"Love, Simon" Star Clark Moore on the Lack of Diversy When Com to Gay Rol and Gettg to Act Out His High School Fantasy | Teen Vogue

Contents:

• "LOVE, SIMON" STAR CLARK MOORE ON THE LACK OF DIVERSY WHEN COM TO GAY ROL AND GETTG TO ACT OUT HIS HIGH SCHOOL FANTASY
• LOVE SIMON’S CLARK MOORE PLAYS THE BLACK GAY TEEN HE ALWAYS WANTED TO SEE
• CLARK MOORE WANTS HIS GAY, BLACK CHARACTER IN "LOVE, SIMON" TO BE A "CRACK THE DOOR" FOR ON-SCREEN REPRENTATN"[HE'S] SO SELF-ASSURED AND NFINT," SAYS MOORE OF HIS CHARACTER, ETHAN, WHO WAS CREATED FOR THE {FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}MOVIBY CHRIS AZZOPARDIMARCH 6, 2018/3:00 {HEIGHT:HER;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;POSN:RELATIVE;-WEBK-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-MS-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-WEBK-ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-ALIGN:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-ALIGN:CENTER;ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-WEBK-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;-MS-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;} IMG{HEIGHT:100%;WIDTH:100%;OBJECT-F:VER;}{HEIGHT:1365PX;WIDTH:2048PX;}BEN ROTHSTE/20TH CENTURY FOXBY CHRIS AZZOPARDIMARCH 6, 2018 / 3:00 PM{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","HEADLE":"CLARK MOORE WANTS HIS GAY, BLACK CHARACTER IN \"LOVE, SIMON\" TO BE A \"CRACK THE DOOR\" FOR ON-SCREEN REPRENTATN","THUMBNAILURL":","DATEPUBLISHED":"2018-03-06T20:00:20.000+0000","DATEMODIFIED":"2018-03-06T20:00:20.000+0000","IMAGE":{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","URL":","WIDTH":1920,"HEIGHT":1080},"URL":","THOR":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","NAME":"LOGO TV"},"MAENTYOFPAGE":{"@TYPE":"WEBPAGE","@ID":"},"PUBLISHER":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","@ID":","NAME":"LOGO TV","URL":","LOGO":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT"}},"CREATOR":"CHRIS AZZOPARDI","ARTICLESECTN":"MOVI"}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}CLARK MOORE, WHO PLAYS A GAY, BLACK AND VERY OUT TEEN THE HIGHLY ANTICIPATED LOVE, SIMON, IS HOPG TO TURN THE TI FOR TERSECTNAL MORI ON SCREEN. "WE HAVEN'T HAD MUCH REPRENTATN AS FAR AS GAY BLACK MEN ROL THAT AREN'T OVER-THE-TOP STEREOTYP," MOORE, 27, TELLS NEWNOWNEXT. "WE'VE BEEN THE BUTT OF THE JOKE FOR A LONG TIME, BUT WE HAVEN'T BEEN A THOUGHTFUL, POIGNANT, DRIVG POT OF THE NARRATIVE UNTIL NOW."BEN ROTHSTE/20TH CENTURY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}WHERE SIMON SPIER (NICK ROBSON) IS ANX ABOUT HIS SEXUALY, MOORE'S CHARACTER, ETHAN, IS AN IMPORTANT REPRENTATN OF UNABASHED QUEERNS. "[ETHAN IS] SO SELF-ASSURED AND NFINT AND HAS THIS ACERBIC W," MOORE SAYS. "HE JT CUTS RIGHT TO THE RE, AND I WISH THAT'S WHO I WAS GROWG UP."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BUT FANS OF BECKY ALBERTALLI'S SIMON VS. THE HOMO SAPIENS AGENDA WILL MEET ETHAN FOR THE FIRST TIME WHEN THE FILM OPENS MARCH 16: THE CHARACTER WAS CREATED SPECIFILLY FOR THE FILM, DIRECTED BY OUT FILMMAKER GREG BERLANTI.BEN ROTHSTE/20TH CENTURY FOXDF-05615_05614_R2_COMP – L-R: JE LENB (NICK), NICK ROBSON (SIMON), ALEXANDRA SHIPP (ABBY), AND KATHERE LANGFORD (LEAH) STAR TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX’S LOVE, SIMON. PHOTO CRED: BEN {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}"IT'S STARTG TO H ME, THAT THERE ARE GOG TO BE PEOPLE WHO LOOK LIKE ME WHO ARE HIGH SCHOOL WHO ARE GOG TO LOOK UP TO ME," SAYS MOORE. "THAT'S A LTLE SRY. WHEN I BOOKED , I WAS JT THKG ABOUT DOG THE JOB."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE OUT ACTOR GREW UP NEAR ATLANTA, WHERE LOVE, SIMON WAS FILMED: MOORE PLAYED AFTER-SCHOOL SPORTS AT THE TWO SCHOOLS ED AS LOTNS, AND EVEN STAYED HIS CHILDHOOD HOME DURG SHOOTG. "YOU KNOW, ASKG MY PARENTS IF I ULD BORROW THE R TO GO TO SET— WAS A B TOO REAL," MOORE SAYS, LGHG.CHRISTOPHER POLK/GETTY IMAGLOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 27: CLARK MOORE ATTENDS THE QUEERTY PRENTS "THE QUEERTI" AWARD RECEPTN ON FEBARY 27, 2018 LOS ANGEL, CALIFORNIA. (PHOTO BY CHRISTOPHER POLK/GETTY IMAG FOR QUEERTY){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}NOW, HE'S LOOKG FORWARD TO BEG PART OF THE CHANGE HE'S WANTED TO SEE SCE HIS OWN TEEN {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}"IT ALWAYS STARTS WH ONE VERY SAFE STEP," HE SAYS. "AND ORR FOR TO HAVE MORE STORI LIKE MOONLIGHT, ANOTHER ONE SPEAKG TO ALL THE GREAT STORYTELLG THAT'S HAPPENG FOR PEOPLE OF LOR AND FOR LGBT PEOPLE, WE HAVE TO HAVE THE SMALL STEPS, WHERE ETHAN ISN'T THE MA CHARACTER THE MOVIE BUT HE'S SIGNIFINT TO THE STORYLE. THAT'S WHAT I'M EXCED FOR. MAYBE THIS N BE A CRACK THE DOOR."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;POSN:RELATIVE;PADDG-BOTTOM:56.49999999999999%;} .TWTER-TWEET-RENRED, {M-WIDTH:65%;WIDTH:TO !IMPORTANT;} {WIDTH:100%;} {MARG-LEFT:TO !IMPORTANT;MARG-RIGHT:TO !IMPORTANT;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;WIDTH:100%;} > IAME{BORR:NONE;MAX-WIDTH:100%;} > *{MAX-WIDTH:NONE !IMPORTANT;POSN:ABSOLUTE;HEIGHT:100% !IMPORTANT;WIDTH:100% !IMPORTANT;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}LOVE SIMON OPENS MARCH {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;CLEAR:BOTH;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG:0 TO;WIDTH:90%;M-WIDTH:288PX;MAX-WIDTH:1440PX;M-HEIGHT:194PX;}LATT NEWS

