Photography - William Thompson

Interview - Taj Hayer 

Omari wears black suit from The Kooples, grey suit from Stella McCartney and mustard two piece from Hugo Boss. 

With lockdown life becoming the new norm, it is understandable that television should become something to get excited about and look forward to. With that in mind, It’s A Sin could not have arrived at a better time. Launching on Channel 4 on 22 January 2021, the show has the remarkable accolade of being the first British TV series that directly addresses the HIV and AIDS epidemic. 

Set in the mid Eighties, the show follows the lives of a group of youngsters, with all of them shaking off their old lives and embracing what a vibrant London has to offer. Roscoe, played by the rising star Omari Douglas is one of the most entertaining of the stories to watch. This is even more impressive when you consider that the role is his first on screen, having previously been a stage actor, appearing in productions of Rush, High Society and Wise Children. We thought that the timing was right to put him under the Spotlight. 

Tell us about Roscoe, the character that you play in Its A Sin?

He is from South London and at the beginning of the show, he is 17. There is a domestic struggle going on, with his family and traditions going against the life that he has been living. He is presented with quite a sudden dilemma so he makes a fight or flight decision to fly the nest. Then he has to find his people, which he does. He meets Richie, Gill, Ash & Colin and they head to the Pink Palace. From the outset, Roscoe is very bold and doesn’t conform in lots of ways and I think he is very proud of that. I guess he has to be so confident because of the cost of walking away from his family. 

You have some wonderful scenes with Stephen Fry. What was he like to work with?

It was amazing. He is an icon. I found out a few months before we started filming that he was going to be involved. He was very kind, and we went for a tea the night before we started to shoot together, and was a wonderful, generous man, full of stories and knowledge and he is really generous with that knowledge. I think that what is amazing about Stephen is that he had immediate, personal access to the AIDS and HIV epidemic, which was only 40 years ago. So having people like Russell and Stephen working on the project who have their own accounts of some really harrowing things made what we were making on seem so much more important and relevant. 

Did you have to do anything specific to prepare for the role? 

We were blessed to have a prep week, which was essentially a chance for the six main characters to just sit and talk which sounds quite trivial but I think it was really important for us to become familiar with one another and build chemistry. This is a show about friendship, and that is really at the epicentre. All of the joy that you see on screen was the same as we were off screen. We are all very close and I loved spending time with them. We made a real effort to spend as much time together as possible. 

What do you think that you want watchers to take away the most about Roscoe’s journey on the show? 

Endurance I think, because Roscoe is so unapologetic in how he presents himself to the world. I hope that can be a source of inspiration for people, on the most basic level as a message to be yourself, and if you feel like you want to express yourself in a certain way, to go ahead and do it. 

How have you reacted to your first TV role being in such a talked about show?

I think given the timing of the show, and with people sitting down at home than ever before, it feels like an opportunity. This is a chance for people to engage in something that is really important. So its a real honour that It’s A Sin is my first TV project. It felt like there was a service in what I was doing and it was really nice to be able to make something that will, I hope will stand the test of time. There are certainly parallels with what we are going through right now and the AIDS epidemic, although, of course, people at the time viewed HIV and AIDS with great prejudice and fear, and it was portrayed in such a way in the media, that Covid definitely isn’t. I hope that people will go away and look into the way that the government and the media handled things in the Eighties. 

How familiar were you with the work of Russell T Davies?

I would say that close to its entirety! Queer As Folk was just a glimmer in my mind when it first aired because I was quite young but I definitely remember it being a very significant cultural moment. I think all of his work has a really strong cultural significance. I was at drama school when Cucumber came out and a big deal was made of watching it every week. 

What are you working on next? 

At the moment I am happy riding the wave of how things are at the moment. I was due to do a play at Trafalgar Studios last year which got cancelled. Luckily we were commissioned by the BBC to perform it as a script reading which Rupert Everett joined us on. 

And finally, what makes a rakish gent?

Grace and elegance. 

Quick fire questions 

Ideal travel destination - Tokyo 

Best store in the world - Acne Studios 

Gadget of choice - My phone 

Go to pair of shoes - My chunky white trainers from Bershka

Brand/ designer of choice - Acne Studios 

Favourite fragrance - Maison Francis Kurkdijan 

Essential grooming product - My afro comb 

Recommended app - Costar 

Icon - James Baldwin 

It’s A Sin is scheduled to air on Channel 4 on 22 January 2021. 

Follow Omari Douglas on Instagram.