Andrew Rannells Has A Few Thoughts About Jam Corn Playg Gay In 'The Prom' - Towleroad Gay News

Contents:

• ANDREW RANNELLS B: PROUD GAY MAN IS DATG, MEET FELLOW ACTOR BOYIEND
• ANDREW RANNELLS GAY: Y, ANDREW RANNELLS IS GAY AND DATG TUC WATKS, ARE THEY MARRIED?
• ANDREW RANNELLS HAS A FEW THOUGHTS ABOUT JAM CORN PLAYG GAY ‘THE PROM’
• FAMEWATCHER SEARCH PRIMARY MENU SKIP TO NTENT HOMECELEBRY HAIR TRANSPLANTCELEBRY PLASTIC SURGERYCELEBRY LEATHER JACKETBODY SHAPER SEARCH FOR: GAY MALE CELEBRIANDREW RANNELLS SHIRTLS, UNRWEAR, AND PARTNER
• HOW ANDREW RANNELLS AND TUC WATKS FELL LOVE WHILE MAKG ‘THE BOYS THE BAND’SHOWMANCINGPHOTO ILLTRATN BY THE DAILY BEAST / PHOTOS VIA INSTAGRAMKISSG THE RAFTERS, HOMCHOOLG SEND-GRA TWS, AND G OUT TO MARIE OSMOND: THE “BOYS THE BAND” STARS TALK TO THE BEAST ABOUT THEIR UNEXPECTED RELATNSHIP.KEV FALLONSENR EDOR, OBSSEDUPDATED OCT. 22, 2020 1:50AM EDT / PUBLISHED SEP. 30, 2020 4:33AM EDT IN THE WTER OF 2018, ANDREW RANNELLS AND TUC WATKS ARRIVED AT A NEW YORK CY PHOTOSHOOT FOR T, THE NEW YORK TIM STYLE MAGAZE, ALONGSI PRODUCER RYAN MURPHY AND THE UNPRECENTED ENSEMBLE ST OF THE BOYS THE BAND: JIM PARSONS, ZACHARY QUTO, MATT BOMER, AND A ROSTER OF OUT GAY CELEBRI -STARRG THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY REVIVAL OF MART CROWLEY’S LANDMARK PLAY, ALL PLAYG GAY MEN WHOUT ANY RISK TO THEIR REERS OR PUBLIC IMAGE.RANNELLS AND WATKS WERE ST AS LARRY AND HANK, LOVERS 1968 WHO HAD BEEN LIVG AS “ROOMMAT,” TORTURG EACH OTHER OVER WARRG EXPECTATNS WHEN TO SEX, MONOGAMY, AND MMENT. THE ACTORS WERE STCTED TO ACT VAGUELY CHARACTER WHILE POSG FOR THE MAGAZE’S PHOTOS, WHICH MEANT THE PAIR SPENT THE MORNG LIGHTLY FLIRTG.“I REMEMBER STANDG NEXT TO TUC AND NOT KNOWG HIM SUPER WELL, BUT LOOKG AT HIM AND THKG, ‘AH, FUCK. THIS IS GOG TO HAPPEN ISN’T ?’” RANNELLS TELLS THE DAILY BEAST. “‘WE’RE GOG TO BE THOSE TWO ACTORS WHO HAVE A SHOWMANCE.’” NEWSLETTERSTHE DAILY BEAST’S OBSSEDEVERYTHG WE N’T STOP LOVG, HATG, AND THKG ABOUT THIS WEEK POP CULTURE.SUBSCRIBEBY CLICKG "SUBSCRIBE" YOU AGREE TO HAVE READ THE TERMS OF USE AND PRIVACY POLICY HE WAS RIGHT. THE TWO DID BEG DATG TOWARD THE END OF THE BOYS THE BAND’S BROADWAY N THE SUMMER OF 2018, BUT WASN’T JT A TRYST THAT EXPIRED ON CLOSG NIGHT. THEY’VE BEEN A RELATNSHIP EVER SCE, G OUT PUBLICLY AS A UPLE A LTLE OVER A YEAR AGO SEPARATE INSTAGRAM POSTS. THEIR SOCIAL MEDIA FEEDS AND PRS TERVIEWS HAVE SCE BEE PUBLIC RERDS OF THEIR LIFE TOGETHER AS A FAY: BIRTHDAYS, TRIPS, GOOFY SELFI. SCE THE PANMIC STARTED, FOR EXAMPLE, RANNELLS HAS PLAYED GUT TUTOR DURG VIRTUAL LEARNG SSNS FOR WATKS’ SEVEN-AND-A-HALF-YEAR-OLD TWS, WHO HE HAD VIA A SURROGATE 2013. (A PHOTO RANNELLS POSTED OF ONE OF THE TWS SLUMPED OVER HIS LAPTOP FEAT HTS AT HOW WELL THAT WAS GOG.)RANNELLS’ REER BEGAN ON BROADWAY, WHERE HE STARRED THE BOOK OF MORMON, FALSETTOS, AND HATON, BEFORE BREAKG OUT HOLLYWOOD WH ROL ON GIRLS, THE INTERN, AND THE UPG NETFLIX FILM VERSN OF THE MIL THE PROM, OPPOSE NILE KIDMAN AND MERYL STREEP. WATKS MA HIS NAME AS A DAYTIME TV HEARTTHROB, STARTG HIS NEARLY 20-YEAR N AS DAVID VICKERS ON ONE LIFE TO LIVE 1994, WH MEMORABLE ROL THE MUMMY AND DPERATE HOEWIV THAT FOLLOWED.THAT THE UPLE—RANNELLS IS 42 AND WATKS IS 54—HAVE BEEN SO SUALLY AND AFFECTNATELY PUBLIC WH THEIR RELATNSHIP IS STILL, 2020, REMARKABLE. BUT ’S PERHAPS EVEN MORE POIGNANT NSIRG THAT THE TWO OCSNS THEY HAVE PLAYED LOVERS ON SCREEN THE TIME THAT THEY’VE BEEN DATG (SELF AN UNUAL ACPLISHMENT FOR A HOLLYWOOD GAY UPLE) HAVE BEEN PERD PIEC WHERE THEIR CHARACTERS WERE CLOSETED, ROMANCG SECRET, AND MEANT TO FEEL SHAME.A FIRST ROUND OF GIGGLY “WHAT IS LIKE TO SHOOT LOVE SCEN WH YOUR REAL-LIFE BOYIEND” PRS HAPPENED EARLIER THIS YEAR WHEN SEASON TWO OF SHOWTIME’S BLACK MONDAY PREMIERED, WHICH ST WATKS AS A POLICIAN SECRETLY HOOKG UP WH RANNELLS’ WALL STREET STOCKBROKER 1980S NEW YORK. NOW THE CURSY IS PIQUED AGA, WH THE MOVIE VERSN OF THE BOYS THE BAND AVAILABLE WEDNDAY ON NETFLIX, RNG THE TONY-WNG REVIVAL’S ORIGAL ST AND S DIRECTOR, JOE MANTELLO.CROWLEY’S 1968 PLAY DRAMATIZ, AS CULTURE WRER MARK HARRIS SAYS, “THE MOST FAMOLY TOXIC GAY BIRTHDAY PARTY THE HISTORY OF NEW YORK CY.” PARSONS’ CHARACTER, MICHAEL, IS HOSTG THE AFFAIR AT HIS APARTMENT, GATHERG A SMATTERG OF IENDS FOR AN EVENG THAT, AS BOOZE FLOWS AND BTERNS LAT, VOLV TO ACID-SOAKED EXAMATNS OF SELF-LOATHG