Actor Rl Castillo on Hollywood's Gay Moment

Contents:

• ‘THE INSPECTN’ STAR RAúL CASTILLO ON PLAYG GAY CHARACTERS: ‘QUEER ARTISTS HAVE ALWAYS LOOKED OUT FOR ME’
• RL CASTILLO’S WIKI – RELATNSHIPS, MEASUREMENTS. GAY?
• ACTOR RL CASTILLO ON HOLLYWOOD'S GAY MOMENT
• HBO'S 'LOOKG' STAR SAYS PLAYG A GAY CHARACTER HAS BEEN 'A GIFT' FOR HIS REER
• RAúL CASTILLO TALKS ‘LOOKG’ AND HIS NEW ROLE GAY G-OF-AGE DRAMA ‘WE THE ANIMALS’
• RL CASTILLO SAYS PLAYG GAY ON 'LOOKG' OPENED DOORS
• RAúL CASTILLO ‘THE INSPECTN’: MEET THE SURPRISG STAR CRASHG AWARD SEASONCAREER-DEFININGIN THE MIDST OF THE CHAOS AND TRMA OF A24’S MARE DRAMA “THE INSPECTN,” RAúL CASTILLO’S STEADYG, GENERO PRENCE GIV THE EMOTNAL FILM A TENR HEARTBEAT.JT KIRKLANDUPDATED NOV. 19, 2022 3:17AM EST PHOTO ILLTRATN BY THOMAS LEVSON/THE DAILY BEAST/GETTY/A24BEFORE RAúL CASTILLO WAS AN ACTOR, HE WAS A WRER. AT 18 YEARS OLD, HE WROTE A SCRIPT AT BOSTON UNIVERSY THAT GOT HIM TROUBLE. THE PRODUCTN FEATURED AN ALL-MALE ST, SAVE ONE WOMAN. AND THE WOMAN? ON STAGE FOR JT FIVE MUT. NO L. AND THE OTHER CHARACTERS TREATED HER BTALLY.“I GOT A LOT OF SH FOR ,” CASTILLO SAYS WH A SOFT GRIMACE OVER ZOOM. HE PH A FEW BIG, DARK CURLS BACK ONTO HIS HEAD AND ADDS, “RIGHTFULLY SO. I GOT A LOT OF SH FOR BEE THE PORTRAYAL OF THIS PARTICULAR SPECIFIC CHARACTER WAS REALLY HUMANE. I WAS 18 YEARS OLD, AND I DIDN’T KNOW MUCH ABOUT STORYTELLG. IT WAS AN EYE-OPENG EXPERIENCE. I REALIZED I REALLY HAD TO THK ABOUT THE CHARACTERS THAT I PUT ON STAGE, AND I HAD TO BE THOUGHTFUL ABOUT WHO I PUT ON STAGE AND HOW I PUT THEM ON STAGE.”THE BTALY WASN’T SO MUCH THE ISSUE. BTALY IS OFTEN AN UGLY EVIL. IT’S THOSE UGLY EVILS—AND HOW WE PORTRAY THEM—THAT FE A STORY.THAT MOMENT HAS BEEN A GUIDG FORCE FOR THE PROJECTS CASTILLO CHOOS. HIS CURLS FLOP BACK DOWN OVER HIS FOREHEAD AS HE GETS TO THE TAILS OF HIS ROLE A24’S NEW MARE DRAMA, THE INSPECTN. DIRECTED BY ELEGANCE BRATTON, THE SEMI-TOBGRAPHIL STORY FOLLOWS A YOUNG MAN NAMED ELLIS FRENCH (PLAYED BY JEREMY POPE). HOMELS, FRENCH ENLISTS THE MAR AN ATTEMPT TO BRG SOME STABILY TO HIS LIFE, BUT SOON AFTER FELLOW RECS AND DRILL SERGEANTS PIECE TOGETHER THAT FRENCH IS GAY, BOOT MP GO OM A GELG MANDATE TO AN SUFFERABLE HELL. HIS SAVG GRACE HAPPENS TO BE A HANDSOME, PECULIARLY WARM SERGEANT BY THE NAME OF MORAL, PLAYED BY CASTILLO. EVEN OVER MERA, CASTILLO’S NATURAL WARMTH TRANSLAT AS HE TALKS ABOUT HIS LOVE OF WHATABURGER—A TEXAS STAPLE THAT HE HUMBLY SUBMS AS THE BT FAST FOOD ENCH Y. HIS ROLE THE INSPECTN IS HIS SEND CRILLY ACCLAIMED TURN OF THE YEAR, FOLLOWG COOPER RAIFF’S CHA CHA REAL SMOOTH, WHICH H THEATERS EARLY THIS SUMMER. BUT THE INSPECTN ULD BE A REER-FG MOMENT FOR CASTILLO; HE’S ALREADY BEEN NOMATED FOR A GOTHAM AWARD FOR HIS PERFORMANCE, AND THE INSPECTN HAS HIGH AWARD-SEASON HOP. AS THE LOOKG ACTOR EVOLV BEYOND THE ROL THAT HELPED HIM BREAK TO THE DTRY, ’S THE BTAL GRAVAS OF THE INSPECTN THAT TTS HIS METTLE. A FEW DAYS BEFORE THE FILM’S RELEASE, CASTILLO JOED THE DAILY BEAST’S OBSSED OVER ZOOM