At a time when public discourse around autism still too often echoes with misinformation and stigma, one moment of heartfelt vulnerability and creative power may soon be recognized on television’s biggest stage.
Variety has learned exclusively that the original song “Boyfriend Forever,” featured in Season 3 of Netflix’s Emmy-winning docuseries “Love on the Spectrum,” has been submitted for Emmy consideration in the outstanding original music and lyrics category. The tender ballad, sung by cast member Abbey Romeo and dedicated to her boyfriend, David Isaacman, was co-written by Romeo, Casey Kelly (music and lyrics), and Garth Herberg (music).
The submission stands as a quiet but powerful rebuke to inflammatory rhetoric like that of Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who claimed in a controversial tirade that children with autism would “never pay taxes, never hold a job, never use a toilet unassisted.” Romeo’s journey — broadcast across three seasons of “Love on the Spectrum” — is a deeply human counterpoint: an autistic woman not only building a romantic relationship but creating original art now being considered for television’s highest honors.
Since the Season 3 premiere in April, Romeo has been promoting the song publicly, most recently appearing on the May 5 episode of “The Kelly Clarkson Show,” where she performed “Boyfriend Forever” with Clarkson’s house band, My Band Y’all. Clarkson, a longtime fan and vocal supporter of the series, welcomed Romeo warmly, building on the show’s tradition of celebrating its stars. Romeo’s appearance follows that of fellow cast member Tanner Smith, who last month met his idol Jack Black in another emotional and widely shared moment from Clarkson’s show.
Fans of “Love on the Spectrum” will remember Romeo’s surprise acoustic performance for Isaacman during the Season 3 finale, a vivacious, personal and joyful expression of love. That moment, filmed with honesty and care, has now been transformed into a full-band pop production, delivering the same emotional impact with wider appeal, and with a song that would not sound out of place on radio today.
“Love on the Spectrum” is based on the Australian series of the same name and follows people on the autism spectrum as they navigate dating and relationships. The show is produced by Northern Pictures for Netflix and was created by Karina Holden and Cian O’Clery, with O’Clery also serving as director.
Season 3 explored a range of experiences in the neurodiverse dating community, from the joyful to the complex. Georgia resident Connor Tomlinson found love with a young woman named Georgie, culminating in a first kiss shared in the rain in his backyard — a moment of romantic innocence rarely shown with such authenticity on screen. The season also dove into more mature relationship themes, such as the difficult breakup between longtime couple Dani Bowman and Adan Correa, whose differing views on physical intimacy ultimately led them to part ways.
Romeo, who has appeared in all three U.S. seasons of the series, has become an icon for autistic self-advocacy and representation. Her story stands as a reminder that autistic adults are not only capable of integrating into society — they already are. They work, they create, they love, and, in Romeo’s case, they sing. It is not autistic individuals who must adapt to meet outdated societal expectations; it is society that must expand its definition of inclusion, worth and expression.
Sure, the Emmy submission of “Boyfriend Forever” is a bid for awards recognition, but more importantly, it’s a love song to one person, and, perhaps, a wider anthem for understanding.
Emmy submissions are due Thursday, May 8. The nomination voting window runs from June 12 to June 23, with official nominations set to be announced in July. “Love on the Spectrum” is now streaming on Netflix.
Variety Awards Circuit: Emmys
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