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Working on the boots was a game-changing experience for Miles Heiser in more ways than one.
Created by Andy Parker and based on Greg Cope White’s 2015 memoir Pink Marine, Netflix’s new drama series follows a reclusive American teenager named Cameron Cope (Heiser) in the 1990s as he and his straight best friend Ray McAfee (Liam Orr) choose to join the United States Marine Corps.
Heiser plays Cameron, who struggles to find his place in the world until he enlists in the Marines right out of high school. His boot camp experience serves as a growth journey for the character as his perspective on manhood changes.
Working on this series also changed Heiser’s own perspective.
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“To be honest, I never really connected to masculinity very much until I was an adult,” the Parenthood alum, 31, exclusively tells PEOPLE.
“I was raised by women. My friends were mostly women. I knew from a young age that I was gay,” he continues. “I think I held myself back from developing friendships with men, especially straight men, because I was afraid of not being accepted, not belonging, not fitting in.”
“It was an incredible experience for me to be in this situation with these boys,” Heiser said at Boots.
“We really come from different backgrounds, different states (and countries),” he says of his castmates. “Forging such strong connections with these people is something I probably never would have put myself in a position to be able to do, and it was very enlightening for me in that respect as well.”
The show also stars Max Parker, Vera Farmiga, Cedric Cooper, Ana Ayora, Angus O’Brien, Dominic Goodman, Kieron Moore, Nicholas Logan, Blake Bart and Rico Paris.
Alfonso “Ponpo” Bresciani/Netflix
The cast really felt like they were training together as they played Marine recruits at boot camp.
“We ended up having a fantastic boot camp experience that really bonded,” Heiser said. “I think part of boot camp is stripping away individuality and creating a collective mindset. And in a weird way, having filmed the Writers’ Strike and the Actors’ Strike over almost two years, I feel like we really were able to do that.”
“So during this period, I think we only saw each other bald in costume about three times.”
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Director Heiser detailed the “very unusual shooting schedule where everyone was in every scene no matter what,” adding, “We’re all locked on this set, so we’re always in the background somewhere. So no one ever takes a day off.”
“We just spent so much time together and developed a really, really close bond and connection because everyone was there all the time,” the 13 Reasons Why alum continues. “Physical activity and things like that end up bonding you. You feel miserable in the New Orleans heat, but you’re also having the time of your life.”
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“This experience is something that is completely indescribable to someone who wasn’t there, so we’re all very connected because of it,” he added.
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Reflecting on the series as a whole, Heiser said his “favorite part” of the show was that it was “completely different from other military shows and movies.”
“I don’t think it’s going to be what people are expecting,” he concluded. “At the same time, it gives you a lot of heart and it’s a very uplifting piece of work in some ways, which I think people probably expect and expect. But at the same time, it’s very funny and witty and has an unusual and interesting perspective, especially on this subject (and) on this subject.”
“Boots” is available on Netflix.