AND SPAIR. IT’S A CRACKLG WORK OF W AND SIGHT, BUT ALSO A SNAPSHOT OF GAY MEN’S TIC SELF-PY AND TERNALIZED HOMOPHOBIA. ADVERTISEMENT L LIKE MICHAEL’S DAMNG PROCLAMATN, “SHOW ME A HAPPY HOMOSEXUAL AND I’LL SHOW YOU A GAY RPSE,” HAVE MEMORIALIZED THE WORK AS A LIGHTNG ROD THE MUNY. THOSE WHO NMN AS A CEL RELIC OF SHAME AT A CERTA TIME HISTORY ARE EQUALLY PASSNATE AS THOSE WHO CELEBRATE AS “A TONE OF ANKNS, EMPATHY, AND EVEN LIBERATN,” AS HARRIS WR.THE FIRST THG WATKS REMEMBERS ABOUT MEETG RANNELLS REHEARSALS IS HOW WARM AND AFFECTNATE HE WAS. “I REMEMBER THKG, THIS IS GOG TO BE GREAT, BEE HANK AND LARRY SPEND THE ENTIRE PLAY BICKERG AND ANGRY AND RENTFUL TOWARDS EACH OTHER,” HE TELLS THE DAILY BEAST. “SO TO CREATE THAT RELATNSHIP WH SOMEONE WHO IS RG AND THOUGHTFUL AND LOVELY, WE HAD A GREAT EXPERIENCE.”NEHER N PPOT EXACTLY WHEN THGS OFFICIALLY TURNED ROMANTIC, JT THAT WAS LATER THE PLAY’S BROADWAY N.“FOR ME WAS A LTLE B LIKE THAT QUOTE, ‘HOW DO YOU FALL LOVE? THE SAME WAY YOU FALL ASLEEP: SLOWLY AND THEN ALL AT ONCE.’” WATKS SAYS. “I WOKE UP ONE DAY AND REALIZED, I THK I REALLY LIKE THIS GUY.”THE PAIR IS SPEAKG OVER ZOOM OM SEPARATE ASTS. WATKS IS CALIFORNIA, WHERE HE IS “UP TO MY EYEBALLS WH HOMCHOOL.” THE TWS ARE SEND GRA, SO “’S AS IF I’M SEND GRA ALSO.”HE CLARIFI THAT HE IS NOT THE TWS’ TEACHER, PER SE, BUT THAT HIS OFFICIAL TLE IS “LEARNG ACH.” “IT’S SORT OF A SEXY TLE,” RANNELLS QUIPS AS, ANOTHER RNER OF THE ZOOM WDOW, WATKS BLH. “I’M GLAD ANDREW THKS ’S A SEXY TLE.” ADVERTISEMENT RANNELLS HAS BEEN BACK NEW YORK, WHERE HE JT FISHED DIRECTG AN EPISO OF AMAZON’S MORN LOVE ANTHOLOGY SERI, WHICH HE ALSO ADAPTED OM A 2017 SAY HE WROTE FOR THE NEW YORK TIM LUMN THAT SPIRED THE SHOW.TLED “DURG A NIGHT OF CASUAL SEX, URGENT MSAG GO UNANSWERED,” THE SAY REUNTS WHEN RANNELLS WHEN 22 AND HAD AN APATHETIC NIGHT OF SEX WH “A FACELS MEMORY OM YOUR EARLY 20S,” A BOY NAMED BRAD. HE HAD BEEN IGNORG LLS OM HIS SIBLGS ALL EVENG. WHEN HE FALLY LEFT BRAD NAKED THE BED TO GO TO CHECK HIS MSAG, HE LEARNED HIS FATHER HAD LLAPSED AT HIS NIECE’S BIRTHDAY PARTY, HAVG SUFFERED EHER A HEART ATTACK OR STROKE. “I WOKE UP ONE DAY AND REALIZED, I THK I REALLY LIKE THIS GUY.” THE LUMN BEME A RNERSTONE FOR A BOOK OF SAYS RANNELLS PUBLISHED LAST YEAR TLED TOO MUCH IS NOT ENOUGH: A MEMOIR OF FUMBLG TOWARD ADULTHOOD, ABOUT HIS EXPERIENCE MOVG TO NEW YORK OM OMAHA AND FLOUNRG AS HE TRIED TO FD HIS PLACE THE THEATER MUNY AND E TO TERMS WH HIS OWN SEXUALY.“I KEPT GETTG THE KIDS AT STAGE DOORS ON BROADWAY THKG THAT BASILLY I WAS LIKE HATCHED OUT OF AN EGG TO THE BOOK OF MORMON,” HE SAYS ABOUT WHY HE WROTE THE BOOK. “THAT I JT APPEARED AND ALL OF A SUDN HAD THIS GREAT SHOW THAT WAS A H. BUT THAT'S NOT THE SE. THERE WERE A LOT OF TIM THAT THGS WERE KD OF ROUGH.”THAT NDOR, WHEN TO EVERYTHG OM THE DTRY TO HIS SEX LIFE, IS SOMETHG THAT WATKS SPECIFILLY ADMIR. “I’VE ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT IF BEG GAY WAS A BIG BOX STORE, WE WOULD PUT ANDREW RANNELLS UP ONT, AS THE GREETER. LIKE, ‘THIS IS WHAT ’S LIKE! IT’S OKAY. COME ON !’” ADVERTISEMENT NOW THAT THERE’S PUBLIC TERT HIS LOVE LIFE, ’S BEEN TERTG FOR RANNELLS TO REFLECT ON THE FACT THAT HE NEVER FELT PRSURED TO BE THE CLOSET, OR WORRIED WHAT G OUT ULD MEAN FOR HIS REER. HE WAS 32 WHEN HE STARRED THE BOOK OF MORMON AND WAS ST ON GIRLS AS LENA DUNHAM’S GAY BT IEND, ELIJAH. AFTER ONE SEASON OF GIRLS, RYAN MURPHY ST HIM THE NEW NORMAL, A NBC S ABOUT A GAY UPLE ADOPTG THEIR FIRST CHILD.“AROUND THAT TIME I WAS ASKED TO BE ON THE VER OF OUT MAGAZE, AND MY PUBLICIST AT THE TIME SAID, ‘IT’S A BELL YOU N’T UNRG,’” HE REMEMBERS. EVEN REUNTG THE STORY NOW, HE LOOKS BAFFLED. “I WAS LIKE, ‘WELL LET’S FUCK’ RG . THIS SEEMS LIKE THE TIME.’ I WAS LIKE 33 AND I’D ALWAYS BEEN OUT. AND I WAS ALSO PLAYG TWO GAY CHARACTERS ON TELEVISN. BUT I WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER HER SAYG THAT. ‘IT’S A BELL YOU N’T UNRG.’”WATKS’ OWN EXPERIENCE WAS DIFFERENT, THAT HE ACTUALLY HAD A PUBLIC G OUT, A CISN THAT HE WRTLED WH FOR S BEFORE DOG .IT WAS 2013, A FEW MONTHS AFTER HIS TWS, CATCHEN AND CURTIS, WERE BORN. THE PREV SPRG, HE HAD WRAPPED HIS N ON DPERATE HOEWIV, ON WHICH HE PLAYED ONE HALF OF A GAY UPLE THAT MOV TO WISTERIA LANE. HE WENT ON MARIE OSMOND’S HALLMARK CHANNEL TALK SHOW MARIE AND REVEALED FOR THE FIRST TIME THAT HE WAS A GAY SGLE DAD AND HAD WELED HIS CHILDREN VIA SURROGATE.