she does need to be scared of him. He then comes out to her as transgender, revealing that he used to be called Sarah.[11] Stacey is accepting of Kyle and they begin to bond, and Kyle later moves in with Stacey and her family.[11][12][9] Kyle reveals to Stacey that his mother has never accepted him as a man and he struggled to live as the person he had always felt he was on the inside.[13][12] Many of Kyle's storylines have revolved around his and Stacey's family connections.[14]
Stacey attempts to get Alison and Kyle to reconcile, but is unsuccessful.[13] Alison is depicted as struggling to accept that Kyle is transgender and has transitioned.[14]
Shortly before leaving, Alison acknowledges Kyle as a man.[13]
Millington praised EastEnders fans for the "overwhelmingly positive" reception that they have given him and spoke about how his life had changed since joining the soap, commenting that it is "weird to have people following me around in shops!"[12] Millington commented on how the role was increasing understanding about the transgender community; he told Radio Times that he had received a letter from a trans man telling him that he had been disowned by his mother, but they had known reconciled due to seeing the similar storyline regarding Kyle.[14] Millington added that he was very happy being on EastEnders and that his character's story "has a lot to give".[12] Millington revealed that people had been asking if Kyle would get with gay character Ben Mitchell (Harry Reid), commenting, "People think gender is the same as sexuality [...] but Kyle's not gay".[12] Millington believed that it would be "interesting" to see Kyle dating women.[12]
Kyle begins working as a chef for Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt).[6]
https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/denise-welch-lands-eastenders-role-7625383
On 14 September 2016, it was announced that Millington would be departing EastEnders as Kyle.[9][6] Speaking about his exit, Millington said, "When I landed a 6 month contract at 'EastEnders' it was a dream come true. For that to be extended to a year was something I never expected. However, as the time comes for Kyle to depart Walford I am looking forward to taking on new roles and who knows, Kyle may find his way back to Walford one day."[6] Kyle's exit was announced at the same time that a number of other characters were also announced to depart, including Ronnie Mitchell (Samantha Womack), Roxy Mitchell (Rita Simons), Pam Coker (Lin Blakley), Les Coker (Roger Sloman), Babe Smith (Annette Badland) and Claudette Hubbard (Ellen Thomas), among others.[15] An EastEnders inside told Metro that "Kyle's storylines on the show came to a natural end for now", whilst an EastEnders spokesperson confirmed that Millington would be departing and wished him "all the best for the future".[9] Kyle's exit storyline was not revealed, but it was expected that the door would remain "open" for the character to return.[9] Duncan Lindsay from Metro teased that Kyle was "armed with the knowledge" of Steven being behind the robbery, but did not confirm if that would lead to his departure.[9]
"I will always be so grateful to the BBC for creating a landmark moment in history by casting me as the first trans actor to play a transgender role in UK soap history. It's pretty special, right? The BBC not only gave me a chance, and hope for my career, it provided the UK and the world a symbol of hope by representating more people from our diverse culture. It also opened up the possibilities for many others."[16]
–Millington on his gratitude to the BBC (2022)
In Kyle's final months on the soap, he looks out for Stacey as she does her best to look out for her family.[17] Kyle considers moving out when Martin's daughter, Bex Fowler (Jasmine Armfield), moves in and there is not enough room for everyone, but Stacey stops him as it is the "last thing she wants" and she decides to get a bigger house for them.[18] Kyle is later offered a job abroad, but due to the household struggling financially, he tells Stacey that he will be turning it down.[17] Due to Millington's departure, a writer from Soaplife speculated that Kyle would change his mind and questioned how Stacey's family would be able to afford the rent after his departure.[17]
Storylines
Reception
Following the news of Millington joining the soap, transgender actress Bethany Black, who had previously auditioned for EastEnders, praised the casting, saying, "It's about time we saw more trans roles on television. Being trans is like being gay was in the late 90s - it's a cool thing, so people are saying, 'Let's go and do this as a storyline'. As we progress we're going to see more of these roles. It's democratising the whole process."[4] Transgender journalist and presenter Paris Lees also praised the decision to introduce Kyle, calling it the "biggest thing to happen" for the transgender community in Britain that decade.[2] She added, "I didn't think Dominic Treadwell-Collins could top bringing Kathy back - but he's managed it! As a pop culture moment this is massive and a sign of the times."[2]
For his role as Kyle, Millington was nominated for "Best Soap Newcomer" at the 2016 TV Choice awards.[19] Kyle's debut was nominated for the "LGBT+ Media moment" award at the 2016 British LGBT Awards.[20] For his role as Kyle, Millington was placed first on the 2015 Rainbow List, with Sarah Morrison writing "The 21-year-old is the first trans man to top the Rainbow List. After decades of directors arguing that there were not any transgender actors to cast in high-profile roles, Millington is proving them wrong. Our judges felt his decision to play the character Kyle in EastEnders could help trans people – even save lives – and represents a landmark cultural moment."[21] Millington was also nominated for "Inspirational Role Model Of The Year" at the 2016 European Diversity Awards.[6]
The Daily Mirror called Kyle a "mystery newbie" and reported how fans were "baffled" when Kyle told Stacey that he was her brother despite Charlie saying that Brian did not another son, with some questioning who Kyle was.[10] Danny Walker from the same website called the scenes where Kyle comes as transgender to Stacey as "emotional" and reported how it had shocked some viewers, but also noted how some fans had already predicted it.[11] https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/therainbowlist/rainbow-list-2015-interview-with-no-1-riley-carter-millington-a6731531.html
A writer from Soaplife worried that Kyle's exit could cause Stacey "a lot of grief" due to Stacey having come to depend on Kyle "for his cool head – and his hot stuff in the kitchen".[22]
Laura-Jayne Tyler from Inside Soap thought that it was a shame that Kyle would no longer be appearing.[23]
In 2018, Kerry Barrett from Soaplife wrote about Kyle possibility returning, explaining that "Kyle left the Square just as we were getting to know him, but we liked him a lot", and suggested that Kyle could return with his sisters Shannon and Siobhan "in tow".[24]
A writer from BBC Bitesize included Kyle joining the soap as one of EastEnders's "Memorable LGBTQ moments" in its history, calling Kyle a "historic role" and a "landmark moment" for EastEnders.[13] A writer from Irish Independent believed that "Transgender actors are beginning to make an impact on television", citing Millington, Rebecca Root and Annie Wallace.[12]
Speaking about the announcement of Kyle's exit, Rachel McGrath from HuffPost wrote that "mass exodus is continuing" and joked that "Albert Square is going to be pretty empty at this rate".[6] A writer from Hello! reported how fans were left "baffled" and shocked by the news of Kyle's departure after the announcement of several other upcoming exits, with fans writing their shock and disappointment over the "countless" cast departures.[25] The writer observed that there "must be something in the water" at EastEnders due to "yet another cast member" announcing their exit.[25]
Duncan Lindsay from Metro wrote that Kyle was introduced in "mysterious circumstances" but had since "put roots down in Albert Square".[9] Lindsay reported how viewers had praised the episode which introduced Kyle's mother and that Millington had "won acclaim" from fans for his performance as Kyle on the soap.[9]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d Finbow, Katy (28 February 2015). "EastEnders to have transgender storyline, says executive producer". Digital Spy. Hearst Communications. Retrieved 28 June 2024.
