Netflix is reporting for duty this fall with the new eight-episode series BOOTS, a comedic drama starring Miles Heizer and Vera Farmiga. The series, inspired by Greg Cope White’s memoir The Pink Marine, is set to premiere on October 9.
“Boots was easily the hardest and most fun thing I’ve ever been a part of. The show is interesting because it manages to find the humor in a very intense experience, which is the only way to live, in my opinion! It’s also rare in that it’s 50% acting and 50% actually struggling through training and DI screams,” star Miles Heizer said in a release to media from Netflix.
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Created by Andy Parker and co-showrun by Jennifer Cecil, with legendary producer Norman Lear serving as an executive producer, the series offers an offbeat take on the coming-of-age story in a challenging setting. BOOTS promises to explore themes of friendship, resilience, and finding one’s place in the world.
What is Boots about?
Set in the tough and unpredictable world of the 1990s US Marine Corps, a time when being gay in the military was illegal, the series follows the journey of directionless and closeted Cameron Cope (Miles Heizer). Cope is joined by his best friend Ray McAffey (Liam Oh), the son of a decorated Marine.
The series chronicles their experience as they join a diverse group of recruits, navigating the literal and metaphorical landmines of boot camp. Ray McAffey, Cameron’s best friend, is a ride-or-die companion who carries the pressure of being the son of a strict Marine father. When boot camp shakes his faith in himself, he is forced to reevaluate his life’s trajectory.
The ensemble forges unlikely bonds as they are pushed to their limits, discovering their true selves in an environment designed to break them down. Before enlisting, Cameron lives in a chaotic home with his narcissistic mother, Barbara Cope (Vera Farmiga). A chameleon always on the run due to the consequences of her actions, Barbara becomes unmoored when her son ships out.
The series also features Sergeant Robert “Bobby” Sullivan (Max Parker), an elite Recon Marine decorated for valor on numerous missions. Haunted by his past, Sullivan struggles to keep his secret hidden, seeing himself in Cameron and attempting to prepare him for the personal war he will face beyond boot camp.
Main cast of BOOTS
- Miles Heizer as Cameron Cope: A directionless and closeted young man who joins the military.
- Liam Oh as Ray McAffey: Cameron’s best friend, who carries the pressure of being the son of a strict Marine father.
- Max Parker as Sergeant Robert “Bobby” Sullivan: An elite Recon Marine decorated for valor on numerous missions.
- Vera Farmiga as Barbara Cope: A chameleon always on the run due to the consequences of her actions, and Cameron’s mother.
- Cedrick Cooper as Staff Sergeant Marcus McKinnon
- Ana Ayora as Capt. Denise Fajardo
- Angus O’Brien as Thaddeus Beau Sterling Hicks
- Dominic Goodman as Isaiah Nash
- Kieron Moore as Nicholas Slovacek
- Nicholas Logan as Sergeant Cary Wayne Howitt
- Rico Paris as Santos Santos
- Blake Burt as John Bowman
Ensemble cast of BOOTS
- Brandon Tyler Moore as Cody Bowman
- Zach Roerig as Sgt. Knox
- Anthony Marble as Harlan McAffey
- Joy Osmanski as Setsuko McAffey
- Ivan Hoey Jr. as Benjy Cope
- Logan Gould as Mo Mason
- Jack Kay as Joshua Jones
- Troy Leigh-Anne Johnson as Alice
- Jonathan Nieves as Eduardo Ochoa
- Brett Dalton as Sgt. Pitowski
Production Details
The eight-episode series is a production from Sony Pictures Television for Netflix. It is created by Andy Parker, who also serves as co-showrunner and executive producer. Jennifer Cecil is the showrunner and an executive producer. The executive producers are Andy Parker, Jennifer Cecil, Norman Lear, and Brent Miller through ACT III Productions, Rachel Davidson, Scott Hornbacher, and Peter Hoar (who also directed the first episode).