“I E OM 20 YEARS OF WORKG AN DTRY THAT FELT LIKE I WASN’T SAFE SAYG WHO I WAS, TELLG THE TTH ABOUT WHO I WAS THENTILLY,” HE SAYS, REMEMBERG THE TIME. “BUT SOMETHG TOGGLED OVER AFTER I HAD KIDS. I THOUGHT DON’T MAKE SENSE TO NOT TELL THE TTH ABOUT WHO I AM WH KIDS NEXT TO ME. I DIDN’T WANT THEM TO LOOK UP AND SEE THAT THEY HAD A DAD WHO WAS AAID TO TELL THE TTH.”RANNELLS, WHO HAS SEEN THE CLIP, LGHS. “WHO ELSE HAS A PUBLIC G OUT STORY WHERE THEY N SAY, ‘WELL I TOLD MARIE OSMOND…’” ADVERTISEMENT NETFLIX “SHE DID ASK IF THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME I’D SPOKEN ABOUT PUBLICLY,” WATKS REMEMBERS, “AND I SAID, ‘WELL YOU’RE THE FIRST OSMOND I’VE TOLD.’”STILL, NEHER OF THE EXPERIENC PREPARED THE ACTORS FOR THE TIDAL WAVE OF ATTENTN THEY WOULD RECEIVE WHEN THEY “ME OUT,” SO TO SPEAK, AS A UPLE ON INSTAGRAM.IN SEPTEMBER OF LAST YEAR, RANNELLS POSTED A PHOTO OF HIMSELF BASHFULLY SPOONG WATKS A POOL, PLANTG A LIGHT KISS ON THE BACK OF WATK’S SHOULR. TWO DAYS LATER, WATKS POSTED HIS OWN PHOTO OF THE TWO OF THEM, A BLACK-AND-WHE PICTURE OF THE PAIR SHIRTLS OUTSI, WH RANNELLS' HANDS AROUND HIS WAIST. THE PTN: “IT’S HARD TO HI @ANDREWRANNELLS. HE’S 6’2” AND SH BRIGHTLY.”“I JT ULDN’T NOT TALK ABOUT ANYMORE,” WATKS SAYS. “IT WAS JT OUT OF EXCEMENT. IT WAS JT JOY. YOU’RE ALWAYS A LTLE TREPIDAT TO PUT THGS THAT ARE TIMATE ABOUT YOUR LIFE OUT THERE FOR THE WORLD TO SEE, BUT I JT ULDN'T HELP ANYMORE JT BEE I LIKED HIM SO DARN MUCH.”THAT “THE KIDS WERE WEIGHG ON INSTAGRAM,” AS RANNELLS SAYS, WAS CERTALY NEW FOR THE TWO OF THEM. “BUT THERE WE ARE.” ADVERTISEMENT THE OCSN OF THE BOYS THE BAND FILM G OUT MEANS THE OPPORTUNY TO WALK DOWN MEMORY LANE OF THEIR URTSHIP.THE STCTURE OF THE PLAY IS SUCH THAT, AFTER ABOUT 90 MUT OF SRCHED-EARTH BARG OF THEIR SOULS AND SECURI ABOUT LOVE AND THEIR RELATNSHIP, THEIR CHARACTERS RETREAT TO A BALNY BEDROOM THAT’S SEMI-HIDN BEHD A OSTED-GLASS WALL, WHERE THEY WOULD MIME HEAVY NVERSATN AND CUDDLG, AND, FALLY, AS THE LIGHTS GO DOWN ON THE PLAY, TEAR OFF EACH OTHER’S SHIRTS AND START AGGRSIVELY MAKG OUT.“YEP, THE FIRST TIME WE KISSED WAS BEE OF OUR JOB,” RANNELLS SAYS. “I MEAN I N ONLY SPEAK FOR MYSELF BUT I CERTALY WANTED TO, AND I WAS LOOKG FORWARD TO . BUT WAS STRANGE THAT WE WERE GETTG PAID TO DO .”WATKS TIMAT THAT THOSE 20 MUT EACH NIGHT IS WHEN THEY REALLY GOT TO KNOW EACH OTHER. “WE WERE AN TIMATE SETTG, AND AN TIMATE SETTG, YOU TEND TO HAVE TIMATE NVERSATNS.” AT LEAST, AS RANNELLS TERJECTS, WHEN THEY WEREN’T TAKG TURNS NAPPG.ONE NIGHT LATE TO THE N, ONE OF WATKS’ GOOD IENDS ME OM OUT OF TOWN TO SEE THE PLAY. THEY MET FOR A DRK AFTER THE SHOW AND THE FIRST THG HIS IEND SAID WAS, “YOU’RE SEEG RANNELLS, AREN’T YOU?” WATKS WAS SHOCKED. HE WAS, BUT HE HADN’T TOLD ANYONE. HOW ULD HE HAVE KNOWN? “AND HE SAID, ‘WELL, AT CURTA LL YOU GUYS HOLD EACH OTHER'S HAND LONGER THAN YOU NEED.’”IT’S A RARE EXPERIENCE TO STAR A FILM VERSN OF A PLAY YOU SPENT MONTHS WORKG ON, AND TO DO WH THE SAME ACTORS OM THAT PRODUCTN. AT THIS POT, THE ST KNOWS EACH OTHER ON A EPER LEVEL, SOMETHG THAT THROUGH THE PERFORMANC. IT’S ALSO GRATIFYG FOR THEM THAT, AFTER DOG A PLAY THAT LIVED, BREATHED, AND EVOLVED, THE FILM VERSN IS FE. ADVERTISEMENT “I ACTUALLY REMEMBER THE LAST TIME ANDREW WALKED OUT OF MY DRSG ROOM ON OUR LAST NIGHT OF THE PLAY AND MY HEART WAS MY THROAT AND MY STOMACH WAS ON THE FLOOR,” WATKS SAYS. “IT FELT REALLY SAD. I FELT LIKE I WAS LOSG SOMETHG. BUT SOMETHG HAPPENED WHEN WE FISHED THE MOVIE. SOMEHOW, FELT LIKE WAS PLETE. I DIDN’T FEEL THE SADNS.”IF ONE OF THE ENDG NOT OF THE BOYS THE BAND IS HOPE FOR THE FUTURE TELEGRAPHED THROUGH THE LOVE AND PASSN YOU SEE AS LARRY AND HANK START TO RENNECT AND HOOK UP, THEN THERE’S SOMETHG POIGNANT—AND CERTALY META— THE FACT THAT THE ACTORS THAT SCENE HAVE A HAPPILY EVER AFTER OF THEIR OWN TOGETHER, TOO.WHEN THE NVERSATN IS OVER AND ’S TIME FOR GOODBY, RANNELLS AND WATKS EASE A LTLE B THEIR RPECTIVE ZOOM WDOWS.“TUC, YOUR BEARD IS LOOKG VERY HANDSOME,” RANNELLS PLIMENTS.“THANK YOU, I GREW THIS MORNG,” HE JOK, PUFFG HIS CHEEKS OUT AS IF HE IS EXTDG HAIRS BY FORCE. “PHED RIGHT OUT.” RANNELLS DOUBL OVER LGHG AS WATKS SHOUTS, “MISS YOU, RANNELLS!”“MISS YOU, TOO,” HE SAYS BACK. “I’LL LL YOU LATER.” KEV FALLON
• ANDREW RANNELLS: GAY AND SER IN 'NEW NORMAL'

