Transgender teen Nicole Maines makes her acting debut as a guest star in ROYAL PAINS episode 704, 'The Prince of Nucleotides,' airing tonight, June 23, at 10/9c on USA Network.
Maines will play "Anna," a teenage choreographer who is transgender, whom Hank (Mark Feuerstein, "Defiance," "Good Morning Miami") treats and soon discovers that some of the hormones she is taking for her transition may be endangering her health. usa network has partnered with PFLAG, - the original family and ally organization uniting people who are LGBTQ with families, friends, and allies - to raise awareness of people who are transgender and to provide support and resources to viewers. The partnership includes a special PSA, featuring Mark Feuerstein, which will run during the episode on June 23 and on social media.
Nicole Maines is a 17-year old senior high school student who made history in January 2014 by winning a landmark transgender rights case in the state of Maine. This was the first time that a state court has ruled that transgender students be allowed to use the bathrooms that align with their gender identity.
Maines has a strong voice that reaches beyond the state of Maine to promote change and equality for all. At the young age of thirteen, she served as the keynote speaker at the 2011 GLAAD banquet and in 2012. Maines and her family received the Roger Baldwin Award, the Maine ACLU's highest award for civil right advocacy. In November of 2014, Maines was named one of Glamour Magazine's 50 Inspiring Women of the Year, when she was chosen to represent the state of Maine in their feature: "Hometown Heroes: 50 Phenomenal Women of the Year Who Are Making a Difference."
"Playing Anna on
ROYAL PAINS was an incredible experience and the amount of warmth and encouragement that I received from the cast and crew was so unexpected, but welcome," said Maines. "Everyone's words were so supportive and kind and they really made me feel part of the cast immediately, and made my very first television acting experience a pleasure --one I will remember forever."
"The Maines' family story has been a journey of love, education, acceptance and celebration, but initially they thought they were on this path alone. Now, as part of the extended PFLAG family, we are so proud to see Nicole step confidently into this challenging and groundbreaking role on ROYAL PAINS," said Elizabeth R. Kohm, Deputy Executive Director, PFLAG National. "With the visibility of people who are transgender at an all-time high, it is more important than ever that PFLAG's support and educational resources are easy to find and readily available. We are thrilled to partner with our friends at
usa network on a public service announcement to bring that important, and potentially life-saving, information to its viewers."
This very special episode of ROYAL PAINS, episode 704 "The Prince of Nucleotides," (airing on Tuesday, June 23 at 10/9c) starts off with Hank (Feuerstein) treating a transgender teenager (guest star, Maines) who learns her life is more complicated than he expected. Evan (Paulo Costanzo, "Joey") and Jeremiah (Ben Shenkman, "Drop Dead Diva") host a gala fundraiser for the Center for Rare & Orphan Diseases and Jeremiah makes a major purchase for the lab. Meanwhile, Paige (Brooke D'Orsay, "Two and a Half Men") and Evan's journey to
PARENTHOOD takes an unexpected turn, and Divya (Reshma Shetty, "30 Rock") grows closer to Prince Quami (guest star, Wole Parks, "Devious Maids"). Vanessa Williams ("Ugly Betty," "Desperate Housewives") also guest stars.
ROYAL PAINS is written and executive produced by Andrew Lenchewski and Michael Rauch. Rich Frank also serves as executive producer along with Jeff Kwatinetz from Prospect Park. Connie Burge, Carol Flint and Jon Sherman are executive producers. Jack Bernstein and Jessica Ball are co-executive produce. The series comes from Universal Cable Productions.
ROYAL PAINS films entirely in New York (Long Island and Brooklyn) and at locations around the Hamptons. New episodes of season seven air Tuesday nights at 10/9c through July 21 on
USA Network.
About
USA Network:
USA Network, the leader in cable entertainment, offers a powerful stable of dramatic, comedic and unscripted originals in more than 102 million U.S. homes. The network also features spectacular live television, a dynamic portfolio of acquired series and the best in blockbuster theatrical films and entertainment events. A trailblazer in digital innovation and storytelling,
USA is defining, driving and setting the industry standard for Social TV.
USA is a program service of NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment, a division of NBCUniversal. USA's award-winning website is located at http://www.usanetwork.com.
About Universal Cable Productions:
Universal Cable Productions (UCP) creates innovative and critically acclaimed original scripted and digital content across media platforms for domestic and international distribution. UCP's content library spans classics such as Emmy-award winning, "Monk," and cult favorites "Psych," "Battlestar Galactica" and "Warehouse 13." In the U.S., UCP's programming can be seen across various networks including: "Covert Affairs," "Dig" (March 2015), "Playing House," "Royal Pains," "Satisfaction" and "Suits" on
USA Network; "Ascension", "Defiance," "Dominion," and "12 Monkeys" (Jan. 2015) on Syfy; "Girlfriends' Guide To Divorce" on Bravo; "Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome" on Machinima Prime/YouTube,
Syfy and DVD/Blu-Ray; and "Side Effects" on Awesomeness TV/YouTube. Universal Cable Productions is a part of NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment, a division of NBCUniversal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies. Follow us @UCPisTV.
About PFLAG:
Founded in 1972 with the simple act of a mother publicly supporting her gay son, PFLAG is the original family and ally organization. Uniting people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) with families, friends, and allies, PFLAG is committed to advancing equality through its mission of support, education, and advocacy. PFLAG has more than 350 chapters and 200,000 supporters crossing multiple generations of American families in major urban centers, small cities, and rural areas in all 50 states and Puerto Rico. To learn more, visit pflag.org.
