Broadway Alum Russell Tovey Joins Jonathan Groff in HBO's Gay-Themed Series Looking

Russell Tovey (The History Boys) has landed his first big U.S. TV role HBO's gay-themed dramedy Looking, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Starring Broadway and Glee favorite Jonathan Groff, Looking is about a trio of friends living in San Francisco and exploring the fun and sometimes overwhelming options available to a new generation of gay men. No premiere date has been announced.

Tovey will play Kevin, a gay character and video game wunderkind who made a fortune at a young age and is a close friend of lead character Patrick (Groff). Based on Michael Lannan’s 2011 short film Lorimer, Looking will also star Frankie J. Alvarez (Smash), Murray Bartlett (Guiding Light) and Emmy nominee Scott Bakula (Behind the Candelabra). The pilot was directed by Weekend director Andrew Haigh.

Tovey, who is openly gay, has not played a gay character before and recently told the U.K.'s The Independent: "Every character I play is straight, which is unique, my agent says, because it's not really been done before that someone who is completely out is able to play straight roles. So for me to play gay it has to be something special, because it might actually be more of a risk."

Tovey appeared as Rudge in the 2006 Broadway production of Alan Bennett's The History Boys. He is best known as the werewolf George Sands on the BBC supernatural drama Being Human, which later inspired a U.S. version on Syfy. Tovey's other TV and film credits include Little Dorrit, Doctor Who and Sherlock.