ANDREW RANNELLS B: PROUD GAY MAN IS DATG, MEET FELLOW ACTOR BOYIEND

Amerin actor Andrew Rannells didn't profs the ordary 'g out' stori like most gay men. Apart om that, the gay actor is well-adored on the s, Girls (2012-2017) recently, he alongsi a star-studd le of talented actors such as Jim Parsons, Matt Bomer, and ., performed the gay-revolved play, The boys The Band. The stars miserated the plays 50th anniversary Late Show Wh Stephen Colbert: Andrew Rannells and fellow gay -star Jim Parsons talk about tertg thgs they do, on and off the stage (Published on 10 July 2018) Read Also: Gay Brianna Hilbrand Reveals Datg Requirements: Girliend Isn't LimAs of September 2018, Rannells has been announced to return as a gut actor on the nth season of Animated s, Bob's Burgers.

ANDREW RANNELLS GAY: Y, ANDREW RANNELLS IS GAY AND DATG TUC WATKS, ARE THEY MARRIED?

He posssed a mixed ethnicy, rived om a Polish mother, and a father of Irish, German, and English Rannells' Recipe Into Playg Gay Role: Rponsibily, Story & AwarensMajory of the stori about the gay muny ‘g out’ volv around how they live their liv terror and hi their te selv om everyone their liv. And fally, when they open up about beg gay, almost everyone feels a sense of stori are spirg while the others are tormentg to listen; realizg how the vast majory of gay men their liv ntemplated suici.

ANDREW RANNELLS HAS A FEW THOUGHTS ABOUT JAM CORN PLAYG GAY ‘THE PROM’

Here we have a ‘rare’ optimistic g out story that reprents a mory of gay men, no matter what age:Intertg: Cara Santa Maria B: From Datg Stat To Height And ParentsAndrew realized that he was gay when he was high school. At the age of 18, he me out as gay to his fay and loved on.

