Sometimes things happen that make you take stock of what’s important in your life, and recently Russell T. Davies was faced with that predicament. It didn’t take him long to decide that it’s the person you care about that’s more important than the success gained in Hollywood. In an exclusive interview with Pink News, Davies has announced that he has left his life in Hollywood and put his career on hold to care for his critically ill partner, Andrew Smith.
Davies and Smith had already been living in Hollywood as Davies had several television shows that were in development on this side of the pond which included ‘Torchwood: Miracle Day’ and a new series called ‘Cucumber’ which he was developing for Showtime. While in Hollywood, Smith began getting headaches which they attributed to the move to Southern California. As months passed, the headaches worsened.
In August, while on a short vacation back in England, Smith decided to see a doctor who diagnosed him with brain cancer and three days later underwent surgery. Almost immediately, Davies shut down his Hollywood life. “The lives we had in LA just sort of closed down overnight. All of my stuff, my computers and clothes were over there. We had to have everything shipped over here in crates. We were lucky we never sold our house in Manchester. Lo and behold we’re now a ten minute drive from Europe’s best cancer hospital.”
Davies now spends his time keeping Smith company. With regards to his work, Davies states:
“I’ve stopped work. I haven’t worked since August. We’re lucky we’ve got enough money in the bank that, if need be, I can take the whole of next year off… People keep asking me if I’ve really stopped working. I used to work so hard you see, they think I must be secretly working on something, but I’m not. It was a simple decision: he’s more important. Who gives a f**k about writing scripts if I can stay at home with him and make his day a bit happier? I don’t know when I’ll start work again. I’ve got to see how Andrew’s health goes”
Given the timeline of his partner’s cancer diagnosis, it can be surmised that this may have been one of the reasons why a decision on whether or not another season of ‘Torchwood’ has not been addressed. Davies has admitted that ‘Torchwood: Miracle Day’ “didn’t do brilliantly” and that the reviews were mixed. Starz has said they would bring ‘Torchwood’ back, but only if Davies was a part of it. With the announcement of his hiatus, the outlook of it happening any time soon is uncertain.
Davies is one of those rare individuals whose work speaks for itself, but it’s his commitment, love and loyalty to Smith that truly speaks volumes. Not everyone will so willingly turn their backs on the fame and fortune that Hollywood can bring, and it’s Davies’ action that reminds us that there is much more to life and that one must truly hang on to what’s more important before it’s taken away.
We here at ScienceFiction.com send good thoughts and hope to Davies and Smith. As true fans, we are willing to wait as nothing else matters in life than the care and health of a loved one.
