Alan Ball is an openly gay screenwriter, director, and producer for television, film, and theatre. He wrote the screenplay for American Beauty (1999), a dark comedy directed by Sam Mendes, nabbing an Academy Award and BAFTA Award for Best Original Screenplay. He also created the series Six Feet Under (2001-2005, my favorite series of all time) and True Blood (2004-08), all featuring queer characters and for which he earned Emmy Awards as well as awards from the Writers Guild, Directors Guild, and Producers Guilds of America.

His latest project is Uncle Frank (2020), set in 1973, the story follows a teenager (Sophia Lillis) as she leaves her rural Southern town to study at New York University, where her Uncle Frank (Paul Bettany) teaches Literature. She discovers that Frank is gay and living with his partner (Peter Macdissi). Then a death in the family forces the three of them to take a road trip back home for the funereal.

Uncle Frank also features a fabulous supporting cast including Judy Greer, Steve Zahn, Lois Smith, Margo Martindale and Stephen Root. It begins streaming on November 25 on Amazon Prime Video.

Watch the trailer below: