The fale’s poop scene shocked Murray Bartlett, too. He talks Armond’s fate and maybe future, facg past soap opera mons, turng 50, his gay screen rol, and beg out.
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- ‘WHE LOT’ STAR ON THAT POOP, GAY ROL, AND BEG OUT HOLLYWOOD‘ARE YOU TRAUMATIZED?’MAR PEREZ/HBOTHE FALE’S POOP SCENE SHOCKED MURRAY BARTLETT, TOO. HE TALKS ARMOND’S FATE AND MAYBE FUTURE, FACG PAST SOAP OPERA MONS, TURNG 50, HIS GAY SCREEN ROL, AND BEG OUT.TIM TEEMANSENR EDOR AND WRERUPDATED AUG. 16, 2021 9:51AM EDT / PUBLISHED AUG. 15, 2021 10:06PM EDT MURRAY BARTLETT AND I SPOKE MOMENTS AFTER I SAW HIM TAKE SURELY THE MOST BEATIFIC CRAP EVER TAKEN ON TELEVISN. IN BOTH BLATANCY AND LYRICISM SETS A NEW ON-SCREEN TURD STANDARD. MOMENTS LATER, HIS WHE LOT CHARACTER, THE HIGHLY STNG HOTEL MANAGER ARMOND, APPARENTLY DIED A BATHTUB AFTER BEG STABBED BY RICH-BOY GUT SHANE (JAKE LACY), TO WHOSE SUSE ARMOND HAD SQUATTED DOWN A GLEEFUL ACT OF RIGHTEO VENGEANCE AGAST THE KD OF OBNOX WHE PRIVILEGE THAT MIKE WHE’S EDY DRAMA HAS BEEN SKEWERG AND SATIRIZG THE LAST SIX WEEKS.“ARE YOU TRMATIZED?” BARTLETT ASKS, ROARG WH LGHTER. FIRST, THE POOP. “WHEN I GOT THE SCRIPT, I THOUGHT, ‘OH THIS ISN’T GOG TO BE THAT BAD.’ AND THEN WHEN I SAW I WAS LIKE, ‘OH MY GOD.’ I HAD NO IA WAS GOG TO BE THAT EXPLIC. BUT AT THE SAME TIME WHEN I SAW ON THE PAGE AND MORE SO WHEN I SAW ON SCREEN WAS THE PERFECT MOMENT THE STORY, BEE ’S GOT THE KD OF SHOCK VALUE THAT REALLY WORKS THE MOMENT. WHEN I WATCHED , I WASN’T EXPECTG TO BE SO ONE-SHOT. I GOT TO FEEL WHAT IS TO EXPERIENCE THAT MOMENT SHOCK. I LOVE THAT MIKE WHE WILL GO THERE.” WHAT WAS THE TURD MA OF?“I N’T BREAK THE MAGIC,” BARTLETT SAYS, LGHG. IT WAS A “METHOD POO”?“I DON’T KNOW IF I WOULD GO THAT FAR,” BARTLETT SAYS. “LET’S JT SAY WHEN I WATCHED , I WAS SHOCKED. I DIDN’T KNOW WOULD LOOK THAT REALISTIC.”AFTER ARMOND SEEMED TO LOSE NSCNS, WE SAW SHANE EMERGE THE NEXT MORNG OM A POLICE R, APPARENTLY WAVED ON TO EEDOM BY TECTIV, AND THEN, OBSERVG OM THE AIRPORT WDOWS THE BOX MARKED “HUMAN REMAS” WE SAW EPISO ONE. SIX WEEKS AGO WE ASSUMED WAS HIS NEW, UNRSTANDABLY MISERABLE WIFE RACHEL (ALEXANDRA DADDAR) HE HAD KILLED. BUT HAS SHANE KILLED ANYONE? WHY WOULD HE BE ALLOWED TO GO EE SO SOON IF HE HAD KILLED OR JURED SOMEONE ELSE, EVEN IF HE HAD MAYBE EXCED OR LIED ABOUT HIS ACTNS AS SELF-FENSE? PERHAPS SHANE’S EEDOM IS WHE’S DARK DA—THAT WHE PRIVILEGE N EVEN GET YOU EASY-BREEZILY ACQUTED OF MURR. WHATEVER THE SE, THE END OF THE WHE LOT RAISED EVEN MORE QUTNS.ONE THG WAS CLEAR: ARMOND WAS NOT LE AS THE HOTEL STAFF PREPARED TO WELE THE NEXT SET OF VISORS. PERHAPS SPERATELY, PERHAPS LNALLY BEE THIS REPORTER LOV ARMOND, I ASK BARTLETT IF THE HOTEL MANAGER REALLY IS AD. IS THERE STILL A CHANCE, SOMEHOW, THAT ARMOND ULD N THE HOTEL, FALL APART, DRK, SNORT, RIM, AND REVENGE-POOP AGA?BARTLETT, WHOSE BREAK AMERI ME VIA A SEX AND THE CY EPISO, PLAYG A HANDSOME GAY SHOE IMPORTER WHO DAZZL CARRIE THE EPISO “ALL THAT GLTERS,” HAS HAD OTHER MAJOR ROL HBO DRAMA LOOKG AND THE MOST RECENT SCREEN ERATN OF TAL OF THE CY. HE BEGAN HIS REER ON LONG-NNG ATRALIAN SOAP OPERA NEIGHBOURS, AND LATER APPEARED GUIDG LIGHT (R.I.P.). HE KNOWS BETTER THAN ANYONE THE MAXIM THAT NO TV OR FILM CHARACTER N EVER BE TLY KNOWN TO BE AD UNTIL WE SEE A BODY, OR A RPSE A BODYBAG. “AND EVEN THEN SOAPLAND, THERE’S ALWAYS THE EVIL TW,” ROARS BARTLETT. ADVERTISEMENT A SEND SEASON OF THE WHE LOT HAS BEEN MISSNED. IT WILL BE SET AT ANOTHER WHE LOT PROPERTY, AND NOT FEATURE THE CHARACTERS OM SEASON ONE—KD OF. WHE TOLD TVLE, “I DON’T THK YOU N CREDIBLY HAVE [ALL THE SEASON 1 GUTS] ON THE SAME VATN AGA,” HE SAID. “BUT MAYBE ULD BE A MARVEL UNIVERSE TYPE THG, WHERE SOME OF THEM WOULD E BACK. WE ONLY MA ONE-YEAR ALS WH THE ACTORS, SO WE’D HAVE TO FD OUT WHO IS EVEN AVAILABLE.” “I HAD SUCH A BALL DOG THIS I WOULD LOVE TO DO MORE. MIKE WHE CREATED THIS. WHO KNOWS WHAT WILL E OUT OF THIS? I WOULD BE EXCED TO SEE WHAT KD OF SEND SEASON HE UP WH.”— MURRAY BARTLETT SO, IS THERE ANY WAY BACK FOR ARMOND? “I DON’T KNOW,” SAYS BARTLETT OM HIS HOME NEAR PROVCETOWN, MASSACHETTS, BEFORE THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE SEND SEASON HAD BEEN MA. “I HAD SUCH A BALL DOG THIS I WOULD LOVE TO DO MORE. IT WILL BE TERTG. MIKE WHE CREATED THIS. WHO KNOWS WHAT WILL E OUT OF THIS? I WOULD BE EXCED TO SEE WHAT KD OF SEND SEASON HE UP WH.”IN THE LAST AME, ALIVE OR MOST LIKELY AD, ARMOND IS SG—AND AT PEACE. DID KNOWG ARMOND WOULD DIE, OR AT LEAST APPEAR TO, AFFECT BARTLETT’S PERFORMANCE? “I THK SO. TOWARDS THE I THK HE’S HURTLG TOWARDS THAT MOMENT OF JOY. IN THAT LAST MOMENT, HE’S FALLY RELEASED OM THE HELL HE’S BEEN LIVG. IT’S A RELIEF. “IT’S TRAGIC THAT HAS TO END THAT WAY, BUT WHAT’S BRILLIANT ABOUT IS THAT SHOWS HOW ARMOND IS A SUALTY OF THE SOCIETAL SYSTEM WE HAVE, WHERE WE TREAT PEOPLE BETTER AT THE TOP, AND AS YOU GO DOWN YOU TREAT PEOPLE WORSE AND WORSE. AND WHEN YOU DO THAT YOU DRIVE THOSE PEOPLE CRAZY BEE ’S SO UNFAIR AND FUCKED UP. I FEEL LIKE ARMOND IS AN EXPRSN OF THAT TRATN. HE’S LIKE, ‘I’M GOG TO FLY TOWARDS THAT MOMENT.’ HE OBVLY DON’T KNOW WHAT WILL ULTIMATELY HAPPEN, BUT HE HAS THIS VALIER SENSE OF ‘FUCK .’ KNOWG THAT HE WAS HEADG THERE HELPED ME.”ARMOND’S SEXUALY IS NOT THE REASON FOR HIS ATH, SO IF HE IS NO MORE, IS NOT A HOMOPHOBIC MURR. BUT HE DO JO THE PANTHEON OF LGBTQ SCREEN CHARACTERS WDG UP AD. ADVERTISEMENT “I THK THERE’S TRAGEDY THE WAY ALL THE CHARACTERS END, EVEN IF ON THE SURFACE LOOKS LIKE THOSE WHO ARE ALIVE GET AWAY WH ,” SAYS BARTLETT. “JAKE AND RACHEL GO OFF TO LIVE THEIR ILLN. THAT FAY (THE MOSSBACHERS) ARE PLETELY FUCKED UP. I HEAR WHAT YOU’RE SAYG ABOUT GAY CHARACTERS HISTORILLY GETTG A RAW AL, BUT FOR ME ARMOND BEG GAY HAS NOTHG TO DO WH HIM DYG. IT FEELS LIKE WHATEVER HAPPENED TO HIM WOULD HAVE BEEN TRAGIC, BEE OF HIS ROLE THE HIERARCHY AND THE NATURE OF THE CIRCUMSTANC. IT MA SENSE TO ME AS A CHARACTER. IT DIDN’T FEEL LIKE WAS ANY KID OF ROGATORY DISS ON QUEER PEOPLE OR A GAY MAN.” “WHAT IS TRATG FOR ARMOND G UP AGAST SHANE IS THAT SHANE IS THE EPOME OF EVERYTHG THAT IS SEEN AS SOCIALLY ACCEPTABLE, AND HE’S A DICK.”— MURRAY BARTLETT ARMOND’S SEXUALY WAS CENTRAL TO HOW BARTLETT IMAGED HIM. “THERE IS FELY SOMETHG HIM OF NOT BEG ABLE TO BE THENTILLY HIMSELF, AND HAVG TO PUT ON ‘A FACE.’ IN MY MD, HIS BACKSTORY WAS SOMEONE FORCED TO BE AN OUTSIR WHO DIDN’T F . WHAT IS TRATG FOR ARMOND G UP AGAST SHANE IS THAT SHANE IS THE EPOME OF EVERYTHG THAT IS SEEN AS SOCIALLY ACCEPTABLE, AND HE’S A DICK. “ARMOND HAS HAD TO AL WH BEG OSTRACIZED AND TEASED AND BEG AN OUTSIR, WHEREAS SHANE IS RICH, ARROGANT, AND TOMATILLY GETS ALL THE SOCIAL PRIVILEGE. THERE’S SOMETHG REVEALG ABOUT THAT. WH MIKE WHE, NO ONE IS GOG TO END UP THE HERO. HE LIK TO EXPLORE THE DARKER SIS OF ALL PEOPLE’S STORI, AND ARMOND IS NO EXCEPTN. HE REVEALS WONRFUL THGS BUILT TO PEOPLE’S CHARACTERS— ARMOND’S SE ABOUT NNG AWAY OM WHO YOU ARE, AND WHAT CREATG A PUBLIC FACE TO HI WHO YOU ARE DO TO YOU.”BARTLETT ENJOYED PLAYG THE FULL PANOPLY OF ARMOND: SG, EFFICIENT MANAGER AND THEN SYBARIC NIHILIST AND SOCIAL AVENGER—“A SORT OF FUNCTNG ADDICT UNTIL HE GETS TO THE POT WHERE HE IS NOT FUNCTNG. THERE’S A BRTLENS THAT IS NOT OBV TO ANYONE WHEN THEY SEE HIM. HE’S ON THE EDGE, NOT ONLY BEE OF THE TRATNS OF WHAT HE WANTED TO DO WH HIS LIFE BUT ALSO STAYG SOBER THIS SANE WORLD. HE’S JT NOT PG.”HIS NAME IS ALSO SHARED WH THE LEAD CHARACTER OF THE BIRDGE, AND IS AN “ODD NAME FOR AN ATRALIAN, WHICH I LOVE,” SAYS BARTLETT. “I THK HE’S HALF-FRENCH AND GREW UP THE WTERN SUBURBS OF SYDNEY. MIKE HAS BAKED ALL THE IDSYNCRASI TO THE CHARACTERS.” ADVERTISEMENT “THEY LLED ‘ACTN,’ AND WE WERE TWO BULLS WH OUR HORNS LOCKED”BARTLETT, 50, DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT ARMOND’S EXTREM WHEN HE SIGNED UP TO PLAY HIM, “BUT OBVLY I WOULD HAVE BEEN AN IDT TO HAVE ANY HATN. I ALWAYS WANTED TO WORK WH MIKE. THE SHOW SOME WAYS SEEMED A SLOW-BURN. YOU GET TO MEET THE CHARACTERS, BUT DON’T KNOW WHERE THEY ARE GOG TO END UP. WHEN I DID SEE THE OTHER SCRIPTS, I WAS CREDIBLY EXCED.“ARMOND GO ON SUCH A ROLLERASTER RI, WH A JOB THAT REQUIR A PUBLIC FACE AND A RICH, PLITED NER LIFE BUBBLG UNRNEATH. THAT WAS JT SO OL TO PLAY, AND TO BE ABLE TO HAVE SCEN WHERE THAT NER LIFE IS FULLY EXPRSED AMAZG WAYS—JT LIKE THE SUSE SCENE, WHERE ARMOND FOLLOWS THROUGH A WAY WE HOPEFULLY WOULD NOT, BUT PLAYG A CHARACTER WHO GO THROUGH WH WAS BOTH SHOCKG AND THERAPTIC.” HE AND LACY DIDN’T OVER-PREPARE FOR THEIR SCEN OF MUTUAL SEETHG. “THEY LLED ‘ACTN,’ AND WE WERE TWO BULLS WH OUR HORNS LOCKED. WE WERE BOTH SURPRISED A GREAT WAY. JAKE WAS SOMEONE PHG ME AS MUCH AS I PHED HIM. IT FELT LIKE WE WERE FENCG THOSE SCEN.” “I ASKED MYSELF, ‘WHAT IF I ULDN’T HAVE BEEN AN ACTOR? WHAT IF HADN’T WORKED OUT? WHAT IF I HAD GONE TO HOSPALY AS A SERVANT OF THE OBNOX PEOPLE, AND END UP ON THIS TRAJECTORY OF UNFULFILLED DREAMS?’”— MURRAY BARTLETT ADVERTISEMENT FROM THE OUTSET, SAYS BARTLETT, ARMOND IS “A MAN ON THE VERGE OF A NERVO BREAKDOWN.” THE CRACKS DON’T IALLY APPEAR AS SUPER-SIZED AS THEY BEE, BUT BARTLETT RELISHED PLAYG HIS SUBSEQUENT “UNRAVELG.” AT ONE STAGE THE SHOW’S NCEPTN, ARMOND MA A SPEECH ABOUT WANTG TO BE AN ACTOR, WHICH BARTLETT NATURALLY RELATED TO. “I ASKED MYSELF, ‘WHAT IF I ULDN’T HAVE BEEN AN ACTOR? WHAT IF HADN’T WORKED OUT? WHAT IF I HAD GONE TO HOSPALY AS A SERVANT OF THE PRIVILEGED, OBNOX PEOPLE, AND END UP ON THIS TRAJECTORY OF UNFULFILLED DREAMS WHILE STILL TRYG TO SOMEHOW FOLLOW THROUGH? HIS ADDICTN ISSU ADD TO THIS. ARMOND IS WEIRDLY LARGER THAN LIFE, TRATED AT NOT BEG WHO HE WANTED TO BE, BUT HANGG ON TO THE SHOWMAN ASPECTS OF WHAT HE DO AS A HOTEL MANAGER BEE HE ALWAYS WANTED TO BE A PERFORMER.”THIS WE SEE ONE OF ARMOND’S MOST BETIFUL SCEN, HIS HOTEL SWANSONG THE FAL EPISO, WHERE HE WORKS ALL THE TABL AT SUPPER AS IF A PERFECTLY CHOREOGRAPHED PIECE OF BALLET.“IT’S A DANCE,” SAYS BARTLETT. “THOSE SCEN WHERE HE’S JT FLYG, HIS ELEMENT, WERE GREAT TO PLAY. THEY PLAYED THE MIC YOU HEAR FOR ME AS I DID . I WAS A DANCE WH THE MERA OPERATOR. IT WAS VERY DREAMY TO FILM. ARMOND FALLY HAS GOT NOTHG TO LOSE. IN THOSE MOMENTS HE IS RELEASG ALL HIS ANXIETI. HE’S REALLY GOOD AT THIS. THAT’S THE MOST TRAGIC PART OF HIS STORY, AND WHY HE TAK SO HARD WHEN HE MS UP SHANE AND RACHEL’S BOOKG AT THE BEGNG AND STARTS TO LOSE HIS GRIP. THIS IS THE ONLY THG HE’S GOOD AT, AND IF HE LOS THAT, WHAT DO HE HAVE?”BARTLETT SAYS HE TRIED TO “PLAY WH THE LEVELS” OF ARMOND, BALANCG MOMENTS OF VULNERABILY AND FEELG LOST WH THE OTHER TECHNILOR MOMENTS OF HIM NOT HOLDG BACK, OF BEG MANIC, LETTG HIMSELF SLIP, OF BEG LARGER THAN LIFE, YET REMAG “HONT AND ANCHORED SOMETHG THAT FEELS REAL SO HE DON’T BEE A RITURE. YOU WANT HIM TO BE FUN AT TIM, BUT LIKE ALL CHARACTERS YOU HAVE TO FEEL FOR THEM AT OTHER TIM. THAT MAK HIM REAL. I’M REALLY PROUD OF HOW WE NAVIGATED AND STEERED THROUGH THOSE MOMENTS OF ARMOND’S VULNERABILY AND HIS MOMENTS OF TOTAL SHOWMAN.” “IT’S TRICKY WORKG WH HER, BEE YOU JT WANT TO WATCH HER. SHE’S JT SO FASCATG AND SPONTANEO THE MOMENT.”— MURRAY BARTLETT ON JENNIFER COOLIDGE ADVERTISEMENT THE ST AND EXTRAS WERE ALL SEQUTERED A COVID-SENSIVE BUBBLE, THE HOTEL WE SEE ON SCREEN, STAYG THE SAME KDS OF ROOMS WE SEE. THERE WAS, OF URSE, A HOTEL MANAGER, “WHO WAS NOTHG LIKE ARMOND,” LGHS BARTLETT. “IT WAS AN TENSE SCHLE, BUT WAS ALSO LIKE THEATER MP,” BARTLETT SAYS, SCRIBG A LOVELY SLEEPOVER THAT LASTED MORE THAN ONE NIGHT, WHERE YOU DIDN’T NEED TO WORRY IF YOUR HAIR WAS MSY AT THE DNER TABLE—“A GROUP OF PEOPLE YOU WANTED TO SPEND TIME WH.” THE ST SWAM TOGETHER, ATE TOGETHER, AND SPENT TIME TOGETHER FAR MORE THAN IS UAL. BARTLETT SAYS WHE HAD STARTED WRG THE SHOW AUGT LAST YEAR, WH FILMG BEGNG OCTOBER. “HOW THE FUCK DO SOMEONE DO THAT? IT’S REALLY PHENOMENAL,” SAYS BARTLETT. WHEN FILMG WAS SHUT DOWN “FOR COVID A UPLE OF TIM, FALSE POSIV” THE TEAM RETURNED FEBARY TO FISH THE SHOOT. 'THE WHE LOT' ST WH CREATOR/WRER/DIRECTOR MIKE WHE, SEND LEFT.KEV WTER/GETTY IMAG STEVE ZAHN, WHO PLAYED OPPOSE BARTLETT AS MARK MOSSBACHER (THE TWO SHARG A BETIFULLY WRTEN, WEIRD NEAR-SCTN SCENE), IS “SUCH A RELAXED, FUNNY, SWEET MAN TO BE AROUND.” AS FOR WORKG WH THE TRANSFIXG JENNIFER COOLIDGE, BARTLETT SAYS: “WHAT IS THERE LEFT TO SAY? SHE’S SOMEONE I ADMIRE SO MUCH. IT’S TRICKY WORKG WH HER, BEE YOU JT WANT TO WATCH HER. SHE’S JT SO FASCATG AND SPONTANEO THE MOMENT. IT’S REALLY HARD NOT TO LGH. SHE’S JT SO FUNNY. IT’S TERTG—SHE’S A LOT MORE SELF-AWARE HER LIFE THAN SOME OF HER CHARACTERS ARE. SHE’S VERY KD. IT’S A CHALLENGE TO STAY THE MOMENT WH HER, BEE I WAS AWTCK BY HOW AMAZG SHE IS.” “I DO THK THERE ARE STILL LGERG STIGMAS, AND SOME CEILGS TO BREAK THROUGH” ADVERTISEMENT IN HIS STANDOUT ROL—AS ARMOND THE WHE LOT, AS DOM LOOKG, AND AS MICHAEL TOLLIVER THE MOST RECENT SCREEN ERATN OF ARMISTEAD MP’S TAL OF THE CY FOR NETFLIX—BARTLETT IS UNIQUE; AN OUT GAY ACTOR PLAYG AN ASSORTMENT OF VARIED, EPLY WRTEN GAY MEN PROGRSG THROUGH MIDDLE AGE ON MASTREAM TV.“I FEEL LIKE I HAVE BEEN CREDIBLY LUCKY THAT WAY, AND ALSO HAVG THE OPPORTUNY TO TRY AND SHOW NUANCE, VULNERABILY AND PLEXY AND HOPEFULLY SOMETHG THAT FEELS THENTIC. ARMOND IS DIFFERENT OM THE OTHER CHARACTERS. I MEAN HE FELY EXISTS SI ME, I THK HE EXISTS SI ALL OF WHICH IS IGHTENG TO THK. AS AN ACTOR YOU WANT TO PLAY A RANGE OF ROL, AND I’VE HAD THE OPPORTUNY TO PLAY GAY AND STRAIGHT ROL, BUT I OFTEN GET TO PLAY GAY ROL WHICH I ABSOLUTELY LOVE BEE WE ARE A TIME WHERE WE ARE STILL TRYG TO HAVE MORE REPRENTATN UNR-REPRENTED MUNI, CLUDG THE QUEER MUNY.