TO DISCS THE ROLE. RL CASTILLO ON THE INSPECTN RED RPET DURG THE 60TH NEW YORK FILM FTIVAL AT ALICE TULLY HALL, LLN CENTER, ON OCT. 14, 2022 NEW YORK CY.ARTURO HOLM/GETTY IMAG FOR FLC THE INSPECTN IS SUCH A BTAL, AND EPLY PERSONAL, WATCH. WHEN THE SCRIPT FIRST ME ACROSS YOUR RADAR, WHAT WERE YOUR IAL THOUGHTS ON ?I READ ONE STG. I LOVE A GOOD UNRDOG STORY. I WAS ROOTG FOR FRENCH OM THE BEGNG. I WAS REALLY TAKEN BY THE STORY, FIRST AND FOREMOST. EVEN BEFORE I’M THKG ABOUT CHARACTER, I’M THKG ABOUT THE OVERALL PROJECT AND WHO’S VOLVED. AND I KNOW ELEGANCE [BRATTON] HAD DONE SOME DOCUMENTARI BEFORE, SO THAT WAS REALLY TERTG TO ME. AND I READ UP A LTLE B ON THE STORY, ABOUT BEG SO PERSONAL TO HIM, AND THAT WAS REALLY ATTRACTIVE AS WELL. OF URSE, I’VE BEEN WANTG TO WORK WH A24 FOR A WHILE NOW. YOUR CHARACTER ROSAL IS SO TERTG BEE THE DIENCE GETS ABOUT 70 PERCENT OF WHO HE IS: KD TO FRENCH, DITED TO THE MAR, AT ODDS WH HIS WIFE. BUT THERE’S ABOUT 30 PERCENT THAT’S MISSG, PARTICULARLY WHEN TO HIS AFFY FOR FRENCH. WE DON’T KNOW IF ROSAL MIGHT ALSO BE GAY, OR JT EMPATHETIC. WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF HIM?I LEAVE FOR THE DIENCE TO TERPRET THAT. [LGHS] I THK THAT’S THE GOAL WH THIS CHARACTER. WHAT IS THE DIENCE GOG TO TAKE AWAY OM HIM? WHO EXACTLY IS THIS PERSON?WATCHG THIS, KNOWG WAS BASED ON A TE EXPERIENCE, IS A B HORRIFYG. DID YOU SPEAK WH ELEGANCE ABOUT THE VELOPMENT OF THIS CHARACTER OR THE MAN HE WAS BASED ON?ROSAL IS ABSOLUTELY FICTNALIZED, BUT HE’S A POSE OF SEVERAL PEOPLE THAT ELEGANCE ME ACROSS HIS TIME AS A MARE, NOT EVEN JT BOOTMP. BUT THERE WAS ACTUALLY A ROSAL WHO THE CHARACTER’S NAMED AFTER THAT ELEGANCE SERVED WH. BUT THERE WAS ALSO A DRILL STCTOR WHO HAD SHAS OF WHAT THE CHARACTER IS. SO I THK HE DREW OM ELEMENTS OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE HE ME ACROSS WH HIS REER AS A MARE. BUT WASN’T SOURCED OM ONE SPECIFIC PERSON, WHICH IS VERY LIBERATG I THK. EVEN JEREMY [POPE] WAS GIVEN A LOT OF ROOM TO PLAY. HE WASN’T PLAYG ELEGANCE. HE’S PLAYG ELLIS FRENCH. AS AN ACTOR, ’S GREAT TO HAVE SOURCE MATERIAL THAT YOU DRAW OM, BUT ’S ALSO EXCG WHEN YOU’RE GIVEN SPACE TO EXPLORE AND PLAY, AND ELEGANCE FELY GAVE ROOM TO BE CREATIVE. JEREMY POPE AND RAúL CASTILLO.PATTI PERRET/A24 FILMS IN THE MOST LIBERAL SENSE OF THE WORLD, THERE IS A PALPABLE TIMACY BETWEEN ROSAL AND FRENCH. HOW DID YOU BRG THAT TO LIFE WH JEREMY?WE HAD A REALLY FUN TIME. JEREMY OM THEATER, AS DO I, AND I THK WE HAVE VERY SIAR APPROACH TO THE CRAFT. JEREMY WAS FANTASTIC. HE MA MY JOB VERY EASY. I JT HAD TO BE PRENT WH HIM. WE HAD THE FUN SCEN—THERE’S THE REALY AND THEN THERE’S THE FANTASY SCEN—AND THROUGH THEM ALL WE HAD A REALLY GREAT TIME.WE DIDN’T TERACT A WHOLE LOT BEFORE WE STARTED SHOOTG, WHICH WAS BY SIGN. ELEGANCE REALLY WANTED TO SEPARATE THE DRILL STCTORS AND THE RECS. SO HE HAD BOKEEM, NICK LOGAN, AND MYSELF SEPARATED OM THE RECS EARLY ON AND WE DIDN’T SOCIALIZE WH THEM A WHOLE LOT. JEREMY AND I REALLY GOT TO KNOW EACH OTHER AS WE WERE