Le Macfarlane Talks ‘Bros’, Character’s Masculy and Gay Inty – The Hollywood Reporter

Contents:

• ‘BROS’ STAR LE MACFARLANE TALKS MASCULY AND GAY INTY
• ‘BROS’ ISN’T AAID TO ADM THE (VERY ANNOYG) TTH ABOUT GAY MEN
• CRAFTG A ROM-COM THAT’S TE TO 21ST-CENTURY GAY LIFE
• WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT 'BROS,' THE FIRST GAY ROM- PRODUCED BY A MAJOR STUD

‘BROS’ STAR LE MACFARLANE TALKS MASCULY AND GAY INTY

Now, more than a later, the actor will make his theatril film but — the first-ever gay rom- om a major stud (the ma st is entirely ma up of LGBTQ actors). He stars Universal’s Bros, om Billy Eichner (also the first openly gay man to -wre and star his own major stud film) and director Nicholas Stoller (Neighbors). Their meet-cute happens at a gay club, where a shirtls, ripped, baseball-hatted Aaron mak cheeky nversatn wh the phy and perennially sgle-on-purpose Bobby.

‘BROS’ ISN’T AAID TO ADM THE (VERY ANNOYG) TTH ABOUT GAY MEN

“When I first read the Bros script, I really nnected wh Aaron on the ia of, where do his masculy f to the gay spectm? Macfarlane says he me of age, and to the bs, at a time when gay men felt the ways which they were allowed to exprs themselv, and search for succs, were very narrow. “There was somethg about growg up the ’90s, our ias of masculy me om Abercrombie & Fch or Calv Kle ads, and that was very nfg to gay people of a certa age, ” he says, also rellg how an after-school viewg of the Chippendal dancers on The Phil Donahue Show exemplified the emphatilly mascule msagg of the time.

“It’s about more than gettg gay people out to see the movie, ” says Macfarlane. GBilly Eichner already ma history when he first announced his upg gay rom- Bros was picked up by a major stud (Universal Pictur), the first time that's ever happened, and the achievements jt keep rollg Hollywood Reporter scrib the film as " a smart, swoony and heartfelt edy about two gay men maybe, possibly, probably, stumblg toward love. ”“And while Bros may be the first of s kd several ways, my real hope is that is only the first of many opportuni for openly LGBTQ+ ensembl to she and show the world all we are pable of as actors, beyond jt beg the wacky sikick, token queer or a straight movie star’s ‘gay bt iend.

CRAFTG A ROM-COM THAT’S TE TO 21ST-CENTURY GAY LIFE

The trailblazg lbian actrs, who publicly me out as gay 1993 and is bt known for her role as Marcy D'Arcy on Fox's long-nng s Children, is set to play the mother of Macfarlane's character Bros! Bros, the first gay romantic edy om a major Hollywood stud, also has the distctn of havg an all-queer st playg s ma and supportg characters. The plot of Bros follows the plited love story between two jad gay men their 40s, both of whom are tryg to nvce themselv that they are fulfilled their liv whout romantic partners.

While this is faiar ground for the genre, as the first gay rom- om a major stud wh an LGBTQ+ st, Bros highlights unique challeng of queer relatnships.

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT 'BROS,' THE FIRST GAY ROM- PRODUCED BY A MAJOR STUD

While some viewers may regnize Macfarlane om Killjoys, he is most regnizable om the sts of numero Hallmark movi, cludg their gural gay rom, Sgle All the Way — tertgly enough, Bros pok fun at such ma-for-TV productns wh several tongue--cheek referenc to "Hallheart" movi. Guy Branum (he/him) as Henry – Bobby’s ra on the datg scene, Henry livers amg and prsg acunts of his enunters as a middle-aged sgle gay man Bros.

Several very proment and up-and-g actors the LGBTQ+ muny appear Bros smaller rol, cludg Harvey Fierste (Big Mouth), Peter Kim (The 40-Year-Old Versn), and Matthew Wilkas (Gayby). Not jt any rom-, md you, but a really, really gay one. As the (admtedly self-righteo) marketg mpaign has ma clear, Bros is an event: It stars an out gay man (Billy Eichner) a major stud film about out LGBTQ+ ’s a pretty big al, and I’m thrilled to say that Bros smash out of the park.