“THERE’S A RPONSIBILY THAT WH THAT TO TRY TO DO JTICE TO WHATEVER REPRENTATNS WE DO HAVE. I HAVE REALLY LOVED THE OPPORTUNY TO TRY AND DO THAT. SOMETIM YOU FEEL LIKE YOU SUCCEED, SOMETIM YOU FEEL LIKE YOU MAY HAVE FALLEN SHORT A B. BUT JT TO HAVE DONE FEELS REALLY SATISFYG FOR ME, AND MAK ME FEEL VERY LUCKY BEE I FEEL LIKE ’S SOMETHG THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE, AND I WANTED TO DO WHAT I ULD TO MAKE THE CHARACTERS SENSIVE AND THREE-DIMENSNAL.”BARTLETT DON’T KNOW IF HE WAS OFFERED THE ROL ON THE STRENGTH OF HIS PREV GAY ROL—WHICH N BE SOMETIM HOW PRODUCERS AND STG DIRECTORS N SEE YOU. “I DON’T KNOW IF PEOPLE THK, ‘HE N ONLY PLAY GAY ROL,’ OR IS THAT THE ONLY WAY THEY HAVE SEEN ME AND SO THK, ‘HE’S RIGHT FOR THIS’? I DO KNOW WE STILL HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO SO MANY AREAS. THERE’S HARDLY ANY FEMALE CEMATOGRAPHERS THAT WORK A LOT AND GET OFFERED BIG JOBS. WE’RE NOT SEEG EQUALY FOR MEN AND WOMEN, OR SEEG AS MANY OPPORTUNI FOR QUEER PEOPLE, OR PEOPLE OF LOR, OR PEOPLE OF DIVERSE GENR INTI. THERE ARE SO MANY PLAC FOR TO GROW. I DO THK THERE ARE STILL LGERG STIGMAS, AND SOME CEILGS TO BREAK THROUGH.”BUT BARTLETT FEELS “SUPER-LUCKY” WH THE OPPORTUNI HE HAS PERSONALLY RECEIVED, AND THE RANGE OF ROL HE HAS PLAYED. “IF THE ARE GREAT ROL QUEER-FOCED STORI THAT’S AWOME. BUT I DO LOOK FORWARD TO A TIME WHERE OUR GENR, RACE, AND SEXUALY DON’T NECSARILY PLAY TO WHAT WE GET ST AS, AND THAT WE ARE ON AN EQUAL PLAYG FIELD. WE’RE NOT THERE YET, BUT WE’RE MOVG TOWARDS , WHICH IS AWOME.” “AS A YOUNG ACTOR, PEOPLE TALK TO YOU ABOUT AND ASK YOU IF ’S GOG TO BE A PROBLEM OR SHOULD YOU HI . I NEVER FELT FORTABLE HIDG , SO I DIDN’T.”— MURRAY BARTLETT ADVERTISEMENT BARTLETT DON’T KNOW IF BEG OUT “PLAYED AGAST ME. IT MAY HAVE, OR MAYBE I JT WASN’T RIGHT FOR THOSE OTHER ROL.” HE LGHS. “I WAS SUPER-FORTUNATE AS A YOUNG PERSON WHO HAD AN CREDIBLE MOTHER WHO LOVED ME NO MATTER WHAT, AND DIDN’T HAVE ANY ISSUE WH ME BEG GAY. I STILL HAD TO E OUT TO SOME PEOPLE MY LIFE, BUT I DIDN’T STGGLE WH THAT MY LIFE AS A LOT OF PEOPLE DO. I FEEL LIKE I RRIED THAT TO MY WORK LIFE TO A CERTA EXTENT. “AS A YOUNG ACTOR, PEOPLE TALK TO YOU ABOUT AND ASK YOU IF ’S GOG TO BE A PROBLEM OR SHOULD YOU HI . I NEVER FELT FORTABLE HIDG , SO I DIDN’T. PROBABLY EARLY ON, I DIDN’T GO OUT OF MY WAY TO TALK ABOUT , BUT I NEVER HAD A G OUT PROCS. I JT NEVER HID . I DO LOVE NOT KNOWG MUCH ABOUT THE PERSONAL LIV OF ACTORS, BEE ALLOWS ME TO LOSE MYSELF THEIR CHARACTERS, BUT I ALSO KNOW THERE HAS BEEN AND NTU TO BE AN IMPORTANT PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO BE OPENLY WHO THEY ARE. THE ST OF 'LOOKG.'FILMMAGIC/FILMMAGIC FOR HBO “FOR ME, I WAS NEVER TERTED HIDG . FORTUNATELY, THAT WORKED OUT REALLY WELL FOR ME BEE THE OPPORTUNI I GOT HAVE BEEN WONRFUL, BUT MAY HAVE GUID MY TRAJECTORY THAT I HAVE PLAYED MORE GAY ROL THAN I WOULD HAVE IF I HADN’T BEEN OPEN. IT’S HARD TO KNOW. BUT I FEEL VERY LUCKY WH HOW MY LIFE HAS GONE. IT HASN’T AFFECTED ME NEGATIVELY, EVEN IF ALTERED MY TRAJECTORY SOME WAYS.”HE IS A HEARTTHROB TOO, EVEN IF ARMOND HAS MORE SMOOTHED-DOWN HAIR AND LS OUTWARD SILVER-FOX GGEDNS THAN DOM LOOKG AND MICHAEL TAL. IT’S NOT THE FIRST TIME BARTLETT HAS HEARD (“YOU KNOW…SOCIAL MEDIA”), AND HE LGHS HEARTILY. “I MEAN SURE I’LL TAKE . I DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU SAY TO THAT. IT’S A HARD THG TO RPOND TO, BUT I TAKE AS A GREAT PLIMENT.” ADVERTISEMENT “I ULD GO ON A WILRNS WALK NEW ZEALAND, OR E TO NEW YORK AND DO CLASS. I CHOSE NEW YORK”BARTLETT GREW UP SYDNEY. ALL HE EVER WANTED TO DO OM A YOUNG AGE WAS ACT. “I WAS ALWAYS THAT KID OFF THE FAR END OF THE YARD DRSED SOME WEIRD STUME OR WHATEVER THG I HAD FOUND, TALKG TO MYSELF A PLETE FANTASY WORLD. I HAD AN CREDIBLY RICH IMAGATN.” HE PUT ON LTLE SHOWS, HABED A MULTU OF CHARACTERS.“AND THEN, FATEFULLY, MY BROTHER AND HIS IENDS OM THE NEIGHBORHOOD ALL GATHERED AROUND A ROCK TO KILL A SPIR, AND MY BROTHER WAS TRYG TO KILL , AND I WAS STANDG BEHD HIM AND HE THREW THE HAMMER BACK TO E BACK DOWN AND KILL THE SPIR AND KNOCKED MY BABY TEETH OUT.” SO, BARTLETT HAD TO WA FOR HIS ADULT TEETH GREW THROUGH. NOT LONG AFTER THAT HE WAS SPNG AROUND HIS BASEMENT LISTENG TO MIC, AGA HIS OWN WORLD, WHEN HE TRIPPED OVER AND KNOCKED HIS TWO BOTTOM TEETH ON THE NCRETE FLOOR.“THERE WAS A BIG HOLE WHERE MY TEETH WERE SUPPOSED TO BE FOR A FEW YEARS,” BARTLETT RELLED. “WHEN MY TEETH GREW THROUGH, I SAID ‘S’ LIKE AN ‘F.’ I HAD A LISP.” HIS MOTHER SENT HIM TO A SPEECH THERAPIST TO MASTER THE ‘S,’ “AN AMAZG WOMAN WHO HAD ME READG MONOLOGS AND READG POEMS. I WORKED WH HER FOR YEARS.” THEN ME ACTG HIGH SCHOOL AND DRAMA SCHOOL, “WHERE I REALIZED NOT EVERYONE THOUGHT I WAS GREAT. THAT’S A WHOLE OTHER STORY.” BARTLETT LGHS. “IT WAS LIKE, ‘WHY DON’T YOU ALL UNNDNALLY LOVE ME LIKE MY MOM?’ UGH.” HE LGHS AGA, AND TON: “WEELLLL, YEARS OF THERAPY LATER…”BARTLETT EMERGED OM DRAMA SCHOOL “A LTLE SHATTERED BY THE EXPERIENCE, AND WH LOFTY IAS ABOUT HOW I WANTED TO BE AS AN ACTOR. MY PERSPECTIVE WAS A LTLE ALL OVER THE PLACE.” LIKE MANY GOOD-LOOKG YOUNG ATRALIAN ACTORS, HE DID STTS NEIGHBOURS AND HOME AND AWAY. “I WISH I HAD DONE A LTLE LONGER ON THOSE SHOWS NOW, BEE I FEEL LIKE YOU LEARN A LOT ON THEM. ADVERTISEMENT “I WAS A LTLE RISTANT TO THEM AT THE TIME. THERE WAS A STIGMA THAT EXISTED AROUND THEM, AND I FELT PRSURED BY THAT. MY PERSPECTIVE WAS WARPED. I WISH I HADN’T FELT THAT. IF I HAD BEEN MORE OPEN TO , THERE MAY HAVE BEEN AN OPPORTUNY TO WORK LONGER ON THOSE SHOWS. WHEN YOU WORK ON SOAPS, YOU LEARN WHAT IS TO WORK FAST AND WH MERAS. IT WAS SUCH A OL EXPERIENCE, AND I’M GLAD AND VERY PROUD NOW TO HAVE DONE THEM. IT WAS GOOD FOR ME AS A PERSON AND AS AN ACTOR.”MANY ACTORS OM THOSE SHOWS HAVE MA BIG HOLLYWOOD, AND BARTLETT WAS AHEAD OF THE CURVE WHEN HE ARRIVED AMERI 2000.HE NEVER TEND TO MOVE TO THE U.S., HE SAYS, BUT THE FILM DTRY ATRALIA WAS SMALLER AND HARR TO BREAK TO. HE WANTED TO WORK AND LEARN. “I HAD TWO CHOIC. I ULD GO ON A WILRNS WALK NEW ZEALAND, OR E TO NEW YORK AND DO CLASS. I CHOSE NEW YORK.”HE FELL LOVE WH THE CY, EXTEND HIS TOURIST VISA—AND THEN, A BOLT OF GOOD FORTUNE, BOOKED HIS FIRST JOB ON SEX AND THE CY PLAYG OLIVER, THE HANDSOME GAY ASIE WHO FIRST GETS CARRIE SERVED A CROWD, FLHY GAY BAR, AND THEN BRIEFLY DISPLAC STANFORD (WILLIE GARSON) AS HER GAY BT IEND. “IT WAS A FANTASY NEW YORK STORY, THIS PERSON KNOWS THIS PERSON, AND JT HAPPENS. IT GOT ME THKG, ‘OH MAYBE I ULD STAY HERE.’”