"LOVE, SIMON" STAR CLARK MOORE ON THE LACK OF DIVERSY WHEN COM TO GAY ROL AND GETTG TO ACT OUT HIS HIGH SCHOOL FANTASY

In recent years, LGBTQ cema has given diverse, Osr-wng gems like Moonlight and Call Me By Your Name, but ’s a ph to name any other movi que like this one: a fay-iendly teen high school edy wh a big heart and a happy endg, that jt so happens to be about a gay guy. The film’s lightly nservative portrayal of gay adolcence – the form of the whe, middle class, bro-ish protagonist Simon – also threatens to be s only major drawback.

LOVE SIMON’S CLARK MOORE PLAYS THE BLACK GAY TEEN HE ALWAYS WANTED TO SEE

Simon’s sistence that he’s “jt like you”, as his fay tearfully and wholeheartedly accept him as gay, uld rg hollow for LGBTQ kids wh different backgrounds and experienc. Ethan is the only out gay kid at Simon’s school – and through his unapologetic embrace of his femme, queer inty, he highlights Simon’s ternalised homophobia (and teach him how to let go).

We spoke to Moore about why he related to Ethan, his thoughts on misogyny the LGBTQ muny, and why we need more big budget, chey movi about gay kids.

There's this hierarchy wh the gay muny of masculy and femy, which is not only ternalised homophobia, but is also ternalised misogyny – that we value masculy over femy. Especially sce we’re now movg past the taboo of homosexualy general as a culture, 's tertg to see how people still try to fd ways to f to the mastream narrative. She ma very clear to me, ‘This is not bee the people are gay, I would not feel fortable takg you to see any movie that is overtly sexual this way.

CLARK MOORE WANTS HIS GAY, BLACK CHARACTER IN "LOVE, SIMON" TO BE A "CRACK THE DOOR" FOR ON-SCREEN REPRENTATN"[HE'S] SO SELF-ASSURED AND NFINT," SAYS MOORE OF HIS CHARACTER, ETHAN, WHO WAS CREATED FOR THE {FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}MOVIBY CHRIS AZZOPARDIMARCH 6, 2018/3:00 {HEIGHT:HER;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;POSN:RELATIVE;-WEBK-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-MS-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-WEBK-ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-ALIGN:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-ALIGN:CENTER;ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-WEBK-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;-MS-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;} IMG{HEIGHT:100%;WIDTH:100%;OBJECT-F:VER;}{HEIGHT:1365PX;WIDTH:2048PX;}BEN ROTHSTE/20TH CENTURY FOXBY CHRIS AZZOPARDIMARCH 6, 2018 / 3:00 PM{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","HEADLE":"CLARK MOORE WANTS HIS GAY, BLACK CHARACTER IN \"LOVE, SIMON\" TO BE A \"CRACK THE DOOR\" FOR ON-SCREEN REPRENTATN","THUMBNAILURL":","DATEPUBLISHED":"2018-03-06T20:00:20.000+0000","DATEMODIFIED":"2018-03-06T20:00:20.000+0000","IMAGE":{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","URL":","WIDTH":1920,"HEIGHT":1080},"URL":","THOR":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","NAME":"LOGO TV"},"MAENTYOFPAGE":{"@TYPE":"WEBPAGE","@ID":"},"PUBLISHER":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","@ID":","NAME":"LOGO TV","URL":","LOGO":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT"}},"CREATOR":"CHRIS AZZOPARDI","ARTICLESECTN":"MOVI"}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}CLARK