FAMEWATCHER SEARCH PRIMARY MENU SKIP TO NTENT HOMECELEBRY HAIR TRANSPLANTCELEBRY PLASTIC SURGERYCELEBRY LEATHER JACKETBODY SHAPER SEARCH FOR: GAY MALE CELEBRIANDREW RANNELLS SHIRTLS, UNRWEAR, AND PARTNER

’ Growg up as a gay man, he never had to closet himself om anyone bee he was provid wh a healthy environment to embrace himself. Along the road, Randall has portrayed many gay characters several shows.

On HBO’s edy-drama, Girls, he played a gay ex-boyiend, Elijah Krantz, to the lead role, Hannah (played by Lena Dunham). In a 2012 Vulture terview, when he was asked whether he portrayed a gay character wh more enthiasm, he told, Well, there’s a part of me that would say I treat every character the same way — to be as hont as possible wh every role.

But then, as a gay man, I thk there’s a rponsibily to show a fully realized person, so even though Elijah might not be the bt person the world, I want to make him as fully flhed out and human as possible. Bee chanc are he’s gonna reprent somebody who’s a real the same terview, he told how he felt when he was given a larger platform to tell the story of gay men, bee of his new s, New Normal; Its storyle explored about a wealthy gay uple who ci to start a fay of their own through a surrogate mother. A year later, he sat down wh Vulture  January 2013 and explaed that he was ‘stck by realy’ after realizg that there were still anti-LGBT muni who didn’t approve the ia of ‘gay fictn, ’ let alone a gay realy.

