When We Rise is the ambitious eight-hour mini-series on ABC that “chronicles the real-life personal and political struggles, set-backs and triumphs of a diverse family of LGBTQ people who helped pioneer the U.S. equality movement.” One of the trailblazers was Cleve Jones who worked on the Harvey Milk campaign, founded the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and created the Names Project AIDS Memorial Quilt which now weighs over 50 tons.
[Left: Guy Pearce played a drag queen in the 1994 film The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert]
In When We Rise, Cleve Jones is portrayed by Guy Pearce. Americans will recognize Australian actor for his roles in the films The King’s Speech (King Edward VIII), The Hurt Locker (Sgt. Matt Thompson), Iron Man 3 (Aldrich Killian), The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (Adam/Felicia), Memento (Leonard), and L.A. Confidential opposite Russell Crowe (Ed Exley), among others. When We Rise premieres on Monday, February 27 at 9pm on ABC.
