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nsumer-marketg-un__slot--paywall-bar-ll-to-actn"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></asi></div><div class="SpaceHolr-oayp fXtswJ ad-height-hold"></div><div class="StickyHeroAdWrapper-eNLJUc gStsdY ad-stickyhero ad-stickyhero--standard ad-stickyhero-enable-mobile should-hold-space"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--hero"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--hero" data-no-id="9soopp"></div></div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--display-hero" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--display-hero"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></div><div class="SpaceHolr-oayp fXtswJ ad-height-hold"></div><ma id="ma-ntent" tabx="-1" class="BasePageMaContent-kFvAuh ewPCZH page__ma-ntent"><article class="article ma-ntent" lang="en-US"><div class="ArticlePageLeBackground-EufvU tFsh"><hear class="ContentHearWrapper-clujbs hksevn ntent-hear article__ntent-hear"><div data-ttid="ContentHearContaer" class="ContentHearContaer-cGKRbE knDxNq"><div class="ContentHearHedAccredatnWrapper-GFiQf cDNVlV"><div data-ttid="ContentHearTleBlockWrapper" class="ContentHearTleBlockWrapper-cjmSKp eiGjZk"><div data-ttid="ContentHearRubric" class="ContentHearRubricBlock-LmpbT tPofh"><div data-ttid="ContentHearRubricDateBlock" class="ContentHearRubricDateBlock-kAQcZP fTFWxD"><div class="RubricWrapper-dKmCNX gPBNpL bric ContentHearRubricContaer-eTudtt iRsSlw"><a class="RubricLk-gRWSOU cwyjHY bric__lk" href="/culture"><span class="RubricName-fVtemz cLxcNi">Culture</span></a></div></div></div><h1 data-ttid="ContentHearHed" class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ ContentHearHed-NCyCC iUEiRd jdcWfa isouMH">Playg Damian <em>Mean Girls</em> Ma Daniel Franze A Star (But It Hurt His Career, Too)</h1></div><div class="ContentHearAccredatn-lfctVB etVsnJ ntent-hear__accredatn" data-ttid="ContentHearAccredatn"><div class="ContentHearDek-bIqFFZ eijTxK">15 years sce <em>Mean Girls</em>' release, the actor reflects on Hollywood's "gay glass ceilg," holdg out for eper queer characters, and his favore moments om the inic film.</div><div class="ContentHearByle-kmPyCa emiglw"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW jvZaPI rponsive-asset ContentHearContributorImage-cvjZXn epCAJC"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa ContentHearContributorImage-cvjZXn epCAJC rponsive-image"><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 80w" siz="66px"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 90w" siz="66px"/><img alt="" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></picture></span><div class="ContentHearByleContent-dpPmNn DRFq"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl ContentHearByl-cZqgyJ bHLeKI"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH hdWCIC byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd bCbgyH gnILss byle__preamble">By </span><a class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BaseLk-eNWuiM ByleLk-gEnFiw iUEiRd hSmufO skIR eErqIx byle__name-lk button" href="/ntributor/michael-cuby">Michael Cuby</a></span></span></p></div><time data-ttid="ContentHearPublishDate" dateTime="2019-04-30T08:00:00-04:00" class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ ContentHearPublishDate-eIBicG iUEiRd dCoEhu bDGyxQ">April 30, 2019</time></div></div><div class="SocialInsWrapper-hKMEXV ffgPVr social-ins social-ins--standard ContentHearAccredatnSocialIns-jorO fPzfaa ntent-hear__social-share"><ul data-ttid="socialInslist" class="SocialInsList-cHVTIA ivmblD social-ins__list"><li class="SocialInsListItem-mbhR fxaFQj social-ins__list-em social-ins__list-em--twter social-ins__list-em--standard"><a aria-label="Share on Twter" class="external-lk SocialInExternalLk-huuzOU blkfJb social-ins__lk social-ins__lk--twter" 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16.888C10.0027 17.5404 10.411 18.1109 10.961 18.5197C11.5109 18.9286 12.1749 19.1552 12.86 19.168C11.6971 20.0805 10.2611 20.5754 8.783 20.573C8.518 20.573 8.257 20.558 8 20.528C9.5011 21.4921 11.248 22.0038 13.032 22.002" fill="black"></path></svg></div></a></li><li class="SocialInsListItem-mbhR gQILrJ social-ins__list-em social-ins__list-em--email social-ins__list-em--has-background"><a aria-label="Share via Email" class="external-lk SocialInExternalLk-huuzOU etOOvH social-ins__lk social-ins__lk--email" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"mailto:?subject=Playg%20Damian%20%20Mean%20Girls%20Ma%20Daniel%20Franze%20A%20Star%20(But%20It%20Hurt%20His%20Career%2C%20Too)&" href="mailto:?subject=Playg%20Damian%20%20Mean%20Girls%20Ma%20Daniel%20Franze%20A%20Star%20(But%20It%20Hurt%20His%20Career%2C%20Too)& rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><div class="SocialInContaer-huXzUC pMzVC social-ins__in-ntaer"><svg class="SocialInNetworkInComponent-cZaKGz dlOAhZ in in-email" focable="false" viewBox="0 0 32 32" width="32" height="32" xmlns="><tle>Email</tle><path d="M6 23h20V9H6v14zm3.631-12H22.37l-6.368 5.661L9.631 11zM24 12.227V21H8v-8.773l8.002 7.109L24 12.227z" fill-le="evenodd"></path></svg></div></a></li></ul></div></div><div class="StickyBoxPlaceholr-grPmrg