HOW ANDREW RANNELLS AND TUC WATKS FELL LOVE WHILE MAKG ‘THE BOYS THE BAND’SHOWMANCINGPHOTO ILLTRATN BY THE DAILY BEAST / PHOTOS VIA INSTAGRAMKISSG THE RAFTERS, HOMCHOOLG SEND-GRA TWS, AND G OUT TO MARIE OSMOND: THE “BOYS THE BAND” STARS TALK TO THE BEAST ABOUT THEIR UNEXPECTED RELATNSHIP.KEV FALLONSENR EDOR, OBSSEDUPDATED OCT. 22, 2020 1:50AM EDT / PUBLISHED SEP. 30, 2020 4:33AM EDT IN THE WTER OF 2018, ANDREW RANNELLS AND TUC WATKS ARRIVED AT A NEW YORK CY PHOTOSHOOT FOR T, THE NEW YORK TIM STYLE MAGAZE, ALONGSI PRODUCER RYAN MURPHY AND THE UNPRECENTED ENSEMBLE ST OF THE BOYS THE BAND: JIM PARSONS, ZACHARY QUTO, MATT BOMER, AND A ROSTER OF OUT GAY CELEBRI -STARRG THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY REVIVAL OF MART CROWLEY’S LANDMARK PLAY, ALL PLAYG GAY MEN WHOUT ANY RISK TO THEIR REERS OR PUBLIC IMAGE.RANNELLS AND WATKS WERE ST AS LARRY AND HANK, LOVERS 1968 WHO HAD BEEN LIVG AS “ROOMMAT,” TORTURG EACH OTHER OVER WARRG EXPECTATNS WHEN TO SEX, MONOGAMY, AND MMENT. THE ACTORS WERE STCTED TO ACT VAGUELY CHARACTER WHILE POSG FOR THE MAGAZE’S PHOTOS, WHICH MEANT THE PAIR SPENT THE MORNG LIGHTLY FLIRTG.“I REMEMBER STANDG NEXT TO TUC AND NOT KNOWG HIM SUPER WELL, BUT LOOKG AT HIM AND THKG, ‘AH, FUCK. THIS IS GOG TO HAPPEN ISN’T ?’” RANNELLS TELLS THE DAILY BEAST. “‘WE’RE GOG TO BE THOSE TWO ACTORS WHO HAVE A SHOWMANCE.’” NEWSLETTERSTHE DAILY BEAST’S OBSSEDEVERYTHG WE N’T STOP LOVG, HATG, AND THKG ABOUT THIS WEEK POP CULTURE.SUBSCRIBEBY CLICKG "SUBSCRIBE" YOU AGREE TO HAVE READ THE TERMS OF USE AND PRIVACY POLICY HE WAS RIGHT. THE TWO DID BEG DATG TOWARD THE END OF THE BOYS THE BAND’S BROADWAY N THE SUMMER OF 2018, BUT WASN’T JT A TRYST THAT EXPIRED ON CLOSG NIGHT. THEY’VE BEEN A RELATNSHIP EVER SCE, G OUT PUBLICLY AS A UPLE A LTLE OVER A YEAR AGO SEPARATE INSTAGRAM POSTS. THEIR SOCIAL MEDIA FEEDS AND PRS TERVIEWS HAVE SCE BEE PUBLIC RERDS OF THEIR LIFE TOGETHER AS A FAY: BIRTHDAYS, TRIPS, GOOFY SELFI. SCE THE PANMIC STARTED, FOR EXAMPLE, RANNELLS HAS PLAYED GUT TUTOR DURG VIRTUAL LEARNG SSNS FOR WATKS’ SEVEN-AND-A-HALF-YEAR-OLD TWS, WHO HE HAD VIA A SURROGATE 2013. (A PHOTO RANNELLS POSTED OF ONE OF THE TWS SLUMPED OVER HIS LAPTOP FEAT HTS AT HOW WELL THAT WAS GOG.)RANNELLS’ REER BEGAN ON BROADWAY, WHERE HE STARRED THE BOOK OF MORMON, FALSETTOS, AND HATON, BEFORE BREAKG OUT HOLLYWOOD WH ROL ON GIRLS, THE INTERN, AND THE UPG NETFLIX FILM VERSN OF THE MIL THE PROM, OPPOSE NILE KIDMAN AND MERYL STREEP. WATKS MA HIS NAME AS A DAYTIME TV HEARTTHROB, STARTG HIS NEARLY 20-YEAR N AS DAVID VICKERS ON ONE LIFE TO LIVE 1994, WH MEMORABLE ROL THE MUMMY AND DPERATE HOEWIV THAT FOLLOWED.THAT THE UPLE—RANNELLS IS 42 AND WATKS IS 54—HAVE BEEN SO SUALLY AND AFFECTNATELY PUBLIC WH THEIR RELATNSHIP IS STILL, 2020, REMARKABLE. BUT ’S PERHAPS EVEN MORE POIGNANT NSIRG THAT THE TWO OCSNS THEY HAVE PLAYED LOVERS ON SCREEN THE TIME THAT THEY’VE BEEN DATG (SELF AN UNUAL ACPLISHMENT FOR A HOLLYWOOD GAY UPLE) HAVE BEEN PERD PIEC WHERE THEIR CHARACTERS WERE CLOSETED, ROMANCG SECRET, AND MEANT TO FEEL SHAME.A FIRST ROUND OF GIGGLY “WHAT IS LIKE TO SHOOT LOVE SCEN WH YOUR REAL-LIFE BOYIEND” PRS HAPPENED EARLIER THIS YEAR WHEN SEASON TWO OF SHOWTIME’S BLACK MONDAY PREMIERED, WHICH ST WATKS AS A POLICIAN SECRETLY HOOKG UP WH RANNELLS’ WALL STREET STOCKBROKER 1980S NEW YORK. NOW THE CURSY IS PIQUED AGA, WH THE MOVIE VERSN OF THE BOYS THE BAND AVAILABLE WEDNDAY ON NETFLIX, RNG THE TONY-WNG REVIVAL’S ORIGAL ST AND S DIRECTOR, JOE MANTELLO.CROWLEY’S 1968 PLAY DRAMATIZ, AS CULTURE WRER MARK HARRIS SAYS, “THE MOST FAMOLY TOXIC GAY BIRTHDAY PARTY THE HISTORY OF NEW YORK CY.” PARSONS’ CHARACTER, MICHAEL, IS HOSTG THE AFFAIR AT HIS APARTMENT, GATHERG A SMATTERG OF IENDS FOR AN EVENG THAT, AS BOOZE FLOWS AND BTERNS LAT, VOLV TO ACID-SOAKED EXAMATNS OF SELF-LOATHG AND SPAIR. IT’S A CRACKLG WORK OF W AND SIGHT, BUT ALSO A SNAPSHOT OF GAY MEN’S TIC SELF-PY AND TERNALIZED HOMOPHOBIA. ADVERTISEMENT L LIKE MICHAEL’S DAMNG PROCLAMATN, “SHOW ME A HAPPY HOMOSEXUAL AND I’LL SHOW YOU A GAY RPSE,” HAVE MEMORIALIZED THE WORK AS A LIGHTNG ROD THE MUNY. THOSE WHO NMN AS A CEL RELIC OF SHAME AT A CERTA TIME HISTORY ARE EQUALLY PASSNATE AS THOSE WHO CELEBRATE AS “A TONE OF ANKNS, EMPATHY, AND EVEN LIBERATN,” AS HARRIS WR.THE FIRST THG WATKS REMEMBERS ABOUT MEETG RANNELLS REHEARSALS IS HOW WARM AND AFFECTNATE HE WAS. “I REMEMBER THKG, THIS IS GOG TO BE GREAT, BEE HANK AND LARRY SPEND THE ENTIRE PLAY BICKERG AND ANGRY AND RENTFUL TOWARDS EACH OTHER,” HE TELLS THE DAILY BEAST. “SO TO CREATE THAT RELATNSHIP WH SOMEONE WHO IS RG AND THOUGHTFUL AND LOVELY, WE HAD A GREAT EXPERIENCE.”NEHER N PPOT EXACTLY WHEN THGS OFFICIALLY TURNED ROMANTIC, JT THAT WAS LATER THE PLAY’S BROADWAY N.