WORKG ON OUR SCEN, WHICH WAS, I THK, STMENTAL THE DYNAMIC. WE WERE LIKE TWO FERAL ANIMALS GETTG A SENSE OF EACH OTHER.I ULDN’T HELP BUT NOTICE THAT SO MANY OF THE MA CHARACTERS PLAYG SERVICEMEN ARE PORTRAYED OM GROUPS THAT OFTEN AREN’T TAKEN RE OF TO THE FULLT EXTENT BY OUR OWN ERNMENT. WAS THERE ANY KD OF DISCSN ABOUT THAT WHEN ME TO TELLG THE STORY?THAT’S VERY EMBLEMATIC WH THE ARY, I THK. PEOPLE ONLY—MOSTLY—TURN TO THE ARY BEE THEY HAVE TO OR BEE THEY FEEL PELLED TO FOR MYRIAD REASONS. AND I DON’T KNOW IF THERE WAS A DISCSN SO MUCH AS THERE WAS AN UNRSTANDG. I LOVE WHEN THE PROCS MIRRORS THE STORY, AND CERTALY DID THIS PROJECT. WE LAND JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI JULY 2021. I THK I HAD A MULLET WHEN I LAND. I ME A DAY LATER AND HAD MY HIGH-AND-TIGHT FA, AND THEY ALL STILL HAD THEIR HAIRCUTS.AND THEN WATCHG ALL THE YOUNG GUYS GET THEIR HEADS SHAVED THE SCEN–BEE THEY DID THAT REAL TIME–WE WERE ALL KD OF G TOGETHER AND GETTG TO KNOW EACH OTHER. SO ALTHOUGH THERE WASN’T MUCH OF A DISCSN AROUND , THERE WAS THIS KD OF TRSIC UNRSTANDG THAT WAS HAPPENG REAL TIME. AND I THK ELEGANCE WAS RPONSIBLE FOR SHAPG THAT AND CREATG AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE KD OF MIRRORED THE STORY WE WERE TELLG.WE’VE MOSTLY TALKED ABOUT THE INSPECTN, BUT CHA CHA REAL SMOOTH ME OUT EARLIER THIS YEAR, WHICH WAS WONRFUL. YOU’VE BEEN VERY NSISTENTLY WORKG SCE LOOKG, BUT THIS FEELS LIKE A REALLY BIG YEAR FOR YOU. ARE YOU FEELG THAT AS WELL, OR IS MORE ABOUT STAYG FOCED AND KEEPG UP THE HTLE?NO, ABSOLUTELY. IT DO FEEL LIKE A REALLY SPECIAL MOMENT WHERE THERE’S THIS TIDAL WAVE OF WORK THAT I HAVE UNR MY BELT. I JT DID MY FIRST PLAY EIGHT YEARS LLED AMERIN (TELE)VISNS AT NEW THEATER WORKSHOP, OFF BROADWAY THE EAST VILLAGE. AND GOG BACK TO THE THEATER AFTER EIGHT YEARS OF NOT DOG A PLAY WAS A REALLY SPECIAL MOMENT. THERE’S THAT, UPLED WH THE INSPECTN STARTG TO DROP, AND I’M HERE LA WORKG ON SOMETHG THAT’S REALLY EXCG. THE THG ABOUT LOOKG WAS, WAS SO SPECIAL TO ME, THAT PROJECT. AND SET THE TONE. EVEN THOUGH I HAD A LOT OF WORK UNR MY BELT BY THAT POT, THAT WAS THE MOST HIGH-PROFILE THG I’D DONE. IT SET THE TONE A LOT OF WAYS TERMS OF THE TYPE OF ARTISTS I WANTED TO LLABORATE WH. ANDREW HAIGH AND MICHAEL LANNAN, JONATHAN GROFF, MURRAY BARLETT, EVERYONE THAT PROJECT IS NEAR AND AR TO MY HEART. AND I JT WANT TO NTUE TO WORK WH PEOPLE WHO BRG OUT THE BT ME. I JT WANT TO NTUE TO MAKE SMART CHOIC, AND HOPEFULLY BUILD MY ARSENAL OF CHARACTERS AND LLABORATORS WHO BRG ALL THE BT ME.I KNOW WE LIVE REALLY DIVISIVE TIM, SO I APOLOGIZE FOR ASKG SUCH A CHARGED QUTN AT THE END, BUT I HAVE TO ASK YOU SOMETHG THAT WAS BROUGHT UP THE FILM. FAVORE ENCH Y. DO YOU HAVE ONE?I HAVEN’T HAD A BURGER AG, LIKE AN ACTUAL REAL BEEF BURGER. BUT I DO MISS… I’M OM TEXAS, SO I’VE GOT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO WHATABURGER. I MISS THAT, THOSE I AND THOSE BURGERS ARE JT LIKE… (CHEF’S KISS) WH THE JALAPEñOS AND EVERYTHG? I MISS THOSE. JT KIRKLAND

