In The Queen’s Gambit, Fortune-Lloyd plays D.L. Townes, a photographer, journalist, and chess player who faces off against Beth Harmon at a local chess tournament in Kentucky. Harmon develops a crush on Townes, which many fans of the show approved. But the implication that Townes might be gay got the viewers talking when a man named Roger seems rather friendly towards him.
Townes’s sexuality was never made clear, and fans of the show were curious about whether he was gay, bi, or even straight. Fortune-Lloyd, however, says that he is sure of Townes and Roger being an item even though it was never stated.
“Townes is a gay man. When we see the lovely Tim Kalkhof, who played Roger, appear in his budgie smugglers, I think it’s unambiguous that they’re an item. For me, anyway.”
While Harmon is hurt thinking that Townes was misleading her, she walks away from him, but Townes’ part in the series is not over. He reappears, and the two reconcile. Townes also helps assemble a team of advisors to assist Harmon to achieve victory.
Townes and Harmon’s relationship did not evolve into a romantic one, but Fortune-Lloyd spoke about his interpretation of Townes’ feelings for Harmon. “[Their romantic relationship] doesn’t happen, for all kinds of reasons, but I think he is interested in her and will always be attracted to her. What he really wants is a kind of deep, platonic relationship.”