dxAvXx"></div></div></asi></hear></div><div data-attribute-verso-pattern="article-body" class="ArticlePageContentBackGround-cNiFNN kJkLmH article-body__ntent"><div class="ArticlePageChunksContent-etcMtP bwyLBj"><div data-ttid="ArticlePageChunks" class="ArticlePageChunks-fLyCVG eOdfIs"><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bjczjj grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa bectqB body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><p>About five mut to <em>Mean Girls</em>, Damian (played by Daniel Franze) asks Cady (Ldsay Lohan), a girl he’s never met, a qutn: “Is that your natural hair lor? It’s <em>geo</em>.” He then leans over, tak a chunk of Cady’s hair his hand, and holds to his own. “See! This is the lor I want,” he gtur to his bt iend, Janis (Lizzy Caplan). As Cady reels om this clear vasn of her personal bubble, Janis tak the opportuny to troduce her over-fortable pann. “This is Damian,” she tells Cady. “He’s almost too gay to functn.”</p><div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--article-mid-ntent" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--article-mid-ntent nsumer-marketg-un__slot---ntent"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></div><p>In 2004, when <em>Mean Girls</em> was released, characters like Damian — also known as the <a data-offer-url=" class="external-lk" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"" href=" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Gay Bt Friend</a> trope — were few and far between. When they did make their way to screens, they were often played as broad stereotyp meant to provoke lghs wh their stereotypil sass. While Damian was fely one of <em>Mean Girls</em>’ most reliable quote mach (I’d cred his character wh the majory of the film’s most-regnizable l), he was a noticeable improvement on the stereotype. In fact, after Janis’ troductory joke, Damian’s sexualy is rarely brought up aga. As Franze rells now, “Damian was able to jt survive and thrive as whoever he was thentilly.”</p><p>On April 30, <em>Mean Girls</em> turns 15. Ahead of a <a data-offer-url=" class="external-lk" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"" href=" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">stand up performance</a> celebratg the anniversary at Comic Strip Live New York Cy, <em>them.</em> spoke wh Franze about the role that tapulted him to fame. The actor has lnched a <a data-offer-url=" class="external-lk" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"" href=" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">succsful</a> <a data-offer-url=" class="external-lk" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"" href=" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">stand-up</a> <a data-offer-url=" class="external-lk" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"" href=" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">reer</a> the years sce while takg on other memorable rol, like Eddie, the HIV+ bear he played on HBO’s <em>Lookg</em>. But as he adms durg our nversatn, portrayg a character like Damian was somethg of a double-edged sword, too.</p><div class="Contaer-bkChBi byNLHx"></div><p><strong>What was the early stg procs for <em>Mean Girls</em>?</strong></p><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad---ntent"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot---ntent" data-no-id="ktok34"></div></div><p>The stg director that put me <em>Party Monster</em> lled me for Damian; the script said that he was “probably fat and fely gay,” which I thought was hysteril. I read for her and that was all I heard about . That was Sprg. In Fall, they were still lookg for the character, so she was like, “I’m gog to have you read for Ta Fey and Mark Waters.” They liked my dn, but everyone thought I was too old. I was 26 and I was playg 16. But Rachel McAdams was 28!</p></div></div></div><div class="GridItem-buujkM fVLMby grid--em grid-layout__asi"><div class="StickyBoxWrapper-jfYB kNleGZ sticky-box"><div class="StickyBoxPrimary-dzWDWL cdhYoN sticky-box__primary"><div class="Contaer-bkChBi byNLHx"></div><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--rail"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--rail" data-no-id="m75wpj"></div></div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--display-rail" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--display-rail"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></div><div class="StickyBoxPlaceholr-grPmrg dxAvXx"></div></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan full-bleed-ad row-mid-ntent-ad"><div class="StickyMidContentAdWrapper-fSBzwl drzyIa ad-stickymidntent"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--mid-ntent should-hold-space"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--mid-ntent" data-no-id="p933cp"></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bjczjj grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa bectqB body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><p>Eventually, they flew me out to LA for a table read — but I still didn’t have the part! The table read was like my fal dn. I did so well durg the table read that I ma Lorne Michaels do a sp-take, while the guy who was origally playg Aaron Samuels got fired. He was stg next to me. He was an actor that everyone would know and he jt got fired on the spot.