One Way Only

By Angela Matusik, editor in chief

Sometimes you’re watching a new streaming show and a character appears that changes everything you were thinking about the series up until that point. One so unexpected, true, and honest, that you immediately have to learn more. That’s what happened when I was watching Furious on Hulu and was introduced to Alden, played by Steve Way.

On its surface Furious seems to be a typical cat-and-mouse detective show: You think you know what you’re in for. A hardened and underestimated female FBI agent is hunting down a chameleon-like serial killer, a young woman inflicting deadly revenge on rich and powerful men who are hard to feel sorry for. Each episode delivers some unexpected twists, and the nuanced characters build and grow with each one.

But it’s episode three that really stopped me in my tracks. That’s when we first meet Alden, a character with disabilities that is anything but predictable. Strong, clever, sweet, determined, conniving and bitingly funny, Alden is a young man who has muscular dystrophy, like Way himself, and he requires the presence of a caregiver to help him navigate throughout his day.

One of Alden’s caregivers is Catherine, the same young woman knocking off rich dudes who exploit teenage girls in a sex trafficking scheme. With Alden, we see another side to Catherine, as the two share an exceptional bond that veers into a romance. Way’s performance is nothing less than remarkable. One moment he’s adlibbing a wisecrack, the next he’s delivering a line that cuts into your heart, his doe eyes swelling with tears.

It should be no surprise to learn that Way is a born and bred New Jerseyan, whose name needs to be added to the long list of state talents whose performances embody toughness mingled with sensitivity. I was delighted to have a chance to talk to him about the show, and his journey to becoming the scene stealer that everyone from Esquire to Vulture to Variety is talking about.

Part of why Way is able to bring Alden to life so beautifully is that it is a role that was written specifically for him. “I did a panel with Elizabeth Meriweather,” explains the 35-year old of how he connected with the show’s producer and writer. The SAG-AFTRA hosted panel was called “Storytelling About Gender, Work, Family, and Care in Uncertain Times.” “It was about caregiving and how it was portrayed in the media. And basically, she just wrote that role for me after that.” Meriweather has said that she was working on Furious at the time of the talk, and immediately knew that Steve belonged in the show.

Way has been comfortable performing in front of audiences since he was nine years-old when he first appeared on stage on behalf of the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Diagnosed with the inherited, progressive disease at the age of 4, he’s been standing up for patients’ rights and advocating for disability representation his whole life. “Right away, I realized I was pretty good at it, so I kept doing it,” he says.

Way has lived most of his life in Rutherford New Jersey, attending public high school there. “My parents fought hard to put me in the public school and to make sure I was fully integrated in the classes. I wouldn’t be where I am today without a public education and I am so grateful for that.”

The public speaking skill led him to take TV production classes, where he had access to video cameras, editing suites and a full TV studio. “ I did that with Ramy [Youssef] and a few of our other friends. We realized we’re very good at it,” says Way of his early experimentation days. “It was right when YouTube started. And then the older we got the better we got. Sometimes I was serving as a director, or doing stand up comedy myself. And then I went into acting,” he says, making it sound easy. “They’re all pieces to the same puzzle.”

His friendship with comedian Ramy Youssef is well documented and a big part of his journey. “He had a sketch comedy group and brought me out for a couple videos. And then he started to stand up and he really encouraged me to do that with him. And then when he got the show Ramy on Hulu, he said, ‘You’re gonna be in it.’ He has always been my biggest advocate.”

If you haven’t watched Ramy, you should. Spanning three seasons from 2019 to 2022, it follows a first-generation American Muslim navigating modern life in his own New Jersey neighborhood as he grapples with his own desires and approval from his family and community. Way plays a character also named Steve, who is Ramy’s longtime friend and coworker. One particular episode, “Saving Michaela,” in season one, has a few parallels to Way’s work in Furious. Both portray a person with disabilities grappling with romantic and sexual desires in a way that is incredibly honest, and also very funny. “There’s a true authenticity to all of it. It’s very specific to Ramy’s story,” says Way. “And he made a point of also making it very specific to mine.”

Way made sure that same authenticity is built into Furious. What began as an idea for a character led to a full collaboration between her and Way. “ After the first table read we talked and I gave her loads of notes. And then on the set, she would basically just ask me, how would you do this? How would you say this?” he explains. For example, there’s a scene in episode four when we see Catherine helping Alden bathe in the shower. “That’s one of my favorites. That was my shower chair: That was my soap. You know, that’s just how I do it. Obviously that doesn’t work for every disabled person, but that’s my personal experience.”

That kind of detail contributes to what makes the relationship between Catherine and Alden so real. You can see a genuine affection growing between them, and there is a comfort and trust that is deep and complex. “They’re both victims of an unjust system. The systems are supposed to help them, but they’re designed not to. It failed them both. That’s the core of the story. They are both victims. And they’re caregivers for each other. I think their relationship is the most genuine of the entire show.”

The intimacy and affection between them is something that Way and his co-star Lola Petticrew worked on before filming began. “We made it a point to talk before we shot anything. Everything about ourselves, about what’s been going on in our lives. So, the first day we ever shot together we already knew each other well. It felt so natural.”

Though Adlen doesn’t appear after episode five in the show (which has its finale on August 31st), you can expect to see more of Way on screen this year. Soon to be released is Take Me Home, a 2026 Sundance Waldo Award winner for screenwriting. Written and directed by Liz Sargent, it’s about Anna who is an adult with a cognitive disability caring for her aging parents. Like so many of Way’s projects, this is a film that approaches caregiving with an honesty that is seldom portrayed. “It was such a beautiful experience,” he gushes. “The movie’s so good. I am biased. Liz Sargent’s sister Anna is an incredible actress. It’s her first-time acting. I encourage everyone to find a way to watch it when it comes out.”

To keep up with Way and his work, both as an actor and an advocate for health and disability policy, follow his Substack. And don’t think you’ve heard the last from him just because Furious is wrapping up. “Yeah, I have a lot coming out,” he says cheekily. “I can’t say too much. But get ready.”