# Steven Canals

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{{short description|American screenwriter (born 1980)}}

{{Infobox person
| name               = Steven Canals
| image              = Steven Canals being interviewed for Peabody in 2019.png
| caption            = Canals in 2019
| birth_date         = {{birth date and age|1980|9|14}}
| education          = [Binghamton University](/source/Binghamton_University) {{small|([BA](/source/Bachelor_of_Arts), [MA](/source/Master_of_Arts))}}<br>[University of California, Los Angeles](/source/University_of_California%2C_Los_Angeles) {{small|([MFA](/source/Master_of_Fine_Arts))}}
| occupation         = Screenwriter, Producer
| years_active       = 2016–present
| notable_works      = ''[Pose](/source/Pose_(TV_series))''
}}
'''Steven Canals''' (born September 14, 1980)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://twitter.com/StevenCanals/status/1172916123060199424|title=My sister knows me so well!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!! Thanks @michelle_canals for my @DonutFriend pic.twitter.com/5BqStY81j7|last=Canals|first=Steven|date=2019-09-14|website=@StevenCanals|language=en|access-date=2020-02-23}}</ref><ref name=":0" /> is an American screenwriter and producer. He is best known for co-creating and executive-producing the [FX](/source/FX_(TV_channel)) television show ''[Pose](/source/Pose_(TV_series))''.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.gq.com/story/steven-canals-profile|title='Pose' Co-Creator Steven Canals Spent Years Hiding. Now Everyone Can See Him|last=Kaplan|first=Ilana|website=GQ|date=26 June 2019|language=en|access-date=2020-01-24}}</ref>

== Early life and education ==
Canals grew up in the  Housing Projects in [Castle Hill, Bronx](/source/Castle_Hill%2C_Bronx).<ref name=":1">{{Cite news|url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/fxs-pose-creator-on-his-difficult-journey-bringing-the-groundbreaking-trans-series-to-tv|title=FX's 'Pose' Creator on His Difficult Journey Bringing the Groundbreaking Trans Series to TV|last=Canals|first=Steven|date=2018-05-24|work=The Daily Beast|access-date=2020-01-24|language=en}}</ref> He began practicing filmmaking at the Youth Ministries for Peace and Justice after school program. He co-produced his first documentary about gang violence with other classmates when he was 15.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":5">{{Cite web|url=https://www.binghamton.edu/news/story/2011/too-brown-too-black-too-queer-for-tv|title=Steven Canals says idea for Pose began at Binghamton - Binghamton News|last=Freund|first=Kelley|website=News - Binghamton University|language=en|access-date=2020-01-24}}</ref>

Canals graduated with a BA in cinema and MA in student affairs from [Binghamton University](/source/Binghamton_University) in 2005 and 2008 respectively.<ref name=":6">{{Cite web|url=https://www.pressconnects.com/story/news/local/2019/07/17/co-creator-emmy-nominated-pose-binghamton-university-alum/1753364001/|title=Steven Canals, co-creator of Emmy nominated 'Pose,' is a Binghamton University alum|last=Gilroy|first=Maggie|website=Pressconnects|language=en|access-date=2020-01-24}}</ref> Canals received his MFA in screenwriting from [UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television](/source/UCLA_School_of_Theater%2C_Film_and_Television) in 2015.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":6" />

== Career ==
Prior to working in entertainment, Canals worked in university administration. He worked as an LGBT resource coordinator at [SUNY-Cortland](/source/SUNY-Cortland) while completing his master's degree part time, where he was also residence hall director of Shea Hall and advisor to the university's gay-straight alliance for six years.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":7">{{Cite web|url=https://sites.allegheny.edu/news/2011/06/30/allegheny-college-appoints-three-individuals-to-positions-focusing-on-diversity-and-inclusive-excellence/|title=Allegheny College Appoints Three Individuals to Positions Focusing on Diversity and Inclusive Excellence|website=Allegheny.edu|date=30 June 2011 |language=en-US|access-date=2020-01-24}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www2.cortland.edu/news/detail.dot?id=742e37e2-79ad-4573-aad0-397b4fa066f9|title=Cortland in the news - SUNY Cortland|website=www2.cortland.edu|access-date=2020-01-24}}</ref> [Allegheny College](/source/Allegheny_College) appointed Canals as associate director for gender and sexual orientation initiatives in June 2011.<ref name=":7" />

=== Entertainment ===
Canals was a staff writer on [Freeform](/source/Freeform_(TV_channel))'s [''Dead of Summer''](/source/Dead_of_Summer_(TV_series)) in 2016. His short film ''Afuera'' premiered at the [LA Film Festival](/source/LA_Film_Festival) that same year.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://2019austinfilmfestivalconfe.sched.com/speaker/steven_canals.1zuosiwj|title=Steven Canals's schedule for 2019 Austin Film Festival & Conference|website=2019austinfilmfestivalconfe.sched.com|access-date=2020-01-24}}</ref>