MOORE, WHO PLAYS A GAY, BLACK AND VERY OUT TEEN THE HIGHLY ANTICIPATED LOVE, SIMON, IS HOPG TO TURN THE TI FOR TERSECTNAL MORI ON SCREEN. "WE HAVEN'T HAD MUCH REPRENTATN AS FAR AS GAY BLACK MEN ROL THAT AREN'T OVER-THE-TOP STEREOTYP," MOORE, 27, TELLS NEWNOWNEXT. "WE'VE BEEN THE BUTT OF THE JOKE FOR A LONG TIME, BUT WE HAVEN'T BEEN A THOUGHTFUL, POIGNANT, DRIVG POT OF THE NARRATIVE UNTIL NOW."BEN ROTHSTE/20TH CENTURY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}WHERE SIMON SPIER (NICK ROBSON) IS ANX ABOUT HIS SEXUALY, MOORE'S CHARACTER, ETHAN, IS AN IMPORTANT REPRENTATN OF UNABASHED QUEERNS. "[ETHAN IS] SO SELF-ASSURED AND NFINT AND HAS THIS ACERBIC W," MOORE SAYS. "HE JT CUTS RIGHT TO THE RE, AND I WISH THAT'S WHO I WAS GROWG UP."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BUT FANS OF BECKY ALBERTALLI'S SIMON VS. THE HOMO SAPIENS AGENDA WILL MEET ETHAN FOR THE FIRST TIME WHEN THE FILM OPENS MARCH 16: THE CHARACTER WAS CREATED SPECIFILLY FOR THE FILM, DIRECTED BY OUT FILMMAKER GREG BERLANTI.BEN ROTHSTE/20TH CENTURY FOXDF-05615_05614_R2_COMP – L-R: JE LENB (NICK), NICK ROBSON (SIMON), ALEXANDRA SHIPP (ABBY), AND KATHERE LANGFORD (LEAH) STAR TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX’S LOVE, SIMON. PHOTO CRED: BEN {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}"IT'S STARTG TO H ME, THAT THERE ARE GOG TO BE PEOPLE WHO LOOK LIKE ME WHO ARE HIGH SCHOOL WHO ARE GOG TO LOOK UP TO ME," SAYS MOORE. "THAT'S A LTLE SRY. WHEN I BOOKED , I WAS JT THKG ABOUT DOG THE JOB."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE OUT ACTOR GREW UP NEAR ATLANTA, WHERE LOVE, SIMON WAS FILMED: MOORE PLAYED AFTER-SCHOOL SPORTS AT THE TWO SCHOOLS ED AS LOTNS, AND EVEN STAYED HIS CHILDHOOD HOME DURG SHOOTG. "YOU KNOW, ASKG MY PARENTS IF I ULD BORROW THE R TO GO TO SET— WAS A B TOO REAL," MOORE SAYS, LGHG.CHRISTOPHER POLK/GETTY IMAGLOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 27: CLARK MOORE ATTENDS THE QUEERTY PRENTS "THE QUEERTI" AWARD RECEPTN ON FEBARY 27, 2018 LOS ANGEL, CALIFORNIA. (PHOTO BY CHRISTOPHER POLK/GETTY IMAG FOR QUEERTY){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}NOW, HE'S LOOKG FORWARD TO BEG PART OF THE CHANGE HE'S WANTED TO SEE SCE HIS OWN TEEN {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}"IT ALWAYS STARTS WH ONE VERY SAFE STEP," HE SAYS. "AND ORR FOR TO HAVE MORE STORI LIKE MOONLIGHT, ANOTHER ONE SPEAKG TO ALL THE GREAT STORYTELLG THAT'S HAPPENG FOR PEOPLE OF LOR AND FOR LGBT PEOPLE, WE HAVE TO HAVE THE SMALL STEPS, WHERE ETHAN ISN'T THE MA CHARACTER THE MOVIE BUT HE'S SIGNIFINT TO THE STORYLE. THAT'S WHAT I'M EXCED FOR. MAYBE THIS N BE A CRACK THE DOOR."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;POSN:RELATIVE;PADDG-BOTTOM:56.49999999999999%;} .TWTER-TWEET-RENRED, {M-WIDTH:65%;WIDTH:TO !IMPORTANT;} {WIDTH:100%;} {MARG-LEFT:TO !IMPORTANT;MARG-RIGHT:TO !IMPORTANT;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;WIDTH:100%;} > IAME{BORR:NONE;MAX-WIDTH:100%;} > *{MAX-WIDTH:NONE !IMPORTANT;POSN:ABSOLUTE;HEIGHT:100% !IMPORTANT;WIDTH:100% !IMPORTANT;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}LOVE SIMON OPENS MARCH {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;CLEAR:BOTH;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG:0 TO;WIDTH:90%;M-WIDTH:288PX;MAX-WIDTH:1440PX;M-HEIGHT:194PX;}LATT NEWS