“FOR ME WAS A LTLE B LIKE THAT QUOTE, ‘HOW DO YOU FALL LOVE? THE SAME WAY YOU FALL ASLEEP: SLOWLY AND THEN ALL AT ONCE.’” WATKS SAYS. “I WOKE UP ONE DAY AND REALIZED, I THK I REALLY LIKE THIS GUY.”THE PAIR IS SPEAKG OVER ZOOM OM SEPARATE ASTS. WATKS IS CALIFORNIA, WHERE HE IS “UP TO MY EYEBALLS WH HOMCHOOL.” THE TWS ARE SEND GRA, SO “’S AS IF I’M SEND GRA ALSO.”HE CLARIFI THAT HE IS NOT THE TWS’ TEACHER, PER SE, BUT THAT HIS OFFICIAL TLE IS “LEARNG ACH.” “IT’S SORT OF A SEXY TLE,” RANNELLS QUIPS AS, ANOTHER RNER OF THE ZOOM WDOW, WATKS BLH. “I’M GLAD ANDREW THKS ’S A SEXY TLE.” ADVERTISEMENT RANNELLS HAS BEEN BACK NEW YORK, WHERE HE JT FISHED DIRECTG AN EPISO OF AMAZON’S MORN LOVE ANTHOLOGY SERI, WHICH HE ALSO ADAPTED OM A 2017 SAY HE WROTE FOR THE NEW YORK TIM LUMN THAT SPIRED THE SHOW.TLED “DURG A NIGHT OF CASUAL SEX, URGENT MSAG GO UNANSWERED,” THE SAY REUNTS WHEN RANNELLS WHEN 22 AND HAD AN APATHETIC NIGHT OF SEX WH “A FACELS MEMORY OM YOUR EARLY 20S,” A BOY NAMED BRAD. HE HAD BEEN IGNORG LLS OM HIS SIBLGS ALL EVENG. WHEN HE FALLY LEFT BRAD NAKED THE BED TO GO TO CHECK HIS MSAG, HE LEARNED HIS FATHER HAD LLAPSED AT HIS NIECE’S BIRTHDAY PARTY, HAVG SUFFERED EHER A HEART ATTACK OR STROKE. “I WOKE UP ONE DAY AND REALIZED, I THK I REALLY LIKE THIS GUY.” THE LUMN BEME A RNERSTONE FOR A BOOK OF SAYS RANNELLS PUBLISHED LAST YEAR TLED TOO MUCH IS NOT ENOUGH: A MEMOIR OF FUMBLG TOWARD ADULTHOOD, ABOUT HIS EXPERIENCE MOVG TO NEW YORK OM OMAHA AND FLOUNRG AS HE TRIED TO FD HIS PLACE THE THEATER MUNY AND E TO TERMS WH HIS OWN SEXUALY.“I KEPT GETTG THE KIDS AT STAGE DOORS ON BROADWAY THKG THAT BASILLY I WAS LIKE HATCHED OUT OF AN EGG TO THE BOOK OF MORMON,” HE SAYS ABOUT WHY HE WROTE THE BOOK. “THAT I JT APPEARED AND ALL OF A SUDN HAD THIS GREAT SHOW THAT WAS A H. BUT THAT'S NOT THE SE. THERE WERE A LOT OF TIM THAT THGS WERE KD OF ROUGH.”THAT NDOR, WHEN TO EVERYTHG OM THE DTRY TO HIS SEX LIFE, IS SOMETHG THAT WATKS SPECIFILLY ADMIR. “I’VE ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT IF BEG GAY WAS A BIG BOX STORE, WE WOULD PUT ANDREW RANNELLS UP ONT, AS THE GREETER. LIKE, ‘THIS IS WHAT ’S LIKE! IT’S OKAY. COME ON !’” ADVERTISEMENT NOW THAT THERE’S PUBLIC TERT HIS LOVE LIFE, ’S BEEN TERTG FOR RANNELLS TO REFLECT ON THE FACT THAT HE NEVER FELT PRSURED TO BE THE CLOSET, OR WORRIED WHAT G OUT ULD MEAN FOR HIS REER. HE WAS 32 WHEN HE STARRED THE BOOK OF MORMON AND WAS ST ON GIRLS AS LENA DUNHAM’S GAY BT IEND, ELIJAH. AFTER ONE SEASON OF GIRLS, RYAN MURPHY ST HIM THE NEW NORMAL, A NBC S ABOUT A GAY UPLE ADOPTG THEIR FIRST CHILD.“AROUND THAT TIME I WAS ASKED TO BE ON THE VER OF OUT MAGAZE, AND MY PUBLICIST AT THE TIME SAID, ‘IT’S A BELL YOU N’T UNRG,’” HE REMEMBERS. EVEN REUNTG THE STORY NOW, HE LOOKS BAFFLED. “I WAS LIKE, ‘WELL LET’S FUCK’ RG . THIS SEEMS LIKE THE TIME.’ I WAS LIKE 33 AND I’D ALWAYS BEEN OUT. AND I WAS ALSO PLAYG TWO GAY CHARACTERS ON TELEVISN. BUT I WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER HER SAYG THAT. ‘IT’S A BELL YOU N’T UNRG.’”WATKS’ OWN EXPERIENCE WAS DIFFERENT, THAT HE ACTUALLY HAD A PUBLIC G OUT, A CISN THAT HE WRTLED WH FOR S BEFORE DOG .IT WAS 2013, A FEW MONTHS AFTER HIS TWS, CATCHEN AND CURTIS, WERE BORN. THE PREV SPRG, HE HAD WRAPPED HIS N ON DPERATE HOEWIV, ON WHICH HE PLAYED ONE HALF OF A GAY UPLE THAT MOV TO WISTERIA LANE. HE WENT ON MARIE OSMOND’S HALLMARK CHANNEL TALK SHOW MARIE AND REVEALED FOR THE FIRST TIME THAT HE WAS A GAY SGLE DAD AND HAD WELED HIS CHILDREN VIA SURROGATE.“I E OM 20 YEARS OF WORKG AN DTRY THAT FELT LIKE I WASN’T SAFE SAYG WHO I WAS, TELLG THE TTH ABOUT WHO I WAS THENTILLY,” HE SAYS, REMEMBERG THE TIME. “BUT SOMETHG TOGGLED OVER AFTER I HAD KIDS. I THOUGHT DON’T MAKE SENSE TO NOT TELL THE TTH ABOUT WHO I AM WH KIDS NEXT TO ME. I DIDN’T WANT THEM TO LOOK UP AND SEE THAT THEY HAD A DAD WHO WAS AAID TO TELL THE TTH.”RANNELLS, WHO HAS SEEN THE CLIP, LGHS. “WHO ELSE HAS A PUBLIC G OUT STORY WHERE THEY N SAY, ‘WELL I TOLD MARIE OSMOND…’” ADVERTISEMENT NETFLIX “SHE DID ASK IF THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME I’D SPOKEN ABOUT PUBLICLY,” WATKS REMEMBERS, “AND I SAID, ‘WELL YOU’RE THE FIRST OSMOND I’VE TOLD.’”STILL, NEHER OF THE EXPERIENC PREPARED THE ACTORS FOR THE TIDAL WAVE OF ATTENTN THEY WOULD RECEIVE WHEN THEY “ME OUT,” SO TO SPEAK, AS A UPLE ON INSTAGRAM.IN SEPTEMBER OF LAST YEAR, RANNELLS POSTED A PHOTO OF HIMSELF BASHFULLY SPOONG WATKS A POOL, PLANTG A LIGHT KISS ON THE BACK OF WATK’S SHOULR. TWO DAYS LATER, WATKS POSTED HIS OWN PHOTO OF THE TWO OF THEM, A BLACK-AND-WHE PICTURE OF THE PAIR SHIRTLS OUTSI, WH RANNELLS' HANDS AROUND HIS WAIST. THE PTN: “IT’S HARD TO HI @ANDREWRANNELLS. HE’S 6’2” AND SH BRIGHTLY.”