Canals developed the pilot script for television show ''Pose'' while studying at UCLA in 2014.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> He was initially inspired by the story in ''[Paris Is Burning](/source/Paris_Is_Burning_(film)).''<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=https://www.out.com/entertainment/2019/1/10/steven-canals-created-pose-and-hollywoods-best-kept-secret|title=Steven Canals Created 'Pose.' Still, He's Hollywood's Best-Kept Secret|date=2019-01-10|website=www.out.com|language=en|access-date=2020-01-24}}</ref> He however found it difficult to get the script developed as industry executives found the subject matter about [LGBT](/source/LGBT) [people of color](/source/Person_of_color) and [ball culture](/source/ball_culture) to be "too niche".<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3">{{Cite web|url=https://remezcla.com/features/film/pose-interview-steven-canals/|title=Steven Canals on How Growing Up as a Queer Afro-Latino in 1980s Bronx Prepared Him to Write 'Pose'|date=2019-06-18|website=Remezcla|language=en-US|access-date=2020-01-24}}</ref> [Ryan Murphy](/source/Ryan_Murphy_(producer)), co-creator of [''Glee''](/source/Glee_(TV_series)) and ''[American Horror Story](/source/American_Horror_Story)'', would later come on as a producer in 2016, along with his producing partner [Brad Falchuk](/source/Brad_Falchuk).<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":4">{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/features/pose-film-review-ryan-murphy-ballroom-drama-movie-video-a8829691.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220525/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/features/pose-film-review-ryan-murphy-ballroom-drama-movie-video-a8829691.html |archive-date=2022-05-25 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=With the largest cast of trans actors in history, Ryan Murphy's Pose is a strut in the right direction|date=2019-03-21|website=The Independent|language=en|access-date=2020-01-24}}</ref> The first season premiered in June 2018 on [FX](/source/FX_(TV_channel)).<ref name=":3" /> The show is noted to have the largest [transgender](/source/transgender) cast in television history.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":4" />

He was named a "writer to watch" by [''Variety''](/source/Variety_(magazine)) in 2018.<ref name=":5" />

Canals signed an overall deal with [20th Century Fox Television](/source/20th_Century_Fox_Television) in January 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2020/tv/news/pose-co-creator-steven-canals-20th-century-fox-tv-overall-deal-1203474185/|title='Pose' Co-Creator Steven Canals Inks Overall Deal With 20th Century Fox TV|last=Thorne|first=Will|date=2020-01-21|website=Variety|language=en|access-date=2020-01-24}}</ref>

== Personal life ==
Canals is openly [queer](/source/queer).<ref name=":1" />

He is of African American and Puerto Rican heritage.<ref name=":1" />

== Filmography ==
{| class="wikitable"
! rowspan="2" | Year
! rowspan="2" | Title
! colspan="3" | Credited as
! rowspan="2" | Notes
|-
! Director
! Writer
! Producer
|-
| 2016
| ''[Dead of Summer](/source/Dead_of_Summer_(TV_series))''
| {{no}}
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| Co-wrote "The Devil Inside" with Richard Naing
|-
| 2018–2021
| ''[Pose](/source/Pose_(TV_series))''
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{yes|Executive}}
| Co-creator, directed 5 episodes and wrote 15
|-
| 2022
| ''[Love, Victor](/source/Love%2C_Victor)''
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| Episode: "The Setup"
|-
| rowspan="2" |2023
| ''[Class of '09](/source/Class_of_'09)''
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| 2 episodes
|-
| ''[Neon](/source/Neon_(TV_series))''
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| 2 episodes
|-
| rowspan="2" |2024
| ''[American Sports Story](/source/American_Sports_Story)''
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| 2 episodes
|-
| ''[The Sex Lives of College Girls](/source/The_Sex_Lives_of_College_Girls)''
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| Episode: "Halloween & Oat Milk"
|-
| 2025
| ''[Doctor Odyssey](/source/Doctor_Odyssey)''
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| Episode: "Spring Break"
|}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Canals, Steven}}
Category:Binghamton University alumni
Category:UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television alumni
Category:Screenwriters from New York (state)
Category:American LGBTQ writers
Category:LGBTQ television producers
Category:African-American LGBTQ writers
Category:LGBTQ people from New York (state)
Category:Hispanic and Latino American LGBTQ people
Category:1980 births
Category:Living people
Category:American people of Puerto Rican descent
Category:American queer men
Category:Queer screenwriters

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Steven Canals](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_Canals) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_Canals?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.