‘THE INSPECTN’ STAR RAúL CASTILLO ON PLAYG GAY CHARACTERS: ‘QUEER ARTISTS HAVE ALWAYS LOOKED OUT FOR ME’

The cis straight male actor land his breakout role the gay TV seri “Lookg” before portrayg a married but possibly closeted Mare Elegance Bratton’s “The Inspectn. I was playg a gay man that show.

“The Inspectn” premiered at the 2022 Toronto Internatnal Film Ftival, wh Jeremy Pope leadg the feature as a gay man who jos the Mar durg the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” era. Is he gay?

After Rl portrayed Richie Donado Ventura the “Lookg” TV seri, the character who is gay, mors began circulatg the ter that the popular actor is gay. Until recently, Raúl Castillo was known primarily by those who watched HBO's "Lookg, " a show about thirty-somethg gay men San Francis, and saw his performance as sensive barber Richie.

RL CASTILLO’S WIKI – RELATNSHIPS, MEASUREMENTS. GAY?

On Lookg, HBO’s h dramedy followg the liv of gay men livg San Francis, Raél Castillo plays Richie, a oime love tert of lead Jonathan Groff. He had no problem playg a gay character, and neher did his parents – or girliend! Though he’s straight, Castillo had no qualms about takg on a gay role.

He ntu, “There’s a lot that people want om the show bee is a show about gay men, so there’s lot of expectatn.

ACTOR RL CASTILLO ON HOLLYWOOD'S GAY MOMENT

HBO's much-beloved gay drama Lookg wrapped as Castillo, playg the puppy-eyed barber Richie, buzzed the hair of his on-aga off-aga love tert Patrick. So how did s wh you when people said that Lookg was only about rich whe gays?

