ER’s Gloria Reuben on Playing TV’s First HIV-Positive Lead Character

Gloria Reuben was supposed to appear in a grand total of three episodes of ER during its first season. But producers were so taken with her sensitive portrayal of physician assistant Jeanie Boulet — brought in to care for the ailing mother of Dr. Peter Benton (Eriq La Salle) — that they gave her three more. By the start of season two, she was in the opening credits.

“It was crazy, wild, exciting and terrifying because the show was jettisoning into the stratosphere,” Reuben tells the Television Academy in an exclusive interview. She ended up staying for four years, got nominated for two Emmys and was at the center of one of the series’ most groundbreaking story arcs.

The actress, singer — she’s also toured with Tina Turner! — and author remembers her journey for emmy.

Television Academy: What’s your ER origin story?

Gloria Reuben: I was wrapping a role on Homicide: Life on the Street that I thought would continue. Andre [Braugher], rest in peace. When I got back to Los Angeles, I think there must have been a message on my answering machine from John Wells. I went in, and we chatted. I can’t remember specifically what we chatted about, but a few hours later, I got back to my apartment, and there was another message on my machine saying that I got it.

What made that initial storyline with you and Benton and his mom so special?

It was a really beautiful, unexpected story that really elevated and exposed the emotions of all the characters. Benton very much kept his cards close to his chest. But Benton’s relationship with his mother [Beah Richards] revealed a lot about him because his heart was open. And, of course, it brought Jeanie and Benton together in a very unique and intimate way.

Were those scenes difficult for you?

Music continues to be my first love. However, acting roles, especially when the roles are so brilliantly written, have always been a wonderful open conduit for my emotional expression. In my formative years, it was maybe not so okay to express my feelings.

Can you offer up some insight into Eriq?

He was very much like a gentle giant. He was very strong but could be very funny and sweet as well.

I think one of my fondest memories was when he would make light of something and start laughing. But he was fully committed to the work, which I admired for sure.

In the premiere of season three, Jeanie learned that she’s HIV-positive. That was very progressive for the time.

When we had those discussions, my one caveat was that when the time comes, Jeanie could not die of AIDS. In the mid-’90s, the triple-cocktail medicines were working and giving HIV-positive people their lives back. It was not a death sentence. So, I was very — adamant isn’t the right word — but I was very committed to the idea that when it was time for Jeanie to leave, she wasn’t going to be on a gurney going to the morgue.

And when she did leave [in 1999], she was recently married and going to adopt a baby. How did that narrative affect you?

I’ll tell you that when I travel, no matter where it may be, people will still come up to me and say something like, “I’m HIV-positive, and Jeanie’s story really inspired me to get treatment.” I’m not saying that Jeanie’s story saved lives, but it was a lifesaver in a lot of ways. Jeanie was also a professional married woman who contracted it from her husband [Michael Beach]. We blew down that stereotype, too.

Which episodes stand out to you?

I love [season three's] episode nine [“Ask Me No Questions, I’ll Tell You No Lies”] when Jeanie takes Dr. Greene to the mat because he illegally went into her files and found out she was HIV-positive. Jeanie also reveals to Dr. Weaver [Laura Innes] in the ambulance bay that she has HIV. Laura was just a gem to work with. She’s a very sensitive person as well.

What about when Jeanie cared for the cancer-stricken son of the hospital chief?

I loved that story! It was very sweet. Trevor Morgan played Scott Anspaugh. My gosh, he was so young. He might be married with kids by now. But he was a terrific young actor. And I was thinking about it the other day because Jeanie sings the Green Day song [“Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)”] a capella in one of the episodes.

Are you good about staying in touch with the cast?

During Covid, I did a Zoom call with a number of the cast members for a nonprofit. It was great to see a lot of those faces. I think that was the only reunion. It lasted for about two-and-a-half hours, until they were like, “We’ve got to wrap this up.” We could have kept it going longer!

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