— MURRAY BARTLETT BARTLETT SECURED THE GIG THROUGH A IEND-OF-A-IEND SERI OF NNECTNS, SUDNLY READG AND THEN SHOOTG ALONGSI SARAH JSI PARKER. “IT WAS A FANTASY NEW YORK STORY, THIS PERSON KNOWS THIS PERSON, AND JT HAPPENS. IT GOT ME THKG, ‘OH MAYBE I ULD STAY HERE.’ THERE WAS SUCH A POSIVY NEW YORK, PEOPLE WANTG TO HELP ME RISE TO DO SOMETHG. I FELT LIKE SOMETHG WAS FLOWG ALONG MY FAVOR NEW YORK. I GOT ADDICTED TO THE CY, AND THE FEELG OF OPPORTUNY.” ADVERTISEMENT WHEN BARTLETT APPEARED GUIDG LIGHT BETWEEN 2007 AND 2009, AS NMAN CYS FOLEY, EXORCISED HIS SOAP MONS OM YEARS BEFORE. “IT WAS AN AMAZG TRAG GROUND. IT PLETELY CURED ME OF MY FEAR OF NOT REMEMBERG MY L BEE YOU’VE GOT SO MUCH TO LEARN, ’S JT RIDICULO. YOU JT GET OVER . WHEN I DID GUIDG LIGHT, THERE WAS STILL A STIGMA OR ATTU AROUND BEG ON A SOAP. I HAD TO BEAT THAT AWAY. IT WAS A GREAT CHOICE. IT HELPED ME GET MY GREEN RD, WAS A GREAT GROUP OF PEOPLE, AND MA ME BETTER AS AN ACTOR. AND WAS A CHANCE FOR ME TO REDO WHAT I HAD FELT I HAD MSED UP ATRALIA. I HAD MA CISNS EARLY MY LIFE BASED ON EXPECTATNS OF ME OR WHAT WAS OL, RATHER THAN WHAT WAS BT FOR ME.” MURRAY BARTLETT AND LRA LNEY AT SF PRI, 2019.KIMBERLY WHE/GETTY IMAG FOR NETFLIX SO, WOULD BARTLETT SAY “Y” TO NEIGHBOURS NOW, BEE PRUMABLY THEY WOULD LOVE A STAR OF HIS STATURE TO MAKE AN APPEARANCE?BARTLETT LGHS. “IT PENDS ON WHAT THE CHARACTER IS. I LOOK FOR ANY OPPORTUNY TO GO HOME. BUT MY LIFE IS HERE NOW, AND ATRALIA IS UNRSTANDABLY REALLY PROTECTIVE OF ACTORS LIVG AND WORKG THERE, AS THEY SHOULD BE. IT’S HARD TO STRADDLE BOTH, BUT I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNY THERE TO GO BACK AND WORK.”BARTLETT AND HIS PARTNER OF ALMOST SEVEN YEARS—WHO HE CL TO NAME—MOVED TO CAPE COD A UPLE OF YEARS AGO, BUYG A LTLE PIECE OF LAND, AN “EXPERIMENT” IALLY AFTER MANY YEARS OF NEW YORK LIVG. “WE HAVE A PIECE OF LAND THE WOODS. WE WERE THKG ABOUT DROPPG ANCHOR ATRALIA, BUT FOUND SOME LAND UP MASSACHETTS STEAD.” HE STILL JOURNEYS TO THE BIG APPLE FOR WORK, BUT HIS CAPE HOME IS WHERE HAS “STCK ANCHOR FOR NOW.” LIKE THIS REPORTER, HE LOV PROVCETOWN PECIALLY THE WTER WHEN THE CROWDS ARE GONE, AND ’S “PEACEFUL, MOODY AND ROMANTIC. IT FEELS LIKE YOU HAVE THE TOWN TO YOURSELF.” WE PARE NOT ON WALKS OVER THE “BREAKWATER,” THE HEARTBREAKGLY BETIFUL SUNSETS, AND THE LIGHT OF A PROVCETOWN WTER BLIZZARD. ADVERTISEMENT BARTLETT TURNED 50 MARCH. “IT WAS FELY A BIG MOMENT. I DON’T HAVE AN ISSUE WH AGE AT ALL OR GETTG OLR. I REALLY LOVE , BUT I’M FORTUNATE TO BE GOOD HEALTH AND ALL THAT. I THK THOSE KDS OF BIRTHDAYS ARE SIGNIFINT, BUT DIDN’T FEEL LIKE SUCH A MAJOR THG. I DIDN’T FEEL TRMATIZED. IF ANYTHG I EMBRACED . I REALLY ENJOY GETTG OLR. I FEEL LIKE LS OF A MS, AND CLEAR ABOUT HOW I WANT TO BE THE WORLD AND WHAT I WANT LIFE TO BE. HOPEFULLY I AM MAKG BETTER CHOIC.” “BEG NATURE CREAT MORE OF AN ANCHOR MY LIFE. BEG NATURE FEELS RIGHT.”— MURRAY BARTLETT “FOR MY 40TH AND 50TH BIRTHDAYS, FOR ABOUT A WEEK BEFORE BOTH, I FELT CREDIBLY UNSETTLED. I WAS LOOKG BACK ON MY LIFE BOTH TIM. I WAS THKG, ‘AM I WHERE I THOUGHT I WOULD BE?’ ‘HOW SHOULD I LIVE MY LIFE?’—JT SORT OF REFLECTIVE THAT WAY. SO, I FOUND KD OF SURPRISGLY TUMULTUO. THE ACTUAL DAY OF MY BIRTHDAY BOTH TIM WAS REALLY BETIFUL. I JT HAD TO GET OVER THE HUMP OF REFLECTN.”BARTLETT SAID THAT LIVG NEW YORK HAD BEEN SOMEWHAT OF A PERSONAL SURPRISE, SPE HIS PROFSNAL SUCCS. “I’M SUCH A NATURE BOY. NATURE IS WHERE I FEEL LIKE I AM MY ELEMENT. IT WAS PROBABLY WHY I WENT TO NEW YORK. IT WAS LIKE I WANTED TO SEE WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO ME WHEN I’M NOT MY NATURAL FORT ZONE OR NATURAL HABAT. WHEN I TURNED 50 I WANTED TO BE NATURE AGA. I WANTED MY LIFE TO FEEL LIKE I WAS MOVG TOWARDS THAT. BEG NATURE CREAT MORE OF AN ANCHOR MY LIFE. BEG NATURE FEELS RIGHT, BUT NEW YORK REMAS MY WORK HOME.”REACHG HIS 50TH BIRTHDAY MARCH, BARTLETT THOUGHT TO HIMSELF, “OH, I MA THIS STUFF HAPPEN, AND I’M FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO MAKE HAPPEN. HERE I AM A PLACE WHERE I HAD NOT EXACTLY PICTURED MYSELF, BUT ’S PRETTY CLOSE WH ALL THE ELEMENTS THAT I HAD HOPED FOR WHEN I TURNED 50… SO YEAH, I FELT VERY LUCKY. ONE OF THE THGS THE PANMIC REVEALED IS YOU N KD OF BE ANYWHERE THE DAYS, WHICH I’M ALL FOR.” “WE GOT MSAG LIKE, ‘YOU HAVE NO IA WHAT ’S LIKE TO SEE THIS, HOW LIBERATG IS TO SEE THIS, EVEN THOUGH I N’T BE LIBERATED MY LIFE.’ THE POTENTIAL FOR TV TO REACH PEOPLE THAT WAY IS SO POWERFUL.”— MURRAY BARTLETT ADVERTISEMENT BARTLETT WILL NEXT FILM HBO POST-APOLYPTIC DRAMA THE LAST OF US, BASED ON THE 2013 VIO GAME OF THE SAME NAME. BARTLETT SAYS HE IS SWORN TO SECRECY ABOUT , APART OM SAYG HE IS VERY EXCED TO SHOOT THE PROJECT CANADA. (DEADLE REPORTS THAT HE IS PLAYG A SURVIVALIST LLED FRANK ALONGSI CON O’NEILL’S BILL.) WHILE HE IS LOOKG FORWARD TO WATCHG THE RETURN OF THEATER NEW YORK, WORKG ON MERA REMAS HIS FOC—“THE SUBTLE TIMACY” FACILAT FOR AN ACTOR, AS WELL AS THE ABILY TO SPEAK AND “NOT HAVG TO REACH THE LAST ROW.”BARTLETT SAYS HE LOV SEEG ONE OF HIS SHOWS ON THE SCREEN, KNOWG HE WAS PART OF S CREATN. THE ARC OF A SHOW LIKE THE WHE LOT ALLOWS AN ACTOR TO EXPLORE THE BREADTH AND PTHS OF A CHARACTER, HE SAYS, “PECIALLY VIA PLATFORMS WHERE YOU N REACH A GLOBAL DIENCE. IT’S SUCH AN AMAZG, POWERFUL THG. FOR STANCE, WH SOMETHG LIKE LOOKG WE REACHED QUEER PEOPLE UNTRI WHERE THEY ULDN’T LIVE OPENLY. THEY WERE LIFTED UP BY THAT SHOW WAYS WE WILL NEVER UNRSTAND. THEY FELT NNECTED TO THE WORLD AND LS ALONE. “WE GOT MSAG OM PEOPLE THOSE SORTS OF PARTS OF THE WORLD SAYG THGS LIKE, ‘YOU HAVE NO IA WHAT ’S LIKE TO SEE THIS, HOW LIBERATG IS TO SEE THIS, EVEN THOUGH I N’T BE LIBERATED MY LIFE.’ THE POTENTIAL FOR TV TO REACH PEOPLE THAT WAY IS SO POWERFUL, I THK.”AND NOW THAT GO FOR ARMOND THE WHE LOT TOO, ARGUABLY BARTLETT’S FT, REER-TOPPG ROLE TO DATE. HOW ULD ARMOND RETURN, WE WONR AS WE SAY GOODBYE. BARTLETT LGHS. “I’M NOT SURE HOW HE ULD CREATE . BUT IF ANYONE N, MIKE WHE N.” TIM TEEMAN
- MIKE WHE AND ‘THE WHE LOT’ STARS BREAK DOWN THAT JAW-DROPPG TWIST: I WANT TO ‘MAKE GAY SEX TRANSGRSIVE AGA’