HBO'S 'LOOKG' STAR SAYS PLAYG A GAY CHARACTER HAS BEEN 'A GIFT' FOR HIS REER

And all my iends that are gay, that are queer, who have alt wh, who have alt wh g out and beg out plited ways, I hope that they’ll be able to watch this and have a ltle b of tharsis. It was funny bee when the project (the pilot) me around 2013, there were people around me who would say “Are you at all ncerned about playg a gay character? Bee yeah, he’s a gay guy, he’s a Lato guy.

RAúL CASTILLO TALKS ‘LOOKG’ AND HIS NEW ROLE GAY G-OF-AGE DRAMA ‘WE THE ANIMALS’

’ He is most popular for his role of a gay man named ‘Rirdo “Richie” Donado Ventura’ the televisn seri ‘Lookg’ (2014). Raúl Castillo says that playg a gay character on HBO's drama "Lookg" has been really good for his actg reer.

He is most famo for his portrayal of a gay man named ‘Rirdo “Richie” Donado Ventura’ the televisn seri ‘Lookg’ (2014). ”Three years later, Castillo was sent the script for “The Inspectn, ” a movie based on Bratton’s experienc as a young gay man who, after beg kicked out of his home by his disapprovg mother, opts to jo the Mare Corps — a cisn that expos him to beatgs, bullyg and vlent homophobia wh s ranks. As Lookg’s earnt Richie Ventura, Castillo was immediately taken to heart by fans of HBO’s slow-burng drama about the liv of a group of gay men livg San Francis.

RL CASTILLO SAYS PLAYG GAY ON 'LOOKG' OPENED DOORS

The 41-year-old says he has seen signifint improvements opportuni g his way, and playg gay Lookg did the oppose of pigeon-holg him. Gay. New York Tim, Rl Castillo said that playg gay on the HBO.

which ends the seri about a group of gay men livg San. “I learned a lot about gay male timacy on the.

thought playg a gay character would pigeonhole me, ” Castillo.

