The Normal Heart (TV 2014)

A gay activist attempts to raise HIV/AIDS awareness during the early 1980s.

Director:

Ryan Murphy

Writer:

Larry Kramer

Stars:

Jim Parsons, Mark Ruffalo, Matt Bomer

Cast

Credited cast:
Jim Parsons	...	Tommy Boatwright
Mark Ruffalo	...	Ned Weeks
Matt Bomer	...	Felix Turner
Taylor Kitsch	...	Bruce Niles
Julia Roberts	...	Emma Brookner
Jonathan Groff	...	Craig
Joe Mantello	...	Mickey Marcus
Armand Schultz	...	Dick Lombardo

Storyline

A gay activist attempts to raise HIV/AIDS awareness during the early 1980s.

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Plot Keywords:

1980s | awareness | gay | gay activism | aids

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Plan B Entertainment

Technical Specs

Color:

Black and White

Did You Know?

Trivia

For the 2011 Broadway premiere of the play "The Normal Heart," the playwright Larry Kramer wrote a flyer called "Please Know" (which he often handed out to exiting audience members himself). "Please Know" explained that most of the events and characters in the play were based on real events and people. Some of the real people he said his characters were based on included: Paul Popham, one of the founders of the Gay Men's Health Crisis (the basis for Bruce); Dr. Linda Laubenstein, an early AIDS researcher (the basis for Emma); and Rodger McFarlane, creator of the crisis hotline that was the precursor to the GMHC and gay rights activist (the basis for Emma). Like McFarlane, Tommy is a Southerner (McFarlane was born and raised in South Alabama). Like Laubenstein, Emma uses a wheelchair (Laubenstein was left paraplegic after a childhood bout with polio). The character of Ned is based on Kramer himself.