Olympic gold-medal athlete, actor, author and animal & gay rights activist Greg Louganis has joined the cast of the award-winning web sitcom OLD DOGS & NEW TRICKS for a three-episode arc in its second season, producers have announced. Louganis will play “Dirk Evans,” a formerly notorious ‘90s WeHo circuit boy who turns over a new leaf to marry one of the show’s regular characters in mid-season.
OLD DOGS & NEW TRICKS follows four middle-aged gay best friends living in youth-obsessed West Hollywood. Leon Acord, Jeffrey Patrick Olson, Curt Bonnem and David Pevsner star as the four friends; cabaret star Amanda Abel and Ryland Shelton co-star.
Louganis first shot to fame as an Olympic athlete in 1976, winning a Silver medal at age 16, he went on to become the only male to win gold medals on both 3 meter springboard and 10 meter platform in consecutive Olympic Games (1984, 1988) – and is considered the greatest diver in history. In 1995, he stunned the world with his courage when came out as a gay man on both Barbara Walters’ 20/20 and THE OPRAH WINFREY SHOW.
He went on to tell his story in the autobiography Breaking the Surface, which was adapted into a TV movie featuring Mario Lopez as Louganis.
He continues to work with the Olympics as Vice President of the U.S. Olympian Association, for animal causes, and as a tireless advocate for diversity, GLBT and HIV issues. He is also writing a new book about creative learning and peak performance.
As an actor, Louganis has appeared in the films D2: The Mighty Ducks, It’s My Party¸ Dirty Laundry and Touch Me. He most recently played himself in the cult hit comedy series PORTLANDIA starring Saturday Night Live’s Fred Armisen
“Greg is not only just a gay role model,” says show creator/actor Acord. “He’s the epitome of the vital, attractive, over-40 gay man that our show is all about! We are honored that he’s coming aboard!”
Written/created by Acord, and developed for the web by Arvin Bautista, the first season of OLD DOGS & NEW TRICKS was honored as “Outstanding Dramedy Program” and “Outstanding Ensemble Cast in a Dramedy” at the 2012 LA Web Fest.
Old Dogs & New Tricks begins shooting Season 2 in late summer 2012 and will premiere Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2013. The show is raising funds via the crowd-sourcing site IndieGoGo. To help, please visit http://www.indiegogo.com/olddogsnewtricksseason2.
For info: OldDogsNewTricksTheSeries.com.
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