“I JT ULDN’T NOT TALK ABOUT ANYMORE,” WATKS SAYS. “IT WAS JT OUT OF EXCEMENT. IT WAS JT JOY. YOU’RE ALWAYS A LTLE TREPIDAT TO PUT THGS THAT ARE TIMATE ABOUT YOUR LIFE OUT THERE FOR THE WORLD TO SEE, BUT I JT ULDN'T HELP ANYMORE JT BEE I LIKED HIM SO DARN MUCH.”THAT “THE KIDS WERE WEIGHG ON INSTAGRAM,” AS RANNELLS SAYS, WAS CERTALY NEW FOR THE TWO OF THEM. “BUT THERE WE ARE.” ADVERTISEMENT THE OCSN OF THE BOYS THE BAND FILM G OUT MEANS THE OPPORTUNY TO WALK DOWN MEMORY LANE OF THEIR URTSHIP.THE STCTURE OF THE PLAY IS SUCH THAT, AFTER ABOUT 90 MUT OF SRCHED-EARTH BARG OF THEIR SOULS AND SECURI ABOUT LOVE AND THEIR RELATNSHIP, THEIR CHARACTERS RETREAT TO A BALNY BEDROOM THAT’S SEMI-HIDN BEHD A OSTED-GLASS WALL, WHERE THEY WOULD MIME HEAVY NVERSATN AND CUDDLG, AND, FALLY, AS THE LIGHTS GO DOWN ON THE PLAY, TEAR OFF EACH OTHER’S SHIRTS AND START AGGRSIVELY MAKG OUT.“YEP, THE FIRST TIME WE KISSED WAS BEE OF OUR JOB,” RANNELLS SAYS. “I MEAN I N ONLY SPEAK FOR MYSELF BUT I CERTALY WANTED TO, AND I WAS LOOKG FORWARD TO . BUT WAS STRANGE THAT WE WERE GETTG PAID TO DO .”WATKS TIMAT THAT THOSE 20 MUT EACH NIGHT IS WHEN THEY REALLY GOT TO KNOW EACH OTHER. “WE WERE AN TIMATE SETTG, AND AN TIMATE SETTG, YOU TEND TO HAVE TIMATE NVERSATNS.” AT LEAST, AS RANNELLS TERJECTS, WHEN THEY WEREN’T TAKG TURNS NAPPG.ONE NIGHT LATE TO THE N, ONE OF WATKS’ GOOD IENDS ME OM OUT OF TOWN TO SEE THE PLAY. THEY MET FOR A DRK AFTER THE SHOW AND THE FIRST THG HIS IEND SAID WAS, “YOU’RE SEEG RANNELLS, AREN’T YOU?” WATKS WAS SHOCKED. HE WAS, BUT HE HADN’T TOLD ANYONE. HOW ULD HE HAVE KNOWN? “AND HE SAID, ‘WELL, AT CURTA LL YOU GUYS HOLD EACH OTHER'S HAND LONGER THAN YOU NEED.’”IT’S A RARE EXPERIENCE TO STAR A FILM VERSN OF A PLAY YOU SPENT MONTHS WORKG ON, AND TO DO WH THE SAME ACTORS OM THAT PRODUCTN. AT THIS POT, THE ST KNOWS EACH OTHER ON A EPER LEVEL, SOMETHG THAT THROUGH THE PERFORMANC. IT’S ALSO GRATIFYG FOR THEM THAT, AFTER DOG A PLAY THAT LIVED, BREATHED, AND EVOLVED, THE FILM VERSN IS FE. ADVERTISEMENT “I ACTUALLY REMEMBER THE LAST TIME ANDREW WALKED OUT OF MY DRSG ROOM ON OUR LAST NIGHT OF THE PLAY AND MY HEART WAS MY THROAT AND MY STOMACH WAS ON THE FLOOR,” WATKS SAYS. “IT FELT REALLY SAD. I FELT LIKE I WAS LOSG SOMETHG. BUT SOMETHG HAPPENED WHEN WE FISHED THE MOVIE. SOMEHOW, FELT LIKE WAS PLETE. I DIDN’T FEEL THE SADNS.”IF ONE OF THE ENDG NOT OF THE BOYS THE BAND IS HOPE FOR THE FUTURE TELEGRAPHED THROUGH THE LOVE AND PASSN YOU SEE AS LARRY AND HANK START TO RENNECT AND HOOK UP, THEN THERE’S SOMETHG POIGNANT—AND CERTALY META— THE FACT THAT THE ACTORS THAT SCENE HAVE A HAPPILY EVER AFTER OF THEIR OWN TOGETHER, TOO.WHEN THE NVERSATN IS OVER AND ’S TIME FOR GOODBY, RANNELLS AND WATKS EASE A LTLE B THEIR RPECTIVE ZOOM WDOWS.“TUC, YOUR BEARD IS LOOKG VERY HANDSOME,” RANNELLS PLIMENTS.“THANK YOU, I GREW THIS MORNG,” HE JOK, PUFFG HIS CHEEKS OUT AS IF HE IS EXTDG HAIRS BY FORCE. “PHED RIGHT OUT.” RANNELLS DOUBL OVER LGHG AS WATKS SHOUTS, “MISS YOU, RANNELLS!”“MISS YOU, TOO,” HE SAYS BACK. “I’LL LL YOU LATER.” KEV FALLON

Even though I’m om the Midwt, the majory of my life has been spent on the asts where beg gay wasn’t really much of a nversatn. Although his journey wh that particular show was end due to an 'ignorant' sets of mds, he ntued his ventur to reprent the LGBT muny to the bt of his abily so that someone out don't feel alone and has someone to look up to; that someone out there tly unrstand what 's like to be gay.

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ANDREW RANNELLS: GAY AND SER IN 'NEW NORMAL'

Randall and Doyle are not only settg high bars for gay upl; they’re a rare almost perfect kd of uple: Showg up style red rpet events together and beg an unrstandg and a mature boyiend duo, the pair don’t fall behd any uple. Y, Andrew Rannells, who is is openly gay, has someone special his life. As a proud gay man, Rannells enjoys playg queer characters as long as they aren't stereotypil and flat, he revealed an terview wh Esquire.

"I feel like I get that qutn a lot—that don't you feel like 's limg to only play gay people, don't you feel like you're beg pigeonholed? "And my rponse to that is always: that impli that there's only one type of gay person. You n be a whole lot of different thgs and be gay.

It was one of those gay actg rol that serve as the meet cute for his current relatnship.