RAúL CASTILLO ‘THE INSPECTN’: MEET THE SURPRISG STAR CRASHG AWARD SEASONCAREER-DEFININGIN THE MIDST OF THE CHAOS AND TRMA OF A24’S MARE DRAMA “THE INSPECTN,” RAúL CASTILLO’S STEADYG, GENERO PRENCE GIV THE EMOTNAL FILM A TENR HEARTBEAT.JT KIRKLANDUPDATED NOV. 19, 2022 3:17AM EST PHOTO ILLTRATN BY THOMAS LEVSON/THE DAILY BEAST/GETTY/A24BEFORE RAúL CASTILLO WAS AN ACTOR, HE WAS A WRER. AT 18 YEARS OLD, HE WROTE A SCRIPT AT BOSTON UNIVERSY THAT GOT HIM TROUBLE. THE PRODUCTN FEATURED AN ALL-MALE ST, SAVE ONE WOMAN. AND THE WOMAN? ON STAGE FOR JT FIVE MUT. NO L. AND THE OTHER CHARACTERS TREATED HER BTALLY.“I GOT A LOT OF SH FOR ,” CASTILLO SAYS WH A SOFT GRIMACE OVER ZOOM. HE PH A FEW BIG, DARK CURLS BACK ONTO HIS HEAD AND ADDS, “RIGHTFULLY SO. I GOT A LOT OF SH FOR BEE THE PORTRAYAL OF THIS PARTICULAR SPECIFIC CHARACTER WAS REALLY HUMANE. I WAS 18 YEARS OLD, AND I DIDN’T KNOW MUCH ABOUT STORYTELLG. IT WAS AN EYE-OPENG EXPERIENCE. I REALIZED I REALLY HAD TO THK ABOUT THE CHARACTERS THAT I PUT ON STAGE, AND I HAD TO BE THOUGHTFUL ABOUT WHO I PUT ON STAGE AND HOW I PUT THEM ON STAGE.”THE BTALY WASN’T SO MUCH THE ISSUE. BTALY IS OFTEN AN UGLY EVIL. IT’S THOSE UGLY EVILS—AND HOW WE PORTRAY THEM—THAT FE A STORY.THAT MOMENT HAS BEEN A GUIDG FORCE FOR THE PROJECTS CASTILLO CHOOS. HIS CURLS FLOP BACK DOWN OVER HIS FOREHEAD AS HE GETS TO THE TAILS OF HIS ROLE A24’S NEW MARE DRAMA, THE INSPECTN. DIRECTED BY ELEGANCE BRATTON, THE SEMI-TOBGRAPHIL STORY FOLLOWS A YOUNG MAN NAMED ELLIS FRENCH (PLAYED BY JEREMY POPE). HOMELS, FRENCH ENLISTS THE MAR AN ATTEMPT TO BRG SOME STABILY TO HIS LIFE, BUT SOON AFTER FELLOW RECS AND DRILL SERGEANTS PIECE TOGETHER THAT FRENCH IS GAY, BOOT MP GO OM A GELG MANDATE TO AN SUFFERABLE HELL. HIS SAVG GRACE HAPPENS TO BE A HANDSOME, PECULIARLY WARM SERGEANT BY THE NAME OF MORAL, PLAYED BY CASTILLO. EVEN OVER MERA, CASTILLO’S NATURAL WARMTH TRANSLAT AS HE TALKS ABOUT HIS LOVE OF WHATABURGER—A TEXAS STAPLE THAT HE HUMBLY SUBMS AS THE BT FAST FOOD ENCH Y. HIS ROLE THE INSPECTN IS HIS SEND CRILLY ACCLAIMED TURN OF THE YEAR, FOLLOWG COOPER RAIFF’S CHA CHA REAL SMOOTH, WHICH H THEATERS EARLY THIS SUMMER. BUT THE INSPECTN ULD BE A REER-FG MOMENT FOR CASTILLO; HE’S ALREADY BEEN NOMATED FOR A GOTHAM AWARD FOR HIS PERFORMANCE, AND THE INSPECTN HAS HIGH AWARD-SEASON HOP. AS THE LOOKG ACTOR EVOLV BEYOND THE ROL THAT HELPED HIM BREAK TO THE DTRY, ’S THE BTAL GRAVAS OF THE INSPECTN THAT TTS HIS METTLE. A FEW DAYS BEFORE THE FILM’S RELEASE, CASTILLO JOED THE DAILY BEAST’S OBSSED OVER ZOOM TO DISCS THE ROLE. RL CASTILLO ON THE INSPECTN RED RPET DURG THE 60TH NEW YORK FILM FTIVAL AT ALICE TULLY HALL, LLN CENTER, ON OCT. 14, 2022 NEW YORK CY.ARTURO HOLM/GETTY IMAG FOR FLC THE INSPECTN IS SUCH A BTAL, AND EPLY PERSONAL, WATCH. WHEN THE SCRIPT FIRST ME ACROSS YOUR RADAR, WHAT WERE YOUR IAL THOUGHTS ON ?I READ ONE STG. I LOVE A GOOD UNRDOG STORY. I WAS ROOTG FOR FRENCH OM THE BEGNG. I WAS REALLY TAKEN BY THE STORY, FIRST AND FOREMOST. EVEN BEFORE I’M THKG ABOUT CHARACTER, I’M THKG ABOUT