‘WHE LOT’ STAR ON THAT POOP, GAY ROL, AND BEG OUT HOLLYWOOD‘ARE YOU TRAUMATIZED?’MAR PEREZ/HBOTHE FALE’S POOP SCENE SHOCKED MURRAY BARTLETT, TOO. HE TALKS ARMOND’S FATE AND MAYBE FUTURE, FACG PAST SOAP OPERA MONS, TURNG 50, HIS GAY SCREEN ROL, AND BEG OUT.TIM TEEMANSENR EDOR AND WRERUPDATED AUG. 16, 2021 9:51AM EDT / PUBLISHED AUG. 15, 2021 10:06PM EDT MURRAY BARTLETT AND I SPOKE MOMENTS AFTER I SAW HIM TAKE SURELY THE MOST BEATIFIC CRAP EVER TAKEN ON TELEVISN. IN BOTH BLATANCY AND LYRICISM SETS A NEW ON-SCREEN TURD STANDARD. MOMENTS LATER, HIS WHE LOT CHARACTER, THE HIGHLY STNG HOTEL MANAGER ARMOND, APPARENTLY DIED A BATHTUB AFTER BEG STABBED BY RICH-BOY GUT SHANE (JAKE LACY), TO WHOSE SUSE ARMOND HAD SQUATTED DOWN A GLEEFUL ACT OF RIGHTEO VENGEANCE AGAST THE KD OF OBNOX WHE PRIVILEGE THAT MIKE WHE’S EDY DRAMA HAS BEEN SKEWERG AND SATIRIZG THE LAST SIX WEEKS.“ARE YOU TRMATIZED?” BARTLETT ASKS, ROARG WH LGHTER. FIRST, THE POOP. “WHEN I GOT THE SCRIPT, I THOUGHT, ‘OH THIS ISN’T GOG TO BE THAT BAD.’ AND THEN WHEN I SAW I WAS LIKE, ‘OH MY GOD.’ I HAD NO IA WAS GOG TO BE THAT EXPLIC. BUT AT THE SAME TIME WHEN I SAW ON THE PAGE AND MORE SO WHEN I SAW ON SCREEN WAS THE PERFECT MOMENT THE STORY, BEE ’S GOT THE KD OF SHOCK VALUE THAT REALLY WORKS THE MOMENT. WHEN I WATCHED , I WASN’T EXPECTG TO BE SO ONE-SHOT. I GOT TO FEEL WHAT IS TO EXPERIENCE THAT MOMENT SHOCK. I LOVE THAT MIKE WHE WILL GO THERE.” WHAT WAS THE TURD MA OF?“I N’T BREAK THE MAGIC,” BARTLETT SAYS, LGHG. IT WAS A “METHOD POO”?“I DON’T KNOW IF I WOULD GO THAT FAR,” BARTLETT SAYS. “LET’S JT SAY WHEN I WATCHED , I WAS SHOCKED. I DIDN’T KNOW WOULD LOOK THAT REALISTIC.”AFTER ARMOND SEEMED TO LOSE NSCNS, WE SAW SHANE EMERGE THE NEXT MORNG OM A POLICE R, APPARENTLY WAVED ON TO EEDOM BY TECTIV, AND THEN, OBSERVG OM THE AIRPORT WDOWS THE BOX MARKED “HUMAN REMAS” WE SAW EPISO ONE. SIX WEEKS AGO WE ASSUMED WAS HIS NEW, UNRSTANDABLY MISERABLE WIFE RACHEL (ALEXANDRA DADDAR) HE HAD KILLED. BUT HAS SHANE KILLED ANYONE? WHY WOULD HE BE ALLOWED TO GO EE SO SOON IF HE HAD KILLED OR JURED SOMEONE ELSE, EVEN IF HE HAD MAYBE EXCED OR LIED ABOUT HIS ACTNS AS SELF-FENSE? PERHAPS SHANE’S EEDOM IS WHE’S DARK DA—THAT WHE PRIVILEGE N EVEN GET YOU EASY-BREEZILY ACQUTED OF MURR. WHATEVER THE SE, THE END OF THE WHE LOT RAISED EVEN MORE QUTNS.ONE THG WAS CLEAR: ARMOND WAS NOT LE AS THE HOTEL STAFF PREPARED TO WELE THE NEXT SET OF VISORS. PERHAPS SPERATELY, PERHAPS LNALLY BEE THIS REPORTER LOV ARMOND, I ASK BARTLETT IF THE HOTEL MANAGER REALLY IS AD. IS THERE STILL A CHANCE, SOMEHOW, THAT ARMOND ULD N THE HOTEL, FALL APART, DRK, SNORT, RIM, AND REVENGE-POOP AGA?BARTLETT, WHOSE BREAK AMERI ME VIA A SEX AND THE CY EPISO, PLAYG A HANDSOME GAY SHOE IMPORTER WHO DAZZL CARRIE THE EPISO “ALL THAT GLTERS,” HAS HAD OTHER MAJOR ROL HBO DRAMA LOOKG AND THE MOST RECENT SCREEN ERATN OF TAL OF THE CY. HE BEGAN HIS REER ON LONG-NNG ATRALIAN SOAP OPERA NEIGHBOURS, AND LATER APPEARED GUIDG LIGHT (R.I.P.). HE KNOWS BETTER THAN ANYONE THE MAXIM THAT NO TV OR FILM CHARACTER N EVER BE TLY KNOWN TO BE AD UNTIL WE SEE A BODY, OR A RPSE A BODYBAG. “AND EVEN THEN SOAPLAND, THERE’S ALWAYS THE EVIL TW,” ROARS BARTLETT. ADVERTISEMENT A SEND SEASON OF THE WHE LOT HAS BEEN MISSNED. IT WILL BE SET AT ANOTHER WHE LOT PROPERTY, AND NOT FEATURE THE CHARACTERS OM SEASON ONE—KD OF. WHE TOLD TVLE, “I DON’T THK YOU N CREDIBLY HAVE [ALL THE SEASON 1 GUTS] ON THE SAME VATN AGA,” HE SAID. “BUT MAYBE ULD BE A MARVEL UNIVERSE TYPE THG, WHERE SOME OF THEM WOULD E BACK. WE ONLY MA ONE-YEAR ALS WH THE ACTORS, SO WE’D HAVE TO FD OUT WHO IS EVEN AVAILABLE.” “I HAD SUCH A BALL DOG THIS I WOULD LOVE TO DO MORE. MIKE WHE CREATED THIS. WHO KNOWS WHAT WILL E OUT OF THIS? I WOULD BE EXCED TO SEE WHAT KD OF SEND SEASON HE UP WH.”— MURRAY BARTLETT SO, IS THERE ANY WAY BACK FOR ARMOND? “I DON’T KNOW,” SAYS BARTLETT OM HIS HOME NEAR PROVCETOWN, MASSACHETTS, BEFORE THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE SEND SEASON HAD BEEN MA. “I HAD SUCH A BALL DOG THIS I WOULD LOVE TO DO MORE. IT WILL BE TERTG. MIKE WHE CREATED THIS. WHO KNOWS WHAT WILL E OUT OF THIS? I WOULD BE EXCED TO SEE WHAT KD OF SEND SEASON HE UP WH.”IN THE LAST AME, ALIVE OR MOST LIKELY AD, ARMOND IS SG—AND AT PEACE. DID KNOWG ARMOND WOULD DIE, OR AT LEAST APPEAR TO, AFFECT BARTLETT’S PERFORMANCE? “I THK SO. TOWARDS THE I THK HE’S HURTLG TOWARDS THAT MOMENT OF JOY. IN THAT LAST MOMENT, HE’S FALLY RELEASED OM THE HELL HE’S BEEN LIVG. IT’S A RELIEF. “IT’S TRAGIC THAT HAS TO END THAT WAY, BUT WHAT’S BRILLIANT ABOUT IS THAT SHOWS HOW ARMOND IS A SUALTY OF THE SOCIETAL SYSTEM WE HAVE, WHERE WE TREAT PEOPLE BETTER AT THE TOP, AND AS YOU GO DOWN YOU TREAT PEOPLE WORSE AND WORSE. AND WHEN YOU DO THAT YOU DRIVE THOSE PEOPLE CRAZY BEE ’S SO UNFAIR AND FUCKED UP. I FEEL LIKE ARMOND IS AN EXPRSN OF THAT TRATN. HE’S LIKE, ‘I’M GOG TO FLY TOWARDS THAT MOMENT.’ HE OBVLY DON’T KNOW WHAT WILL ULTIMATELY HAPPEN, BUT HE HAS THIS VALIER SENSE OF ‘FUCK .’ KNOWG THAT HE WAS HEADG THERE HELPED ME.”ARMOND’S SEXUALY IS NOT THE REASON FOR HIS ATH, SO IF HE IS NO MORE, IS NOT A HOMOPHOBIC MURR. BUT HE DO JO THE PANTHEON OF LGBTQ SCREEN CHARACTERS WDG UP AD. ADVERTISEMENT “I THK THERE’S TRAGEDY THE WAY ALL THE CHARACTERS END, EVEN IF ON THE SURFACE LOOKS LIKE THOSE WHO ARE ALIVE GET AWAY WH ,” SAYS BARTLETT. “JAKE AND RACHEL GO OFF TO LIVE THEIR ILLN. THAT FAY (THE MOSSBACHERS) ARE PLETELY FUCKED UP. I HEAR WHAT YOU’RE SAYG ABOUT GAY CHARACTERS HISTORILLY GETTG A RAW AL, BUT FOR ME ARMOND BEG GAY HAS NOTHG TO DO WH HIM DYG. IT FEELS LIKE WHATEVER HAPPENED TO HIM WOULD HAVE BEEN TRAGIC, BEE OF HIS ROLE THE HIERARCHY AND THE NATURE OF THE CIRCUMSTANC. IT MA SENSE TO ME AS A CHARACTER. IT DIDN’T FEEL LIKE WAS ANY KID OF ROGATORY DISS ON QUEER PEOPLE OR A GAY MAN.” “WHAT IS TRATG FOR ARMOND G UP AGAST SHANE IS THAT SHANE IS THE EPOME OF EVERYTHG THAT IS SEEN AS SOCIALLY ACCEPTABLE, AND HE’S A DICK.”— MURRAY BARTLETT ARMOND’S SEXUALY WAS CENTRAL TO HOW BARTLETT IMAGED HIM. “THERE IS FELY SOMETHG HIM OF NOT BEG ABLE TO BE THENTILLY HIMSELF, AND HAVG TO PUT ON ‘A FACE.’ IN MY MD, HIS BACKSTORY WAS SOMEONE FORCED TO BE AN OUTSIR WHO DIDN’T F . WHAT IS TRATG FOR ARMOND G UP AGAST SHANE IS THAT SHANE IS THE EPOME OF EVERYTHG THAT IS SEEN AS SOCIALLY ACCEPTABLE, AND HE’S A DICK. “ARMOND HAS HAD TO AL WH BEG OSTRACIZED AND TEASED AND BEG AN OUTSIR, WHEREAS SHANE IS RICH, ARROGANT, AND TOMATILLY GETS ALL THE SOCIAL PRIVILEGE. THERE’S SOMETHG REVEALG ABOUT THAT. WH MIKE WHE, NO ONE IS GOG TO END UP THE HERO. HE LIK TO EXPLORE THE DARKER SIS OF ALL PEOPLE’S STORI, AND ARMOND IS NO EXCEPTN. HE REVEALS WONRFUL THGS BUILT TO PEOPLE’S CHARACTERS— ARMOND’S SE ABOUT NNG AWAY OM WHO YOU ARE, AND WHAT CREATG A PUBLIC FACE TO HI WHO YOU ARE DO TO YOU.”BARTLETT ENJOYED PLAYG THE FULL PANOPLY OF ARMOND: SG, EFFICIENT MANAGER AND THEN SYBARIC NIHILIST AND SOCIAL AVENGER—“A SORT OF FUNCTNG ADDICT UNTIL HE GETS TO THE POT WHERE HE IS NOT FUNCTNG. THERE’S A BRTLENS THAT IS NOT OBV TO ANYONE WHEN THEY SEE HIM. HE’S ON THE EDGE, NOT ONLY BEE OF THE TRATNS OF WHAT HE WANTED TO DO WH HIS LIFE BUT ALSO STAYG SOBER THIS SANE WORLD. HE’S JT NOT PG.”HIS NAME IS ALSO SHARED WH THE LEAD CHARACTER OF THE BIRDGE, AND IS AN “ODD NAME FOR AN ATRALIAN, WHICH I LOVE,” SAYS BARTLETT. “I THK HE’S HALF-FRENCH AND GREW UP THE WTERN SUBURBS OF SYDNEY. MIKE HAS BAKED ALL THE IDSYNCRASI TO THE CHARACTERS.” ADVERTISEMENT “THEY LLED ‘ACTN,’ AND WE WERE TWO BULLS WH OUR HORNS LOCKED”BARTLETT, 50, DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT ARMOND’S EXTREM WHEN HE SIGNED UP TO PLAY HIM, “BUT OBVLY I WOULD HAVE BEEN AN IDT TO HAVE ANY HATN. I ALWAYS WANTED TO WORK WH MIKE. THE SHOW SOME WAYS SEEMED A SLOW-BURN. YOU GET TO MEET THE CHARACTERS, BUT DON’T KNOW WHERE THEY ARE GOG TO END UP. WHEN I DID SEE THE OTHER SCRIPTS, I WAS CREDIBLY EXCED.