Ryan O’Connell is most known for creating Special, a four-time Emmy-nominated and Writers Guild Award-winning short-form series on Netflix, which he wrote, starred in, and executive produced for two seasons. O’Connell also received a Special Recognition Award from GLAAD Award and a Visibility Award from the HRC. Special, which is also executive produced by Jim Parsons, is loosely based on O’Connell’s own upbringing and experience as a gay man navigating the world with cerebral palsy. Most recently, O’Connell was a Co-Executive Producer and star of the Queer As Folk reboot, which premiered on Peacock. He previously worked on the writing staff on NBC’s revival of Will & Grace, MTV’s Awkward, and Netflix’s The Baby-Sitters Club. He is also currently developing the TV adaptation of the DeuxMoi book, Anon Pls, for Max along with Diablo Cody and Berlanti Productions, and recently developed a series at Netflix with Sugar 23. O’Connell is also an accomplished, sought-after author and his voice is both refreshing and unique. He is the author of I’m Special: And Other Lies We Tell Ourselves, part-memoir, part-manifesto which was published by Simon & Schuster in 2015 to widespread praise. O’Connell’s debut novel Just By Looking At Him was published by Atria, an imprint of Simon & Schuster. He is set to write, direct, produce, and star in the film adaptation with FilmNation and Berlanti. O’Connell will be releasing a new essay collection through St. Martin’s Press, and has a new play with Wessex Grove entitled Inspiration Porn.