</p><div data-attr-viewport-monor="le-recirc" class="le-recirc-wrapper le-recirc-observer-target-1 viewport-monor-anchor"></div><p><strong>So there was another Aaron Samuels origally?</strong></p><p>Yeah. He was like 16. They asked him to shave and take his hat off and s up straight, but he kept playg ol — jt slouchg and half-assg . And I was next to him gog full-force tryg to get that part. Nobody was gog to stop me.</p><p><strong>How do you thk Damian f to the leage of the “gay bt iend” trope film?</strong></p><p>I thk Damian was the first gay role I saw where the character was jt fortable beg himself and there wasn’t too much foc on his beg gay. He was able to jt survive and thrive as whoever he was thentilly. I remember Ta and Mark sayg that Damian probably hadn’t even had his first kiss yet. You knew he was gay. You knew that Janis knew. But other than that, was kd of like, “[My sexualy] is somethg I’m gog to check out after school.” I hadn’t really seen that perspective before.</p><p><strong>Do you have a favore le om the movie?</strong></p><p>I really like “<a href=">I want my pk shirt back</a>,” bee ’s the one le I got to improvise.</p><p><strong>“<a href=">Oh my god, Danny DeVo, I love your work</a>” is me — pecially sce, recent years, he’s bee such a stan-worthy in thanks to <a data-offer-url=" class="external-lk" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"" href=" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">his</a> <a data-offer-url=" class="external-lk" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"" href=" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Twter</a> <a data-offer-url=" class="external-lk" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"" href=" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">prence</a>.</strong></p><p>I actually got to meet him last year! I went up to him and said, “Du, I’m the guy that says, ‘Danny Devo, I love your work’ <em>Mean Girls</em>” and he gave me a fist-bump.</p><div data-attr-viewport-monor="le-recirc" class="le-recirc-wrapper le-recirc-observer-target-2 viewport-monor-anchor"></div><p><strong>I want to talk about <a href=">your performance of “Betiful”</a> at the North Shore Talent Show.</strong></p><p>Funny story: Lda Perry, who wrote the song, wasn’t gog to release for the movie. But they told her that my character was gay and that’s why she let me sg the movie. They gave me a whole list of songs at first and said, “If we n’t get ‘Betiful,’ the are the alternativ.” I remember I was gog to sg the Whney Hoton song “One Moment In Time” stead. But then, bee my character was gay, Lda Perry allowed me to sg “Betiful.”</p></div></div></div><div class="GridItem-buujkM fVLMby grid--em grid-layout__asi"><div class="StickyBoxWrapper-jfYB jxBcTH sticky-box"><div class="StickyBoxPrimary-dzWDWL cdhYoN sticky-box__primary"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--rail"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--rail" data-no-id="9pw3f"></div></div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--display-rail" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--display-rail"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div><div data-attr-viewport-monor="" class="RecircMostPopularWrapper-bRuGTi jkTTgR recirc-most-popular-wrapper viewport-monor-anchor"><div class="RecircMostPopularConter-jiViNn ktrplG recirc-most-popular-sparrow-trackg hi-asi-ad" data-most-popular-id="mod-most-popular-502"><div class="RecircMostPopularHeadg-iVzhzt jKtkdT">Most Popular</div><ul 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class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa bectqB body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><p><strong>You didn’t e out publicly until years after the film me out. How was to play such a visibly queer character at a time when you were the closet yourself?</strong></p><p>It was actually pretty nerve-wrackg. I was randomly datg somebody Toronto before we even started filmg there. He wanted to vis the set, but I always got nervo and I’d troduce him as my iend. It was jt weird and actually ed our relatnship and we stopped datg. But Jonathan Bent [Aaron Samuels] and I me out to each other. We were secretly gog out to clubs together. We were actg a certa way ont of people volved the movie and tryg to live a double life. But I don’t thk would have affected the role at all if I was out or not bee I thk Ta probably thought I was gay when she first hired me anyway.</p><p>I wasn’t proven wrong. As soon as the movie was over, I kept meetg the gay glass ceilg. They wouldn’t let me dn for straight rol. I wasn’t gettg lled for thgs I was normally dng for. I had been gettg lled for <em>The Sopranos,</em> and seemed like I was circlg gettg on the show at some pot, bee I’m Italian and om New York. But after <em>Mean Girls</em>, <em>The Sopranos</em> dns dried up. I had bee famo for playg one thg, but Hollywood, a very What-Have-You-Done-For-Me-Lately town, jt didn’t thk my talent uld go beyond that.