“ARMOND GO ON SUCH A ROLLERASTER RI, WH A JOB THAT REQUIR A PUBLIC FACE AND A RICH, PLITED NER LIFE BUBBLG UNRNEATH. THAT WAS JT SO OL TO PLAY, AND TO BE ABLE TO HAVE SCEN WHERE THAT NER LIFE IS FULLY EXPRSED AMAZG WAYS—JT LIKE THE SUSE SCENE, WHERE ARMOND FOLLOWS THROUGH A WAY WE HOPEFULLY WOULD NOT, BUT PLAYG A CHARACTER WHO GO THROUGH WH WAS BOTH SHOCKG AND THERAPTIC.” HE AND LACY DIDN’T OVER-PREPARE FOR THEIR SCEN OF MUTUAL SEETHG. “THEY LLED ‘ACTN,’ AND WE WERE TWO BULLS WH OUR HORNS LOCKED. WE WERE BOTH SURPRISED A GREAT WAY. JAKE WAS SOMEONE PHG ME AS MUCH AS I PHED HIM. IT FELT LIKE WE WERE FENCG THOSE SCEN.” “I ASKED MYSELF, ‘WHAT IF I ULDN’T HAVE BEEN AN ACTOR? WHAT IF HADN’T WORKED OUT? WHAT IF I HAD GONE TO HOSPALY AS A SERVANT OF THE OBNOX PEOPLE, AND END UP ON THIS TRAJECTORY OF UNFULFILLED DREAMS?’”— MURRAY BARTLETT ADVERTISEMENT FROM THE OUTSET, SAYS BARTLETT, ARMOND IS “A MAN ON THE VERGE OF A NERVO BREAKDOWN.” THE CRACKS DON’T IALLY APPEAR AS SUPER-SIZED AS THEY BEE, BUT BARTLETT RELISHED PLAYG HIS SUBSEQUENT “UNRAVELG.” AT ONE STAGE THE SHOW’S NCEPTN, ARMOND MA A SPEECH ABOUT WANTG TO BE AN ACTOR, WHICH BARTLETT NATURALLY RELATED TO. “I ASKED MYSELF, ‘WHAT IF I ULDN’T HAVE BEEN AN ACTOR? WHAT IF HADN’T WORKED OUT? WHAT IF I HAD GONE TO HOSPALY AS A SERVANT OF THE PRIVILEGED, OBNOX PEOPLE, AND END UP ON THIS TRAJECTORY OF UNFULFILLED DREAMS WHILE STILL TRYG TO SOMEHOW FOLLOW THROUGH? HIS ADDICTN ISSU ADD TO THIS. ARMOND IS WEIRDLY LARGER THAN LIFE, TRATED AT NOT BEG WHO HE WANTED TO BE, BUT HANGG ON TO THE SHOWMAN ASPECTS OF WHAT HE DO AS A HOTEL MANAGER BEE HE ALWAYS WANTED TO BE A PERFORMER.”THIS WE SEE ONE OF ARMOND’S MOST BETIFUL SCEN, HIS HOTEL SWANSONG THE FAL EPISO, WHERE HE WORKS ALL THE TABL AT SUPPER AS IF A PERFECTLY CHOREOGRAPHED PIECE OF BALLET.“IT’S A DANCE,” SAYS BARTLETT. “THOSE SCEN WHERE HE’S JT FLYG, HIS ELEMENT, WERE GREAT TO PLAY. THEY PLAYED THE MIC YOU HEAR FOR ME AS I DID . I WAS A DANCE WH THE MERA OPERATOR. IT WAS VERY DREAMY TO FILM. ARMOND FALLY HAS GOT NOTHG TO LOSE. IN THOSE MOMENTS HE IS RELEASG ALL HIS ANXIETI. HE’S REALLY GOOD AT THIS. THAT’S THE MOST TRAGIC PART OF HIS STORY, AND WHY HE TAK SO HARD WHEN HE MS UP SHANE AND RACHEL’S BOOKG AT THE BEGNG AND STARTS TO LOSE HIS GRIP. THIS IS THE ONLY THG HE’S GOOD AT, AND IF HE LOS THAT, WHAT DO HE HAVE?”BARTLETT SAYS HE TRIED TO “PLAY WH THE LEVELS” OF ARMOND, BALANCG MOMENTS OF VULNERABILY AND FEELG LOST WH THE OTHER TECHNILOR MOMENTS OF HIM NOT HOLDG BACK, OF BEG MANIC, LETTG HIMSELF SLIP, OF BEG LARGER THAN LIFE, YET REMAG “HONT AND ANCHORED SOMETHG THAT FEELS REAL SO HE DON’T BEE A RITURE. YOU WANT HIM TO BE FUN AT TIM, BUT LIKE ALL CHARACTERS YOU HAVE TO FEEL FOR THEM AT OTHER TIM. THAT MAK HIM REAL. I’M REALLY PROUD OF HOW WE NAVIGATED AND STEERED THROUGH THOSE MOMENTS OF ARMOND’S VULNERABILY AND HIS MOMENTS OF TOTAL SHOWMAN.” “IT’S TRICKY WORKG WH HER, BEE YOU JT WANT TO WATCH HER. SHE’S JT SO FASCATG AND SPONTANEO THE MOMENT.”— MURRAY BARTLETT ON JENNIFER COOLIDGE ADVERTISEMENT THE ST AND EXTRAS WERE ALL SEQUTERED A COVID-SENSIVE BUBBLE, THE HOTEL WE SEE ON SCREEN, STAYG THE SAME KDS OF ROOMS WE SEE. THERE WAS, OF URSE, A HOTEL MANAGER, “WHO WAS NOTHG LIKE ARMOND,” LGHS BARTLETT. “IT WAS AN TENSE SCHLE, BUT WAS ALSO LIKE THEATER MP,” BARTLETT SAYS, SCRIBG A LOVELY SLEEPOVER THAT LASTED MORE THAN ONE NIGHT, WHERE YOU DIDN’T NEED TO WORRY IF YOUR HAIR WAS MSY AT THE DNER TABLE—“A GROUP OF PEOPLE YOU WANTED TO SPEND TIME WH.” THE ST SWAM TOGETHER, ATE TOGETHER, AND SPENT TIME TOGETHER FAR MORE THAN IS UAL. BARTLETT SAYS WHE HAD STARTED WRG THE SHOW AUGT LAST YEAR, WH FILMG BEGNG OCTOBER. “HOW THE FUCK DO SOMEONE DO THAT? IT’S REALLY PHENOMENAL,” SAYS BARTLETT. WHEN FILMG WAS SHUT DOWN “FOR COVID A UPLE OF TIM, FALSE POSIV” THE TEAM RETURNED FEBARY TO FISH THE SHOOT. 'THE WHE LOT' ST WH CREATOR/WRER/DIRECTOR MIKE WHE, SEND LEFT.KEV WTER/GETTY IMAG STEVE ZAHN, WHO PLAYED OPPOSE BARTLETT AS MARK MOSSBACHER (THE TWO SHARG A BETIFULLY WRTEN, WEIRD NEAR-SCTN SCENE), IS “SUCH A RELAXED, FUNNY, SWEET MAN TO BE AROUND.” AS FOR WORKG WH THE TRANSFIXG JENNIFER COOLIDGE, BARTLETT SAYS: “WHAT IS THERE LEFT TO SAY? SHE’S SOMEONE I ADMIRE SO MUCH. IT’S TRICKY WORKG WH HER, BEE YOU JT WANT TO WATCH HER. SHE’S JT SO FASCATG AND SPONTANEO THE MOMENT. IT’S REALLY HARD NOT TO LGH. SHE’S JT SO FUNNY. IT’S TERTG—SHE’S A LOT MORE SELF-AWARE HER LIFE THAN SOME OF HER CHARACTERS ARE. SHE’S VERY KD. IT’S A CHALLENGE TO STAY THE MOMENT WH HER, BEE I WAS AWTCK BY HOW AMAZG SHE IS.” “I DO THK THERE ARE STILL LGERG STIGMAS, AND SOME CEILGS TO BREAK THROUGH” ADVERTISEMENT IN HIS STANDOUT ROL—AS ARMOND THE WHE LOT, AS DOM LOOKG, AND AS MICHAEL TOLLIVER THE MOST RECENT SCREEN ERATN OF ARMISTEAD MP’S TAL OF THE CY FOR NETFLIX—BARTLETT IS UNIQUE; AN OUT GAY ACTOR PLAYG AN ASSORTMENT OF VARIED, EPLY WRTEN GAY MEN PROGRSG THROUGH MIDDLE AGE ON MASTREAM TV.“I FEEL LIKE I HAVE BEEN CREDIBLY LUCKY THAT WAY, AND ALSO HAVG THE OPPORTUNY TO TRY AND SHOW NUANCE, VULNERABILY AND PLEXY AND HOPEFULLY SOMETHG THAT FEELS THENTIC. ARMOND IS DIFFERENT OM THE OTHER CHARACTERS. I MEAN HE FELY EXISTS SI ME, I THK HE EXISTS SI ALL OF WHICH IS IGHTENG TO THK. AS AN ACTOR YOU WANT TO PLAY A RANGE OF ROL, AND I’VE HAD THE OPPORTUNY TO PLAY GAY AND STRAIGHT ROL, BUT I OFTEN GET TO PLAY GAY ROL WHICH I ABSOLUTELY LOVE BEE WE ARE A TIME WHERE WE ARE STILL TRYG TO HAVE MORE REPRENTATN UNR-REPRENTED MUNI, CLUDG THE QUEER MUNY.