Owen Thiele on Adults, queer friendship and being a nepo grandchild
Owen Thiele is portraying queer friendship on two very different comedies—FX's "Adults" and Prime Video's "Overcompensating"—while opening up about being a "nepo grandchild," his Amazon series "Off Color," and upcoming film "Peaked" with Connor Storrie. The 29-year-old actor spoke to Variety as "Adults" returned Aug. 27 for Season 2 with a growing cult following.
Key Takeaways
- Thiele says Season 2 of "Adults" addresses Anton and Paul's kiss in an unexpected, avoidant-attachment way that pulls from his own life.
- On "Overcompensating" and "Adults," he portrays two distinct queer friendships—one about finding comfort, the other about unspoken coziness.
- Thiele embraces the "nepo grandchild" label via his grandfather Bob Thiele, co-writer of "What a Wonderful World," while writing the semi-autobiographical "Off Color."
- Susie Essman will play his mother in "Off Color," and Thiele praised Connor Storrie as "a dream" on Molly Gordon's comedy "Peaked."
Thiele has more riding on "Adults" this time around. The FX comedy returned Aug. 27 with an audience now invested in its messy, co-dependent group of twentysomethings. He plays Anton, and the cast spent much of the wait for renewal worried the show might not return.
"But I feel like now we have a little, tiny, beautiful cult following that hopefully will stick by us and get us that third season," Thiele told Variety at an Instagram-hosted dinner in New York celebrating the new season.
What happens in Season 2 of "Adults" for Anton and Paul?
Thiele said "a lot happened" when he read the Season 2 scripts. He was immediately invested and hoped the kiss between Anton and Paul would be addressed—and it is, but in a way audiences might not expect.
"Sort of, sort of. It's sort of like me in a relationship," he said when asked about avoidant-attachment vibes. Thiele acknowledged he pulls from his own life for Anton, and called the writers' work "brilliant" for crafting twists he did not see coming while filming.
How does Owen Thiele portray queer friendship on "Adults" vs. "Overcompensating"?
Beyond "Adults," Thiele appears in Prime Video's "Overcompensating," where his character George represents a very different kind of queer friendship than Anton. He is also headed to the big screen in "Peaked," Molly Gordon's upcoming comedy, alongside Connor Storrie and Dua Lipa.
Thiele said "Overcompensating" shows someone uncomfortable with themselves finding solace in people who are comfortable—mirroring his high school experience after coming out. "Adults," by contrast, reflects where he is now: immediate comfort where sexuality "isn't even uttered."
"But I think they're two very important stories to tell," he said. For more on returning and new series, see our Streaming & TV Alerts hub.
What is "Off Color" and how does Thiele feel about nepo baby talk?
Thiele is writing "Off Color," a semi-autobiographical Amazon comedy inspired by growing up Black and gay in a white Jewish family. His father is music producer Bob Thiele Jr.; his grandfather is iconic record producer Bob Thiele, who co-wrote "What a Wonderful World" for Louis Armstrong.
Thiele joked that everyone thinks he is a nepo baby, but "I don't think my dad was successful enough for me to be a nepo baby." When pressed about his grandfather's Wikipedia page, he conceded: "I am a nepo grandchild, for sure."
He said he is scared but ready to put himself out there. Family conversations while writing feel "like therapy"—his mother will insist she never said something he remembers.
What was it like working with Connor Storrie on "Peaked"?
Susie Essman, known for "Curb Your Enthusiasm," is set to play Owen's mother in "Off Color." Thiele met with her, explained his life story, and said he still finds it "crazy" that the comedy legend wanted in.
On "Peaked," Thiele called Connor Storrie "a dream"—"not only a very attractive man, he is so beyond talented." He interviewed Storrie for his podcast before working together on Gordon's film, where the cast was "down to fucking clown" and follow Gordon's clear vision.
Directing came from Gordon, Thiele's best friend since age two. "It felt like we were kids again," he said, noting she has directed him for years.