The Shape of Water's Richard Jenks talks the stggle of his gay character Gil

shape of water gay

Gay Tim tch up wh the Hollywood actor to speak about Guillermo Del Toro's Amy Award-wng masterpiece and s cultural signifince.

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‘SHAPE OF WATER’ HAS THE BT GAY BT FRIENDSHIP I’VE EVER SEEN DEPICTED ON SCREEN

* shape of water gay *

But asi om the queer love story at s center, the movie also explor the bt iendship between a gay man and a woman a way few films ever do. Most films that explore the “gay BFF” trope do so through a edic lens. In The Devil Wears Prada, Anne Hathaway’s Andy has a d gay bt iend who drools over her accsori, along wh Stanley Tucci’s Nigel as her queer spir gui.

For a Good Time Call’s Jt Long pats his gay BFF broad strok, though he do his bt to humanize the material. The “gay BFF” most films is serviceable, if not fully flhed out: Daniel Franze Mean Girls, Dan Byrd Easy A, Kieran Culk Stt Pilgrim vs. Though Jenks’ character is far more explicly queer than many of the mid-2000s “gay BFFs” listed above, he and Hawks’ also seem more tune than many of the bt iendships listed above.

Rightly amassg untls Bt Supportg Actor nomatns (cludg an Osr nod) for his elegant, eloquent performance as a 1960s gay man Guillermo l Toro’s The Shape Of Water, Richard Jenks is brilliant as an artist named Gil – a neighbour and bt iend to Sally Hawks’ mute Elisa. “I never knew any gay people bee they were all the closet, which you only fd out when you go to a high school rnn all the years later. Beg gay wasn’t even on the radar back then.

THE SHAPE OF WATER’S RICHARD JENKS TALKS THE STGGLE OF HIS GAY CHARACTER GIL

And who was the out actor origally nsired to play the film's gay character? * shape of water gay *

I had a great time growg up then but I wasn’t a woman, I wasn’t black, I wasn’t gay. He played the ceased father of gay funeral director David Fisher (Michael C.

‘THE SHAPE OF WATER’ GAVE ME WHAT MARVEL MOVI NEVER HAVE: A GAY HERO

Gay Water is here to turn the tis wh a premixed cktail that was tentnally signed for everyone.  * shape of water gay *

“HBO jt said, ‘You go buddy, you do whatever you want to do’ and what Alan did was extraordary, ” hell tells Gay Tim, admtg to beg both surprised and thrilled by how the boundary-phg show took off. Through flashbacks we learned that the patriarch knew his son was gay and was proud of him. The actor’s long and varied CV also clus Flirtg Wh Disaster, where his subtly pched turn as a gay FBI agent earned him an Inpennt Spir Award nomatn.

He said ‘You were playg a man who jt happened to be gay’. The fact that none of the aforementned characters are gay like me gets me down, but not enough to the fact that the vast majory of aspiratnal characters all of fictn check off all of my reprentatn box save one. I know that not beg able to see myself the few gay characters I enuntered durg my teenage years kept me the closet later than I would have liked.

GUILLERMO L TORO’S ‘THE SHAPE OF WATER’ FEATUR GAY CHARACTER WHO HELPS AMPHIBIAN HUMANOID

I’m jt sayg, if Chandler Bg had been gay, I would have pieced some thgs together about myself waaay sooner. Now that I’ve been out of the closet for almost 13 years (no thanks to my Friends), I see gay hero here and there–ually on ’70s game shows or Drag Race, but still, they’re out there and I love them.

But I’ve been wag for a gay hero to pop up a Marvel or Star Wars movie, my two fave anchis that are still laggg that area spe their creasg diversy.

