Brian Jordan ALvarez, Enrico Colantoni laugh off 'English Teacher' conflicts

LOS ANGELES, Sep. 2 (UPI) -- Creator/star Brian Jordan Alvarez and co-star Enrico Colantoni said English Teacher, premiering Monday at 10 p.m. EDT on FX, finds comedy in modern conflicts between teachers, students and their parents.

Alvarez plays high school English teacher Evan Marquez, an out gay man who received complaints from a parent when he kissed his boyfriend in public.

"One of Evan's big jobs in the show is managing input, whether solicited or unsolicited, from the parents in the school district," Alvarez told UPI in an interview in Pasadena, Calif. "It gives us a lot of fun stuff to play with."

As Principal Grant Moretti, Colantoni often has to mediate between parents and teachers.

"He's just exhausted," Colantoni said of his character. "It doesn't mean he doesn't care. The simple version is: Why can't we all just get along? When did it become so complicated?"

As a comedian, Alvarez creates content for his TikTok and Instagram channels. He said staying connected to social media helped him develop a realistic class of modern teenagers.

In one episode, the students argue over whether it's transphobic for the football team to dress as cheerleaders in an annual school tradition. Alvarez said many teachers learn about such issues or update their understanding of them through those debates.

"There are scenes in the show where the kids are really teaching the teachers how to operate in this modern world," Alvarez said. "The students have a varied view of anything that the show discusses, and it's fun to see the debate."

Grant often has to step into that debate, whether he wants to or not. Of all the teachers at the school, Evan is the one most often sent to the principal's office.

"They really are in many ways on the same team, but they have very different ideas of how to go about things," Alvarez said.

Colantoni said he did not want to play Grant as someone who just dictates to his subordinates, but rather sees Grant as someone dedicated to educating and inspiring young minds, but struggling to do so.

"How do I make someone who's in an authority position not two-dimensional?" Colantoni said. "He's responsible for everybody in that school: teachers and students. But how do you keep everybody safe?"

Alvarez worked as an on the Will & Grace revival and in the movies M3gan and 80 for Brady. He said he was focused on acting until executive producer Paul Simms offered to help him develop a show for FX.

Simms had seen Alvarez's web series, The Gay and Wondrous Life of Caleb Gallo. During that development, Alvarez said he thought of a school as a place at which people from different backgrounds are forced to interact.

Alvarez also brought on his longtime friend, Stephanie Koenig, who plays the teacher, Gwen. He said Simms and producers Zach Dunn, Jake Bender, Dave King and Jonathan Krisel have walked him through his first network series as creator.

"The joy of so much of this work is the friendships and the relationships that come out of it," Alvarez said. "You really end up feeling so connected to these brilliant people you work with."

Colantoni auditioned to play Moretti. He was reassured when the producers called him back within a week, the sort of confidence Colantoni said the creators of Just Shoot Me and Veronica Mars also showed when they cast him.

With his experience on television, including Flashpoint, The Good Fight, and Person of Interest. Colantoni said he also advised Alvarez about making television. His suggestions can be as detailed as camera placement.

"The whole environment is so open that I can't help but say, 'You know what? This would be better in a two shot,'" Colantoni said. "Bryan is very accepting."

Alvarez also acknowledged Colantoni's experience as a graduate of Yale Drama School. Colantoni said he still struggles with improvisation on English Teacher because he is obsessed with delivering lines word perfect.

Colantoni said English Teacher has taught him that being goofy is OK.

It took me a while to get used to, but I think I've embraced it near the end," Colantoni said.

New episodes of English Teacher air Mondays on FX and stream Tuesdays on Hulu.