“THERE’S A RPONSIBILY THAT WH THAT TO TRY TO DO JTICE TO WHATEVER REPRENTATNS WE DO HAVE. I HAVE REALLY LOVED THE OPPORTUNY TO TRY AND DO THAT. SOMETIM YOU FEEL LIKE YOU SUCCEED, SOMETIM YOU FEEL LIKE YOU MAY HAVE FALLEN SHORT A B. BUT JT TO HAVE DONE FEELS REALLY SATISFYG FOR ME, AND MAK ME FEEL VERY LUCKY BEE I FEEL LIKE ’S SOMETHG THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE, AND I WANTED TO DO WHAT I ULD TO MAKE THE CHARACTERS SENSIVE AND THREE-DIMENSNAL.”BARTLETT DON’T KNOW IF HE WAS OFFERED THE ROL ON THE STRENGTH OF HIS PREV GAY ROL—WHICH N BE SOMETIM HOW PRODUCERS AND STG DIRECTORS N SEE YOU. “I DON’T KNOW IF PEOPLE THK, ‘HE N ONLY PLAY GAY ROL,’ OR IS THAT THE ONLY WAY THEY HAVE SEEN ME AND SO THK, ‘HE’S RIGHT FOR THIS’? I DO KNOW WE STILL HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO SO MANY AREAS. THERE’S HARDLY ANY FEMALE CEMATOGRAPHERS THAT WORK A LOT AND GET OFFERED BIG JOBS. WE’RE NOT SEEG EQUALY FOR MEN AND WOMEN, OR SEEG AS MANY OPPORTUNI FOR QUEER PEOPLE, OR PEOPLE OF LOR, OR PEOPLE OF DIVERSE GENR INTI. THERE ARE SO MANY PLAC FOR TO GROW. I DO THK THERE ARE STILL LGERG STIGMAS, AND SOME CEILGS TO BREAK THROUGH.”BUT BARTLETT FEELS “SUPER-LUCKY” WH THE OPPORTUNI HE HAS PERSONALLY RECEIVED, AND THE RANGE OF ROL HE HAS PLAYED. “IF THE ARE GREAT ROL QUEER-FOCED STORI THAT’S AWOME. BUT I DO LOOK FORWARD TO A TIME WHERE OUR GENR, RACE, AND SEXUALY DON’T NECSARILY PLAY TO WHAT WE GET ST AS, AND THAT WE ARE ON AN EQUAL PLAYG FIELD. WE’RE NOT THERE YET, BUT WE’RE MOVG TOWARDS , WHICH IS AWOME.” “AS A YOUNG ACTOR, PEOPLE TALK TO YOU ABOUT AND ASK YOU IF ’S GOG TO BE A PROBLEM OR SHOULD YOU HI . I NEVER FELT FORTABLE HIDG , SO I DIDN’T.”— MURRAY BARTLETT ADVERTISEMENT BARTLETT DON’T KNOW IF BEG OUT “PLAYED AGAST ME. IT MAY HAVE, OR MAYBE I JT WASN’T RIGHT FOR THOSE OTHER ROL.” HE LGHS. “I WAS SUPER-FORTUNATE AS A YOUNG PERSON WHO HAD AN CREDIBLE MOTHER WHO LOVED ME NO MATTER WHAT, AND DIDN’T HAVE ANY ISSUE WH ME BEG GAY. I STILL HAD TO E OUT TO SOME PEOPLE MY LIFE, BUT I DIDN’T STGGLE WH THAT MY LIFE AS A LOT OF PEOPLE DO. I FEEL LIKE I RRIED THAT TO MY WORK LIFE TO A CERTA EXTENT. “AS A YOUNG ACTOR, PEOPLE TALK TO YOU ABOUT AND ASK YOU IF ’S GOG TO BE A PROBLEM OR SHOULD YOU HI . I NEVER FELT FORTABLE HIDG , SO I DIDN’T. PROBABLY EARLY ON, I DIDN’T GO OUT OF MY WAY TO TALK ABOUT , BUT I NEVER HAD A G OUT PROCS. I JT NEVER HID . I DO LOVE NOT KNOWG MUCH ABOUT THE PERSONAL LIV OF ACTORS, BEE ALLOWS ME TO LOSE MYSELF THEIR CHARACTERS, BUT I ALSO KNOW THERE HAS BEEN AND NTU TO BE AN IMPORTANT PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO BE OPENLY WHO THEY ARE. THE ST OF 'LOOKG.'FILMMAGIC/FILMMAGIC FOR HBO “FOR ME, I WAS NEVER TERTED HIDG . FORTUNATELY, THAT WORKED OUT REALLY WELL FOR ME BEE THE OPPORTUNI I GOT HAVE BEEN WONRFUL, BUT MAY HAVE GUID MY TRAJECTORY THAT I HAVE PLAYED MORE GAY ROL THAN I WOULD HAVE IF I HADN’T BEEN OPEN. IT’S HARD TO KNOW. BUT I FEEL VERY LUCKY WH HOW MY LIFE HAS GONE. IT HASN’T AFFECTED ME NEGATIVELY, EVEN IF ALTERED MY TRAJECTORY SOME WAYS.”HE IS A HEARTTHROB TOO, EVEN IF ARMOND HAS MORE SMOOTHED-DOWN HAIR AND LS OUTWARD SILVER-FOX GGEDNS THAN DOM LOOKG AND MICHAEL TAL. IT’S NOT THE FIRST TIME BARTLETT HAS HEARD (“YOU KNOW…SOCIAL MEDIA”), AND HE LGHS HEARTILY. “I MEAN SURE I’LL TAKE . I DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU SAY TO THAT. IT’S A HARD THG TO RPOND TO, BUT I TAKE AS A GREAT PLIMENT.” ADVERTISEMENT “I ULD GO ON A WILRNS WALK NEW ZEALAND, OR E TO NEW YORK AND DO CLASS. I CHOSE NEW YORK”BARTLETT GREW UP SYDNEY. ALL HE EVER WANTED TO DO OM A YOUNG AGE WAS ACT. “I WAS ALWAYS THAT KID OFF THE FAR END OF THE YARD DRSED SOME WEIRD STUME OR WHATEVER THG I HAD FOUND, TALKG TO MYSELF A PLETE FANTASY WORLD. I HAD AN CREDIBLY RICH IMAGATN.” HE PUT ON LTLE SHOWS, HABED A MULTU OF CHARACTERS.“AND THEN, FATEFULLY, MY BROTHER AND HIS IENDS OM THE NEIGHBORHOOD ALL GATHERED AROUND A ROCK TO KILL A SPIR, AND MY BROTHER WAS TRYG TO KILL , AND I WAS STANDG BEHD HIM AND HE THREW THE HAMMER BACK TO E BACK DOWN AND KILL THE SPIR AND KNOCKED MY BABY TEETH OUT.” SO, BARTLETT HAD TO WA FOR HIS ADULT TEETH GREW THROUGH. NOT LONG AFTER THAT HE WAS SPNG AROUND HIS BASEMENT LISTENG TO MIC, AGA HIS OWN WORLD, WHEN HE TRIPPED OVER AND KNOCKED HIS TWO BOTTOM TEETH ON THE NCRETE FLOOR.“THERE WAS A BIG HOLE WHERE MY TEETH WERE SUPPOSED TO BE FOR A FEW YEARS,” BARTLETT RELLED. “WHEN MY TEETH GREW THROUGH, I SAID ‘S’ LIKE AN ‘F.’ I HAD A LISP.” HIS MOTHER SENT HIM TO A SPEECH THERAPIST TO MASTER THE ‘S,’ “AN AMAZG WOMAN WHO HAD ME READG MONOLOGS AND READG POEMS. I WORKED WH HER FOR YEARS.” THEN ME ACTG HIGH SCHOOL AND DRAMA SCHOOL, “WHERE I REALIZED NOT EVERYONE THOUGHT I WAS GREAT. THAT’S A WHOLE OTHER STORY.” BARTLETT LGHS. “IT WAS LIKE, ‘WHY DON’T YOU ALL UNNDNALLY LOVE ME LIKE MY MOM?’ UGH.” HE LGHS AGA, AND TON: “WEELLLL, YEARS OF THERAPY LATER…”BARTLETT EMERGED OM DRAMA SCHOOL “A LTLE SHATTERED BY THE EXPERIENCE, AND WH LOFTY IAS ABOUT HOW I WANTED TO BE AS AN ACTOR. MY PERSPECTIVE WAS A LTLE ALL OVER THE PLACE.” LIKE MANY GOOD-LOOKG YOUNG ATRALIAN ACTORS, HE DID STTS NEIGHBOURS AND HOME AND AWAY. “I WISH I HAD DONE A LTLE LONGER ON THOSE SHOWS NOW, BEE I FEEL LIKE YOU LEARN A LOT ON THEM. ADVERTISEMENT “I WAS A LTLE RISTANT TO THEM AT THE TIME. THERE WAS A STIGMA THAT EXISTED AROUND THEM, AND I FELT PRSURED BY THAT. MY PERSPECTIVE WAS WARPED. I WISH I HADN’T FELT THAT. IF I HAD BEEN MORE OPEN TO , THERE MAY HAVE BEEN AN OPPORTUNY TO WORK LONGER ON THOSE SHOWS. WHEN YOU WORK ON SOAPS, YOU LEARN WHAT IS TO WORK FAST AND WH MERAS. IT WAS SUCH A OL EXPERIENCE, AND I’M GLAD AND VERY PROUD NOW TO HAVE DONE THEM. IT WAS GOOD FOR ME AS A PERSON AND AS AN ACTOR.”MANY ACTORS OM THOSE SHOWS HAVE MA BIG HOLLYWOOD, AND BARTLETT WAS AHEAD OF THE CURVE WHEN HE ARRIVED AMERI 2000.HE NEVER TEND TO MOVE TO THE U.S., HE SAYS, BUT THE FILM DTRY ATRALIA WAS SMALLER AND HARR TO BREAK TO. HE WANTED TO WORK AND LEARN. “I HAD TWO CHOIC. I ULD GO ON A WILRNS WALK NEW ZEALAND, OR E TO NEW YORK AND DO CLASS. I CHOSE NEW YORK.”HE FELL LOVE WH THE CY, EXTEND HIS TOURIST VISA—AND THEN, A BOLT OF GOOD FORTUNE, BOOKED HIS FIRST JOB ON SEX AND THE CY PLAYG OLIVER, THE HANDSOME GAY ASIE WHO FIRST GETS CARRIE SERVED A CROWD, FLHY GAY BAR, AND THEN BRIEFLY DISPLAC STANFORD (WILLIE GARSON) AS HER GAY BT IEND. “IT WAS A FANTASY NEW YORK STORY, THIS PERSON KNOWS THIS PERSON, AND JT HAPPENS. IT GOT ME THKG, ‘OH MAYBE I ULD STAY HERE.’”— MURRAY BARTLETT BARTLETT SECURED THE GIG THROUGH A IEND-OF-A-IEND SERI OF NNECTNS, SUDNLY READG AND THEN SHOOTG ALONGSI SARAH JSI PARKER. “IT WAS A FANTASY NEW YORK STORY, THIS PERSON KNOWS THIS PERSON, AND JT HAPPENS. IT GOT ME THKG, ‘OH MAYBE I ULD STAY HERE.’ THERE WAS SUCH A POSIVY NEW YORK, PEOPLE WANTG TO HELP ME RISE TO DO SOMETHG. I FELT LIKE SOMETHG WAS FLOWG ALONG MY FAVOR NEW YORK. I GOT ADDICTED TO THE CY, AND THE FEELG OF OPPORTUNY.” ADVERTISEMENT WHEN BARTLETT APPEARED GUIDG LIGHT BETWEEN 2007 AND 2009, AS NMAN CYS FOLEY, EXORCISED HIS SOAP MONS OM YEARS BEFORE. “IT WAS AN AMAZG TRAG GROUND. IT PLETELY CURED ME OF MY FEAR OF NOT REMEMBERG MY L BEE YOU’VE GOT SO MUCH TO LEARN, ’S JT RIDICULO. YOU JT GET OVER . WHEN I DID GUIDG LIGHT, THERE WAS STILL A STIGMA OR ATTU AROUND BEG ON A SOAP. I HAD TO BEAT THAT AWAY. IT WAS A GREAT CHOICE. IT HELPED ME GET MY GREEN RD, WAS A GREAT GROUP OF PEOPLE, AND MA ME BETTER AS AN ACTOR. AND WAS A CHANCE FOR ME TO REDO WHAT I HAD FELT I HAD MSED UP ATRALIA. I HAD MA CISNS EARLY MY LIFE BASED ON EXPECTATNS OF ME OR WHAT WAS OL, RATHER THAN WHAT WAS BT FOR ME.” MURRAY BARTLETT AND LRA LNEY AT SF PRI, 2019.KIMBERLY WHE/GETTY IMAG FOR NETFLIX SO, WOULD BARTLETT SAY “Y” TO NEIGHBOURS NOW, BEE PRUMABLY THEY WOULD LOVE A STAR OF HIS STATURE TO MAKE AN APPEARANCE?BARTLETT LGHS. “IT PENDS ON WHAT THE CHARACTER IS. I LOOK FOR ANY OPPORTUNY TO GO HOME. BUT MY LIFE IS HERE NOW, AND ATRALIA IS UNRSTANDABLY REALLY PROTECTIVE OF ACTORS LIVG AND WORKG THERE, AS THEY SHOULD BE. IT’S HARD TO STRADDLE BOTH, BUT I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNY THERE TO GO BACK AND WORK.”BARTLETT AND HIS PARTNER OF ALMOST SEVEN YEARS—WHO HE CL TO NAME—MOVED TO CAPE COD A UPLE OF YEARS AGO, BUYG A LTLE PIECE OF LAND, AN “EXPERIMENT” IALLY AFTER MANY YEARS OF NEW YORK LIVG. “WE HAVE A PIECE OF LAND THE WOODS. WE WERE THKG ABOUT DROPPG ANCHOR ATRALIA, BUT FOUND SOME LAND UP MASSACHETTS STEAD.” HE STILL JOURNEYS TO THE BIG APPLE FOR WORK, BUT HIS CAPE HOME IS WHERE HAS “STCK ANCHOR FOR NOW.” LIKE THIS REPORTER, HE LOV PROVCETOWN PECIALLY THE WTER WHEN THE CROWDS ARE GONE, AND ’S “PEACEFUL, MOODY AND ROMANTIC. IT FEELS LIKE YOU HAVE THE TOWN TO YOURSELF.” WE PARE NOT ON WALKS OVER THE “BREAKWATER,” THE HEARTBREAKGLY BETIFUL SUNSETS, AND THE LIGHT OF A PROVCETOWN WTER BLIZZARD. ADVERTISEMENT BARTLETT TURNED 50 MARCH. “IT WAS FELY A BIG MOMENT. I DON’T HAVE AN ISSUE WH AGE AT ALL OR GETTG OLR. I REALLY LOVE , BUT I’M FORTUNATE TO BE GOOD HEALTH AND ALL THAT. I THK THOSE KDS OF BIRTHDAYS ARE SIGNIFINT, BUT DIDN’T FEEL LIKE SUCH A MAJOR THG. I DIDN’T FEEL TRMATIZED. IF ANYTHG I EMBRACED . I REALLY ENJOY GETTG OLR. I FEEL LIKE LS OF A MS, AND CLEAR ABOUT HOW I WANT TO BE THE WORLD AND WHAT I WANT LIFE TO BE. HOPEFULLY I AM MAKG BETTER CHOIC.” “BEG NATURE CREAT MORE OF AN ANCHOR MY LIFE. BEG NATURE FEELS RIGHT.”— MURRAY BARTLETT “FOR MY 40TH AND 50TH BIRTHDAYS, FOR ABOUT A WEEK BEFORE BOTH, I FELT CREDIBLY UNSETTLED. I WAS LOOKG BACK ON MY LIFE BOTH TIM. I WAS THKG, ‘AM I WHERE I THOUGHT I WOULD BE?’ ‘HOW SHOULD I LIVE MY LIFE?’—JT SORT OF REFLECTIVE THAT WAY. SO, I FOUND KD OF SURPRISGLY TUMULTUO. THE ACTUAL DAY OF MY BIRTHDAY BOTH TIM WAS REALLY BETIFUL. I JT HAD TO GET OVER THE HUMP OF REFLECTN.”BARTLETT SAID THAT LIVG NEW YORK HAD BEEN SOMEWHAT OF A PERSONAL SURPRISE, SPE HIS PROFSNAL SUCCS. “I’M SUCH A NATURE BOY. NATURE IS WHERE I FEEL LIKE I AM MY ELEMENT. IT WAS PROBABLY WHY I WENT TO NEW YORK. IT WAS LIKE I WANTED TO SEE WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO ME WHEN I’M NOT MY NATURAL FORT ZONE OR NATURAL HABAT. WHEN I TURNED 50 I WANTED TO BE NATURE AGA. I WANTED MY LIFE TO FEEL LIKE I WAS MOVG TOWARDS THAT. BEG NATURE CREAT MORE OF AN ANCHOR MY LIFE. BEG NATURE FEELS RIGHT, BUT NEW YORK REMAS MY WORK HOME.”REACHG HIS 50TH BIRTHDAY MARCH, BARTLETT THOUGHT TO HIMSELF, “OH, I MA THIS STUFF HAPPEN, AND I’M FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO MAKE HAPPEN. HERE I AM A PLACE WHERE I HAD NOT EXACTLY PICTURED MYSELF, BUT ’S PRETTY CLOSE WH ALL THE ELEMENTS THAT I HAD HOPED FOR WHEN I TURNED 50… SO YEAH, I FELT VERY LUCKY. ONE OF THE THGS THE PANMIC REVEALED IS YOU N KD OF BE ANYWHERE THE DAYS, WHICH I’M ALL FOR.” “WE GOT MSAG LIKE, ‘YOU HAVE NO IA WHAT ’S LIKE TO SEE THIS, HOW LIBERATG IS TO SEE THIS, EVEN THOUGH I N’T BE LIBERATED MY LIFE.’ THE POTENTIAL FOR TV TO REACH PEOPLE THAT WAY IS SO POWERFUL.”— MURRAY BARTLETT ADVERTISEMENT BARTLETT WILL NEXT FILM HBO POST-APOLYPTIC DRAMA THE LAST OF US, BASED ON THE 2013 VIO GAME OF THE SAME NAME. BARTLETT SAYS HE IS SWORN TO SECRECY ABOUT , APART OM SAYG HE IS VERY EXCED TO SHOOT THE PROJECT CANADA. (DEADLE REPORTS THAT HE IS PLAYG A SURVIVALIST LLED FRANK ALONGSI CON O’NEILL’S BILL.) WHILE HE IS LOOKG FORWARD TO WATCHG THE RETURN OF THEATER NEW YORK, WORKG ON MERA REMAS HIS FOC—“THE SUBTLE TIMACY” FACILAT FOR AN ACTOR, AS WELL AS THE ABILY TO SPEAK AND “NOT HAVG TO REACH THE LAST ROW.”BARTLETT SAYS HE LOV SEEG ONE OF HIS SHOWS ON THE SCREEN, KNOWG HE WAS PART OF S CREATN. THE ARC OF A SHOW LIKE THE WHE LOT ALLOWS AN ACTOR TO EXPLORE THE BREADTH AND PTHS OF A CHARACTER, HE SAYS, “PECIALLY VIA PLATFORMS WHERE YOU N REACH A GLOBAL DIENCE. IT’S SUCH AN AMAZG, POWERFUL THG. FOR STANCE, WH SOMETHG LIKE LOOKG WE REACHED QUEER PEOPLE UNTRI WHERE THEY ULDN’T LIVE OPENLY. THEY WERE LIFTED UP BY THAT SHOW WAYS WE WILL NEVER UNRSTAND. THEY FELT NNECTED TO THE WORLD AND LS ALONE. “WE GOT MSAG OM PEOPLE THOSE SORTS OF PARTS OF THE WORLD SAYG THGS LIKE, ‘YOU HAVE NO IA WHAT ’S LIKE TO SEE THIS, HOW LIBERATG IS TO SEE THIS, EVEN THOUGH I N’T BE LIBERATED MY LIFE.’ THE POTENTIAL FOR TV TO REACH PEOPLE THAT WAY IS SO POWERFUL, I THK.”AND NOW THAT GO FOR ARMOND THE WHE LOT TOO, ARGUABLY BARTLETT’S FT, REER-TOPPG ROLE TO DATE. HOW ULD ARMOND RETURN, WE WONR AS WE SAY GOODBYE. BARTLETT LGHS. “I’M NOT SURE HOW HE ULD CREATE . BUT IF ANYONE N, MIKE WHE N.” TIM TEEMAN
* is armond gay white lotus *
Bartlett, whose break Ameri me via a Sex and the Cy episo, playg a handsome gay shoe importer who dazzl Carrie the episo “All That Glters, ” has had other major rol HBO drama Lookg and the most recent screen eratn of Tal of the Cy. ”Armond’s sexualy is not the reason for his ath, so if he is no more, is not a homophobic murr. I hear what you’re sayg about gay characters historilly gettg a raw al, but for me Armond beg gay has nothg to do wh him dyg.
It didn’t feel like was any kid of rogatory diss on queer people or a gay man.
MIKE WHE AND ‘THE WHE LOT’ STARS BREAK DOWN THAT JAW-DROPPG TWIST: I WANT TO ‘MAKE GAY SEX TRANSGRSIVE AGA’
”“I do thk there are still lgerg stigmas, and some ceilgs to break through”In his standout rol—as Armond The Whe Lot, as Dom Lookg, and as Michael Tolliver the most recent screen eratn of Armistead Mp’s Tal of the Cy for Netflix—Bartlett is unique; an out gay actor playg an assortment of varied, eply wrten gay men progrsg through middle age on mastream TV.
As an actor you want to play a range of rol, and I’ve had the opportuny to play gay and straight rol, but I often get to play gay rol which I absolutely love bee we are a time where we are still tryg to have more reprentatn unr-reprented muni, cludg the queer muny. ”Bartlett don’t know if he was offered the rol on the strength of his prev gay rol—which n be sometim how producers and stg directors n see you.