GUILLERMO DEL TORO REVEALS THE GAY FILMMAKER WHO INFLUENCED "THE SHAPE OF WATER"AND WHO WAS THE OUT ACTOR ORIGALLY NSIRED TO PLAY THE FILM'S GAY CHARACTER?{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}MOVIBY CHRISTOPHER RUDOLPHSEPTEMBER 14, 2017/2:15 {HEIGHT:HER;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;POSN:RELATIVE;-WEBK-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-MS-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-WEBK-ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-ALIGN:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-ALIGN:CENTER;ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-WEBK-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;-MS-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;} IMG{HEIGHT:100%;WIDTH:100%;OBJECT-F:VER;}{HEIGHT:574PX;WIDTH:1020PX;}FOX SEARCHLIGHTBY CHRISTOPHER RUDOLPHSEPTEMBER 14, 2017 / 2:15 PM{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","HEADLE":"GUILLERMO DEL TORO REVEALS THE GAY FILMMAKER WHO INFLUENCED \"THE SHAPE OF WATER\"","THUMBNAILURL":","DATEPUBLISHED":"2017-09-14T18:15:18.000+0000","DATEMODIFIED":"2017-09-14T18:15:18.000+0000","IMAGE":{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","URL":","WIDTH":1920,"HEIGHT":1080},"URL":","THOR":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","NAME":"LOGO TV"},"MAENTYOFPAGE":{"@TYPE":"WEBPAGE","@ID":"},"PUBLISHER":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","@ID":","NAME":"LOGO TV","URL":","LOGO":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT"}},"CREATOR":"CHRISTOPHER RUDOLPH","ARTICLESECTN":"MOVI"}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}A NEW GUILLERMO L TORO MOVIE IS ALWAYS E FOR A CELEBRATN, PECIALLY HIS NEW FILM, THE SHAPE OF WATER, WHICH RECENTLY H THE FTIVAL CIRCU, WNG THE GOLN LN (BT PICTURE) AWARD AT THE VENICE FILM {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE FANTASY FILM FOLLOWS ELISA (SALLY HAWKS), A MUTE CLEANG LADY AT A TOP SECRET LABORATORY BALTIMORE. THE LAB IS HOG A FISH-MAN CREATURE, WHO ELIZA FALLS LOVE WH. THE MOVIE ALSO -STARS OCTAVIA SPENCER AND RICHARD JENKS, WHO PLAYS GIL, A GAY MAN AND IEND TO ELIZA.FOX {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IN A NEW TERVIEW WH THE PLAYLIST, L TORO REVEALS THE SPIRATN BEHD GIL, AND HOW THE ROLE WAS ORIGALLY WRTEN FOR IAN {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}"IAN IS A GUY THAT I FD ENARG AND ADORABLE AND I THK WAS SORT OF BASED ON A DIRECTOR I ADMIRED THAT HE PLAYED, JAM WHALE [ BILL CONDON’S GODS AND MONSTERS]. IT WAS A POSE OF PEOPLE I MET THE PAST," SAID L {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE ACCLAIMED DIRECTOR WENT ONTO EXPLA HOW DURG THE MEXIN PENNT FILM MOVEMENT THE '70S AND '80S, HE PRODUCED THE FIRST GAY EDY THE HISTORY OF MEXIN CEMA, DONA HERLDA AND HER SON:{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IT WAS DIRECTED BY A REALLY BRAVE, REALLY SMART GAY FILMMAKER, LLED JAIME HUMBERTO HERMOSILLO WHO WAS MY SCREENPLAY TEACHER. I THK [RICHARD’S CHARACTER] WAS A POSE OF PEOPLE I’VE MET OR PEOPLE THAT I THOUGHT EMBODIED THE ANGST OF THAT ERA. IN THE ’60S. A GUY WAS SO AAID OF EVEN BEG FOUND OUT. IT WAS LIKE A TAC AGREEMENT OF PROSECUTN BACK {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;POSN:RELATIVE;PADDG-BOTTOM:75%;} .TWTER-TWEET-RENRED, {M-WIDTH:65%;WIDTH:TO !IMPORTANT;} {WIDTH:100%;} {MARG-LEFT:TO !IMPORTANT;MARG-RIGHT:TO !IMPORTANT;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;WIDTH:100%;} > IAME{BORR:NONE;MAX-WIDTH:100%;} > *{MAX-WIDTH:NONE !IMPORTANT;POSN:ABSOLUTE;HEIGHT:100% !IMPORTANT;WIDTH:100% !IMPORTANT;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE SHAPE OF WATER IS CURRENTLY UP FOR THE PEOPL CHOICE AWARD AT THE TORONTO INTERNATNAL FILM FTIVAL, AND FILM CRICS BELIEVE THAT WH THE MOVIE OPENG WI DECEMBER (PRIME AWARDS SEASON SLOT) THAT THE ST, CLUDG HAWKS AND JENKS, WILL GET SOME MUCH-SERVED OSR {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;POSN:RELATIVE;PADDG-BOTTOM:56.49999999999999%;} .TWTER-TWEET-RENRED, {M-WIDTH:65%;WIDTH:TO !IMPORTANT;} {WIDTH:100%;} {MARG-LEFT:TO !IMPORTANT;MARG-RIGHT:TO !IMPORTANT;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;WIDTH:100%;} > IAME{BORR:NONE;MAX-WIDTH:100%;} > *{MAX-WIDTH:NONE !IMPORTANT;POSN:ABSOLUTE;HEIGHT:100% !IMPORTANT;WIDTH:100% !IMPORTANT;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}WE LOVE THAT L TORO CLUD A GAY CHARACTER HIS NEW FILM, AS AN HOMAGE TO A FILMMAKER WHO SPIRED HIM THE PAST, BUT WE HAVE LOVED L TORO EVER SCE HE GAVE SHOTS OF SHIRTLS CHARLIE HUNNAM PACIFIC {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE SHAPE OF WATER HS THEATERS DECEMBER {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;CLEAR:BOTH;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG:0 TO;WIDTH:90%;M-WIDTH:288PX;MAX-WIDTH:1440PX;M-HEIGHT:194PX;}LATT NEWS