- ^ a b c d e Jefferies, Mark; McGeorge, Alistair (11 October 2015). "EastEnders' transgender actor seen on set for the first time as Riley Carter Millington makes soap history". Daily Mirror. Reach plc. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f g Lubin, Rhian (9 October 2015). "Transgender actor Riley Carter Millington from Stretford to join EastEnders playing the soap's first trans character 'Kyle'". Manchester Evening News. Reach plc. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "EastEnders casts transgender actor in transgender role on UK television". BBC News. BBC. 9 October 2015. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
- ^ Shackleton, Niamh (26 January 2022). "EastEnders' Kyle Slater actor Riley Carter looks worlds away from first appearance on soap". OK!. Reach plc. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f McGrath, Rachel (15 September 2016). "'EastEnders' Spoiler: Kyle Slater Actor Riley Carter-Millington Becomes Sixth To Leave In Two Months". HuffPost. BuzzFeed. Retrieved 1 July 2024.
- ^ Cockayne, Luke (22 January 2022). "Actor Riley Carter says it's important for TV to depict transphobia: 'It can change opinions'". PinkNews. Retrieved 28 June 2024.
- ^ "Soap's Transgender Journey". Inside Soap. No. 24. 16–22 June 2018. p. 15.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Lindsay, Duncan (14 September 2016). "EastEnders spoilers: Goodbye Kyle Slater! Riley Carter Millington leaves the show". Metro. DMG Media. Retrieved 1 July 2024.
- ^ a b c d Jefferies, Mark; Agius, Nicola (7 January 2016). "EastEnders mystery newbie Kyle IS Stacey Slater's brother... but is yet to reveal he is transgender". Daily Mirror. Hearst Communications. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
- ^ a b c d Walker, Danny (21 March 2016). "EastEnders viewers react as transgender Kyle finally confesses to Stacey - 'I was your sister Sarah'". Daily Mirror. Hearst Communications. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Eastenders' transgender star praises show reaction". RTÉ.ie. RTÉ. 28 June 2016. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
- ^ a b c d "Memorable LGBTQ moments in EastEnders history". BBC Bitesize. BBC. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
- ^ a b c "Transgender star Millington praises EastEnders fans for positive welcome". Irish Independent. Mediahuis Ireland. 28 June 2016. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
- ^ Dainty, Sophie (19 September 2016). "EastEnders exits: Which character are you going to miss the most?". Digital Spy. Hearst Communications. Retrieved 28 June 2024.
- ^ "What does the BBC mean to you?". The Observer. 20 February 2022. p. 10.
- ^ a b c "Bye, Bye Kyle!". Soaplife. No. 394. 19 November – 2 December 2016. p. 21.
- ^ "Martin Fights for His Family!". Soaplife. No. 390. 24 September – 7 October 2016. pp. 4–5.
- ^ EastEnders News Team (28 June 2016). "TV Choice Awards shortlist voting begins". BBC. BBC. Archived from the original on 30 June 2024. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
- ^ "LGBT+ Media moments 2016". British LGBT Awards. Retrieved 24 November 2023.
- ^ Morrison, Sarah (15 November 2015). "Rainbow List 2015: 1 to 101". The Independent. Retrieved 24 November 2023.
- ^ "Stacey's House of Horrors!". Soaplife. No. 392. 22 October – 4 November 2016. pp. 16–17.
- ^ Tyler, Laura-Jayne (3–16 December 2016). "Hits & Misses!". Inside Soap. No. 48. p. 130.
- ^ Barrett, Kerry (21–27 July 2018). "Jean's Family Get-Together!". Soaplife. No. 449. p. 16.
- ^ a b "EastEnders fans have a meltdown over countless cast departures". Hello!. Polestar Sheffield. 16 September 2016. Retrieved 1 July 2024.
Category:EastEnders characters Category:Television characters introduced in 2015 Category:Slater family (EastEnders) Category:Fictional chefs Category:Fictional transgender men Category:Fictional LGBT characters in television Category:English male characters in television