Jt before you lled, I was scrollg through my Facebook feed and I found a lk to an article that was a list of “10 gay films that have happy endgs”, the whole ncept beg that there are stori out there that aren't only foced on, like, the plight of the homosexual Ameri. The thg that I love about (Love, Simon) is that for so long the gay character has been the bt iend, the supportg character, the ic relief to the primary narrative.

So, I'm really exced to explore more of that, and to open up those stori as well, to jt show that there are many, many versns of the gay experience. I am gay, I am black, and I am om the South, but also I have to pay my tax, and sometim I fall love, and sometim I have dreams and I have goals and I have aspiratns – many of those thgs have nothg to do wh my inty, but are stori that I thk are worth tellg as well. But one role that stands out among this g out story is that of Ethan, a classmate of the protagonist who’s already livg his life as a proudly out gay teenager.

A lot of tim when the character was gay, like Sweet Home Alabama for example, there’s the gay black character who om New York to this small town Alabama. It turns out one of the guys we’ve known all along is also gay, but the out gay guy was such a stereotype, and they don’t speak explicly about him beg gay.

I jt go back to all the movi I watched when I was younger, and all the characters I intified wh but didn’t know why, but now I realize ’s bee they were gay and no one was llg them that. The fact that Greg (Berlanti), our director, and all the other producers we had on this project, ma a specific cisn to have this character reprent the tersectnaly that gay black people feel about g out, that’s what I thk I’m most proud of this project.