The third season of the queer-led crime drama Hightown, featuring Monica Raymund, is set to conclude the series. In an interview, GLAAD’s Yolanda Lenge spoke with Monica Raymund, who plays Jackie Quiñones and showrunner Rebecca Cutter about the show’s representation of the LGBTQ community, Jackie’s character development, and the significance of inclusive storytelling.
In Season 3, which premiered January 26th on STARZ, we continue to follow Massachusetts State Trooper Jackie Quiñones as she battles her personal struggles and the consequences it has on her career. Despite her setbacks, Jackie remains determined to assist and protect the often overlooked and marginalized victims in Cape Cod, specifically sex workers.Jackie Quiñones, an agent of the National Marine Fisheries Services, identifies as a lesbian and confidently utilizes her badge to attract romantic interests in “P-Town,” the renowned LGBTQ haven of Provincetown, MA.
Monica provides an insight into the development of her character and emphasizes the significance of incorporating a sincere portrayal of progress. “I think that Jackie has evolved, [and] we see her evolution is pretty messy. … It’s a lot of stumbling, a lot of missing. She’s been able to overcome a lot of that, a lot of her own demons and sort of trauma and resentment, but it’s hard because she takes a few steps back as she’s trying to reach that next level. I think it’s important to show that because that’s what I think everybody goes through. It’s a human experience and to be able to not normalize it, but I think it reflects the actual true experience that we all go through. That’s important.”
Showrunner Rebecca discusses her involvement in the series and emphasizes the significance of writing inclusive narratives. “I feel like when we’re allowed to tell stories from a truthful place it’s not about a demographic. It’s about telling a truth and then casting the right way and having it be a true representation and not just one character, but like filling out the whole world with all different body sizes, different races, different languages, like really trying to make a true world that reflects what we’re doing.”
Moreover, Monica highlights that playing the role of Jackie in the series acted as a trigger for authentic self-exploration and deepened her understanding of her own queerness. “It’s rare to be able to have the space for that to be reflected on a screen. I am like all of those things, I am queer and I am Latina and I am a woman. So to be able to play a character where that is a part that is her identity, I don’t have to work so hard to know what it’s like to be that. But when it comes to, like, being able to represent myself and my community, [it’s] very cool. I’ve never taken that kind of time to like, explore my relationship to my queerness.”
Through delving into Jackie’s past and present connections, the series accurately portrays the triumphs and challenges experienced by the LGBTQ community, without exploiting her sexuality or compromising her inner strength. Season 2 continues Jackie’s journey as she strives to establish herself as a police officer and seek justice for the death of her close friend, Junior (Shane Harper). Meanwhile, the town grapples with the emergence of a dangerous new drug known as Great White.The final season promises a profound reckoning for all characters as they confront villains and corruption from every direction and Jackie will need to find the strength to stand up for herself and her convictions.
The final episodes of Hightown arrive weekly on the Starz streaming service every Friday from 12 a.m. ET/PT; linear TV broadcast follows the same day at 9 p.m. ET/PT.