THE OVERALL PROJECT AND WHO’S VOLVED. AND I KNOW ELEGANCE [BRATTON] HAD DONE SOME DOCUMENTARI BEFORE, SO THAT WAS REALLY TERTG TO ME. AND I READ UP A LTLE B ON THE STORY, ABOUT BEG SO PERSONAL TO HIM, AND THAT WAS REALLY ATTRACTIVE AS WELL. OF URSE, I’VE BEEN WANTG TO WORK WH A24 FOR A WHILE NOW. YOUR CHARACTER ROSAL IS SO TERTG BEE THE DIENCE GETS ABOUT 70 PERCENT OF WHO HE IS: KD TO FRENCH, DITED TO THE MAR, AT ODDS WH HIS WIFE. BUT THERE’S ABOUT 30 PERCENT THAT’S MISSG, PARTICULARLY WHEN TO HIS AFFY FOR FRENCH. WE DON’T KNOW IF ROSAL MIGHT ALSO BE GAY, OR JT EMPATHETIC. WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF HIM?I LEAVE FOR THE DIENCE TO TERPRET THAT. [LGHS] I THK THAT’S THE GOAL WH THIS CHARACTER. WHAT IS THE DIENCE GOG TO TAKE AWAY OM HIM? WHO EXACTLY IS THIS PERSON?WATCHG THIS, KNOWG WAS BASED ON A TE EXPERIENCE, IS A B HORRIFYG. DID YOU SPEAK WH ELEGANCE ABOUT THE VELOPMENT OF THIS CHARACTER OR THE MAN HE WAS BASED ON?ROSAL IS ABSOLUTELY FICTNALIZED, BUT HE’S A POSE OF SEVERAL PEOPLE THAT ELEGANCE ME ACROSS HIS TIME AS A MARE, NOT EVEN JT BOOTMP. BUT THERE WAS ACTUALLY A ROSAL WHO THE CHARACTER’S NAMED AFTER THAT ELEGANCE SERVED WH. BUT THERE WAS ALSO A DRILL STCTOR WHO HAD SHAS OF WHAT THE CHARACTER IS. SO I THK HE DREW OM ELEMENTS OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE HE ME ACROSS WH HIS REER AS A MARE. BUT WASN’T SOURCED OM ONE SPECIFIC PERSON, WHICH IS VERY LIBERATG I THK. EVEN JEREMY [POPE] WAS GIVEN A LOT OF ROOM TO PLAY. HE WASN’T PLAYG ELEGANCE. HE’S PLAYG ELLIS FRENCH. AS AN ACTOR, ’S GREAT TO HAVE SOURCE MATERIAL THAT YOU DRAW OM, BUT ’S ALSO EXCG WHEN YOU’RE GIVEN SPACE TO EXPLORE AND PLAY, AND ELEGANCE FELY GAVE ROOM TO BE CREATIVE. JEREMY POPE AND RAúL CASTILLO.PATTI PERRET/A24 FILMS IN THE MOST LIBERAL SENSE OF THE WORLD, THERE IS A PALPABLE TIMACY BETWEEN ROSAL AND FRENCH. HOW DID YOU BRG THAT TO LIFE WH JEREMY?WE HAD A REALLY FUN TIME. JEREMY OM THEATER, AS DO I, AND I THK WE HAVE VERY SIAR APPROACH TO THE CRAFT. JEREMY WAS FANTASTIC. HE MA MY JOB VERY EASY. I JT HAD TO BE PRENT WH HIM. WE HAD THE FUN SCEN—THERE’S THE REALY AND THEN THERE’S THE FANTASY SCEN—AND THROUGH THEM ALL WE HAD A REALLY GREAT TIME.WE DIDN’T TERACT A WHOLE LOT BEFORE WE STARTED SHOOTG, WHICH WAS BY SIGN. ELEGANCE REALLY WANTED TO SEPARATE THE DRILL STCTORS AND THE RECS. SO HE HAD BOKEEM, NICK LOGAN, AND MYSELF SEPARATED OM THE RECS EARLY ON AND WE DIDN’T SOCIALIZE WH THEM A WHOLE LOT. JEREMY AND I REALLY GOT TO KNOW EACH OTHER AS WE WERE WORKG ON OUR SCEN, WHICH WAS, I THK, STMENTAL THE DYNAMIC. WE WERE LIKE TWO FERAL ANIMALS GETTG A SENSE OF EACH OTHER.I ULDN’T HELP BUT NOTICE THAT SO MANY OF THE MA CHARACTERS PLAYG SERVICEMEN ARE PORTRAYED OM GROUPS THAT OFTEN AREN’T TAKEN RE OF TO THE FULLT EXTENT BY OUR OWN ERNMENT. WAS THERE ANY KD OF DISCSN ABOUT THAT WHEN ME TO TELLG THE STORY?THAT’S VERY EMBLEMATIC WH THE ARY, I THK. PEOPLE ONLY—MOSTLY—TURN TO THE ARY BEE THEY HAVE TO OR BEE THEY FEEL PELLED TO FOR MYRIAD REASONS. AND I DON’T KNOW IF