</p><asi aria-hidn="te" class="PullQuoteEmbedWrapper-sc-EoVjf fQbAzo"><div class="PullQuoteDerativeBorr-sc-iUyOLj fAzNVP"></div><div class="PullQuoteEmbedContent-sc-kTcfhx eoUd"><p>I stayed unemployed for many years after <em>Mean Girls</em> bee I refed to go backwards on the movement. I turned down a lot of money as my fame was risg. And to be famo and not have money? It’s a very weird thg to be famo and not be able to pay your rent.</p></div></asi><p><strong>Did feel weird to go after this role knowg there uld be negative repercsns for your reer?</strong></p><p>I felt that way a ltle b, but was so funny and well wrten that didn’t matter. Damian wasn’t ma fun of; he was celebrated. I prayed about a b and if I was gog to do a gay role, was gog to be this one. But then, immediately after, I was offered all the other gay parts that were all so stereotypil — jt makg fun of gays. I was like, “You know what? I n’t.”</p><p>I stayed unemployed for many years after <em>Mean Girls</em> bee I refed to go backwards on the movement. I turned down a lot of money as my fame was risg. And to be famo and not have money? It’s a very weird thg to be famo and not be able to pay your rent. But I felt that there was a progrsn gaysploatn cema. I felt myself phg the envelope, so if I jt held out, somethg worthy would e along.</p><div data-attr-viewport-monor="le-recirc" class="le-recirc-wrapper le-recirc-observer-target-3 viewport-monor-anchor"></div><p><strong>You eventually got the role of Eddie HBO’s <em>Lookg</em>, which I thk is the perfect reprentatn of what you said you were holdg out for.</strong></p><p>Y. It was difficult though, bee I waed ten years for somethg like that — a role that was that important. That role was so eeg for me bee I had e out of the closet and I was offered whout even havg to dn. It jt felt so serendipo — felt like somethg I was supposed to be dog, to be on a set where ’s not only okay to be gay but was ol to be gay. It was nice to m to that for a project on HBO and play a character that was HIV+ and loved not spe of but bee of .</p></div></div></div><div class="GridItem-buujkM fVLMby grid--em grid-layout__asi"><div class="StickyBoxWrapper-jfYB jxBcTH sticky-box"><div class="StickyBoxPrimary-dzWDWL cdhYoN sticky-box__primary"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--rail"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--rail" data-no-id="bxo9ji"></div></div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--display-rail" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--display-rail"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div><div data-attr-viewport-monor="" class="RecircMostPopularWrapper-bRuGTi jkTTgR recirc-most-popular-wrapper viewport-monor-anchor"><div class="RecircMostPopularConter-jiViNn ktrplG recirc-most-popular-sparrow-trackg hi-asi-ad" data-most-popular-id="mod-most-popular-503"><div class="RecircMostPopularHeadg-iVzhzt 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class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa bectqB body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><p><strong>Eddie also provid some much-need bear reprentatn on TV.</strong></p><p>Even wh our own LGBTQ+ muny, there’s a lack of people of size shown pop culture. It was nice to play a sexualized bigger male. I hadn’t really seen that before that much, if at all.</p><p>I’ve dated guys that have fetishized bigger men and I’ve heard om multiple of them that one of the reasons they were attracted to is bee of seeg Jam Gandolfi wh his shirt off <em>The Sopranos</em>. It sounds funny, but if you’re not seeg that on TV, how do you know what’s attractive? A lot of tim, mercials or on ss, the guy of size is ed as the butt of a joke for beg big. But when we show him sexually — Jam Gandolfi sleepg wh his Rsian girliend on <em>The Sopranos</em> or Eddie havg sex wh Agtín on <em>Lookg</em> — ’s an opportuny to go, “Damn, that looks kd of hot.”</p><p><strong>Fally, honor of <em>Mean Girls</em>’ 15 year anniversary, I want to know what your favore scene to film was and why.</strong></p><p>I loved filmg the part where I sg “Betiful,” bee when I’m sgg , the only person the dience that day was my mom and she was hysterilly lghg. She had e to vis Toronto and me, her, and Lizzy Caplan stayed up that night and ma pepperoni bread for the st and crew.</p><p><em>This terview has been eded and nnsed for clary.</em></p><div data-attr-viewport-monor="le-recirc" class="le-recirc-wrapper le-recirc-observer-target-4 viewport-monor-anchor"></div><p><strong>Get the bt of what's queer.</strong> <em><a href=">Sign up for our weekly newsletter here.</a></em></p></div></div></div><div class="GridItem-buujkM fVLMby grid--em grid-layout__asi"><div class="StickyBoxWrapper-jfYB jxBcTH sticky-box"><div class="StickyBoxPrimary-dzWDWL cdhYoN sticky-box__primary"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--rail"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--rail" data-no-id="3d2f0i"></div></div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--display-rail" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--display-rail"></div><div 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mean girls too gay to function