I want gay hero, but also, I’m good, and there are puh-lenty of margalized groups that need rep before me. –the totally unlikely gay hero that I’ve been wag to see movi.

MOVE OVER BUD LIGHT, GAY WATER IS HERE AND IT’S QUEER

He’s gay, and olr, and wears glass and a lot of rdigans and profsorial looks. There’s also the fact that he bears a strikg remblance to my IRL gay hero Charl Nelson Reilly, so there’s no way I was gog to ignore him.

), and you watch him get aggrsively shut down by that homophobic shier after makg a tentative move (uuggh!

GAY WATER — CYNIL, PAT-BY-NUMBERS VIRTUE-SURFG START-UP? OR BEVERAGE INDTRY UNIRN WH GIFT OF GAY RIGHTS?

I felt regnized and celebrated by this lone gay character, exprsg a sense of sadns and regret that I’ve never seen a film before but I have heard myself say therapy on numero ocsns! Seeg that moment of emotnal vulnerabily, a vulnerabily I share as a fellow gay man, nnected me to Gil way that’s totally different om my ep Han Solo feels. Serly, an elrly gay man gets to do thgs like sneak past secury and drive the getaway r and dodge bullets and save his iends!

And all that was bee I saw myself this man, the gay man I would have been had I been born 70ish years earlier. It gave me the gay hero I never knew I need, but now I’m so glad I have. Elisa’s neighbour Gil (Richard Jenks) is an olr, stgglg gay artist who watch old Hollywood movi wh glamoro stars like Betty is plex, at-tim wardly and imperfect – jt like gays real life.

But, unlike many pictns of gay people film, the end he don’t die or bee a tragic figure; he, miraculoly, turns out to be a hero. Queer dienc have grown so faiar wh our stori always endg disaster that to see this film’s posive reprentatn of LGBT+ people feels (Richard Jenks) is a plex, brave gay character The film also has moments of joltg nflict like Dixie Doug’s pie emporium when the racist and homophobic waer barks at a black uple to leave the rtrant and tells Gil that gays like him aren’t wanted “bee this is a fay place” Octavia Spencer’s character we also have a brave, fully-realised black woman, which along wh fantastic films like Black Panther, feels like an important step regnisg and celebratg black (Octavia Spencer) plays a smart, fully-realised black womanTo balance out this lite discsn of genr, sexualy and race, the film has some really funny moments – pecially Dr.

*BEAR-MAGAZINE.COM* SHAPE OF WATER GAY

The Shape of Water's Richard Jenks talks the stggle of his gay character Gil .

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