THERE WAS A DISCSN SO MUCH AS THERE WAS AN UNRSTANDG. I LOVE WHEN THE PROCS MIRRORS THE STORY, AND CERTALY DID THIS PROJECT. WE LAND JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI JULY 2021. I THK I HAD A MULLET WHEN I LAND. I ME A DAY LATER AND HAD MY HIGH-AND-TIGHT FA, AND THEY ALL STILL HAD THEIR HAIRCUTS.AND THEN WATCHG ALL THE YOUNG GUYS GET THEIR HEADS SHAVED THE SCEN–BEE THEY DID THAT REAL TIME–WE WERE ALL KD OF G TOGETHER AND GETTG TO KNOW EACH OTHER. SO ALTHOUGH THERE WASN’T MUCH OF A DISCSN AROUND , THERE WAS THIS KD OF TRSIC UNRSTANDG THAT WAS HAPPENG REAL TIME. AND I THK ELEGANCE WAS RPONSIBLE FOR SHAPG THAT AND CREATG AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE KD OF MIRRORED THE STORY WE WERE TELLG.WE’VE MOSTLY TALKED ABOUT THE INSPECTN, BUT CHA CHA REAL SMOOTH ME OUT EARLIER THIS YEAR, WHICH WAS WONRFUL. YOU’VE BEEN VERY NSISTENTLY WORKG SCE LOOKG, BUT THIS FEELS LIKE A REALLY BIG YEAR FOR YOU. ARE YOU FEELG THAT AS WELL, OR IS MORE ABOUT STAYG FOCED AND KEEPG UP THE HTLE?NO, ABSOLUTELY. IT DO FEEL LIKE A REALLY SPECIAL MOMENT WHERE THERE’S THIS TIDAL WAVE OF WORK THAT I HAVE UNR MY BELT. I JT DID MY FIRST PLAY EIGHT YEARS LLED AMERIN (TELE)VISNS AT NEW THEATER WORKSHOP, OFF BROADWAY THE EAST VILLAGE. AND GOG BACK TO THE THEATER AFTER EIGHT YEARS OF NOT DOG A PLAY WAS A REALLY SPECIAL MOMENT. THERE’S THAT, UPLED WH THE INSPECTN STARTG TO DROP, AND I’M HERE LA WORKG ON SOMETHG THAT’S REALLY EXCG. THE THG ABOUT LOOKG WAS, WAS SO SPECIAL TO ME, THAT PROJECT. AND SET THE TONE. EVEN THOUGH I HAD A LOT OF WORK UNR MY BELT BY THAT POT, THAT WAS THE MOST HIGH-PROFILE THG I’D DONE. IT SET THE TONE A LOT OF WAYS TERMS OF THE TYPE OF ARTISTS I WANTED TO LLABORATE WH. ANDREW HAIGH AND MICHAEL LANNAN, JONATHAN GROFF, MURRAY BARLETT, EVERYONE THAT PROJECT IS NEAR AND AR TO MY HEART. AND I JT WANT TO NTUE TO WORK WH PEOPLE WHO BRG OUT THE BT ME. I JT WANT TO NTUE TO MAKE SMART CHOIC, AND HOPEFULLY BUILD MY ARSENAL OF CHARACTERS AND LLABORATORS WHO BRG ALL THE BT ME.I KNOW WE LIVE REALLY DIVISIVE TIM, SO I APOLOGIZE FOR ASKG SUCH A CHARGED QUTN AT THE END, BUT I HAVE TO ASK YOU SOMETHG THAT WAS BROUGHT UP THE FILM. FAVORE ENCH Y. DO YOU HAVE ONE?I HAVEN’T HAD A BURGER AG, LIKE AN ACTUAL REAL BEEF BURGER. BUT I DO MISS… I’M OM TEXAS, SO I’VE GOT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO WHATABURGER. I MISS THAT, THOSE I AND THOSE BURGERS ARE JT LIKE… (CHEF’S KISS) WH THE JALAPEñOS AND EVERYTHG? I MISS THOSE. JT KIRKLAND

“It was that first day we were shootg on Muni, gog back and forth on the tra, ” said the 38-year-old star of “Lookg, ” the short-lived HBO drama that followed a group of gay iends San Francis.

His scene partner was Jonathan Groff, the gay actor playg the ma character, Patrick.

Johnson/HBO“Early on, people would ask me if I thought playg a gay character would pigeonhole me, ” Mr. “I learned a lot about gay male timacy on the show, ” he fay supported his breakout gay role, though some iends back Texas didn’t know que what to say.