15 years sce Mean Girls' release, the actor reflects on Hollywood's "gay glass ceilg," holdg out for eper queer characters, and his favore moments om the inic film.

Contents:

FOR MEAN GIRLS ON BROADWAY, "TOO GAY TO FUNCTN" IS A MANTRA

Grey Henson, who plays Damian the Broadway productn of 'Mean Girls,' tells how he updated the inic gay character for 2018. * mean girls too gay to function *

And the actor who plays him — Man, GA native Grey Henson — was certaly up for the challenge, havg honed his mil chops tourg wh The Book of Mormon for two years before jog s Broadway pop culture wasn’t pletely void of queer characters 2004, for Grey and so many others who grew up watchg Mean Girls, the openly-gay and overly nfint Damian felt like a revelatn.

Wh Grey at the helm, the mil’s Damian go beyond beg “too gay to functn” — Grey gets to lean to his queerns a way he simply wasn’t given the chance to the film. As a gay man, seeg Damian out and proud as a teen was a really awome experience, bee g om Geia you never saw embodi that sort of theatril weirdo every high school had. I’ve spoken to a lot of queer men who’ve sgled out Damian as one of the first openly gay characters they ronated wh onscreen.

‘TOO GAY TO FUNCTN’? MEAN GIRLS ACTOR OUT LETTER TO CHARACTER TEN YEARS AFTER FILM RELEASE

* mean girls too gay to function *

Before the ter and social media took off, beg gay was jt somethg you didn't hear about. Lots of kids, quote un-quote Damians themselv, have told me 's amazg to see someone reprented and celebrated on such a big platform that isn't a geo, okie-cutter, tan, bleach-blon gay guy wh abs. As vic as girls n be, the gay muny n be pretty vic too, pecially as you go through your 20s.

The biggt thg for me g to the show was not to make him a stereotype the way you thk of the "gay bt iend" like a flamboyant, over-the-top queen wh purs fallg out of his mouth. When he isn’t phg the gay agenda, you n ually fd him talkg about Big Ltle Li or Lryn Hill to anyone willg to listen.

“He’s almost too gay to functn.

TOO GAY TO FUNCTN

Ten years after the release of the film, an actor who played Damien Mean Girls has e out as gay. * mean girls too gay to function *

”In 2004, when Mean Girls was released, characters like Damian — also known as the Gay Bt Friend trope — were few and far between. The stg director that put me Party Monster lled me for Damian; the script said that he was “probably fat and fely gay, ” which I thought was hysteril. Nobody was gog to stop do you thk Damian f to the leage of the “gay bt iend” trope film?

NOT TOO GAY TO FUNCTN

A male who is blatantly gay but acts like he is still the closet and no one knows, when around other mal, he nnot help but be fltered and out of sorts" name="Dcriptn" property="og:scriptn * mean girls too gay to function *

I thk Damian was the first gay role I saw where the character was jt fortable beg himself and there wasn’t too much foc on his beg gay. You knew he was gay.

But they told her that my character was gay and that’s why she let me sg the movie. But then, bee my character was gay, Lda Perry allowed me to sg “Betiful.

*BEAR-MAGAZINE.COM* MEAN GIRLS TOO GAY TO FUNCTION

Janis: This is Damian: he's almost too gay to functn..

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