Contents:
- STT WOLF ADDRS GAY GOSSIP
- STT WOLF BAR ALL: HOW THE ’90S HEARTTHROB SURVIVED HOLLYWOOD AND HIS PERSONAL DEMONSPARTY OF 50PHOTO ILLTRATN BY THE DAILY BEASTTWENTY-FIVE YEARS AFTER THE PREMIERE OF “PARTY OF FIVE,” WOLF GETS NDID ABOUT HIS UNLIKELY PATH TO STARDOM, TE LOVE, AND, IF YOU N BELIEVE , PLAYG NANCY DREW’S... DAD.KEV FALLONSENR EDOR, OBSSEDUPDATED OCT. 30, 2019 4:21PM EDT / PUBLISHED OCT. 30, 2019 5:27AM EDT THIS WASN’T SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN FOR STT WOLF—AT LEAST NOT THIS WAY. HEARTTHROBS AND TEEN IDOLS AND TIGER BEAT ADONIS, PECIALLY OF A CERTA TIME, SPECIFILLY OF THE ’90S, WERE SUPPOSED TO BE WALKG THROUGH THEIR SMALL HOMETOWN MALLS OR ORRG AN ICE CREAM OM THE UNTER AT THE SHOP THEIR TOWN SQUARE WHEN A STG DIRECTOR ON A SUMMER HOLIDAY SPOTTED THEM OM ACROSS THE STREET, SAW DOLLAR SIGNS THEIR EY, AND WHISKED THEM AWAY TO HOLLYWOOD. THERE, THEY WOULD BEE IT GUYS AND STRONG-JAWED TV STARS AND CALV KLE MOLS. THAT MAGIL PHRASE: “PLUCKED OM OBSCURY.” IT’S THE GEN X VERSN OF GEE-GOLLY ’50S NOSTALGIA, A ROSE-LORED GAZE BACK AT SIMPLER, MORE GLAMORO TIM. OR, THIS SE, WHEN PEOPLE WORE MORE FLANNEL.BUT THAT’S NOT STT WOLF’S STORY, THE ACTOR WHO FIRST ROSE TO FAME WHEN HE WAS ST AS BAILEY SALGER THE FOX PRIMETIME DRAMA PARTY OF FIVE 1994. WOLF WAS 26 WHEN THE SERI PREMIERED, 25 YEARS AGO THIS FALL. Y, HIS POSTER SOON JOED THE HALLOWED HALL OF FAME ON GIRLS’ BEDROOM WALLS ALONGSI LE PERRY AND JASON PRITLEY. Y, SEEMED LIKE HE WAS SHOT OUT OF A NNON DIRECTLY TO THE HEARTS—AND LIBIDOS—OF TEEN GIRLS, MOMS, WORKG WOMEN, GAY MEN, AND ANYBODY WH A PULSE, REALLY. BUT WH PARTY OF FIVE SENTIALLY A HIGH-BROW ANTIDOTE TO BEVERLY HILLS: 90210, APPEALG TO ADULTS AND CRICS AS MUCH AS DID TO THE OL TEENS SMOKG CIGARETT THE ALLEY, HE AND -STARS NEVE CAMPBELL, MATTHEW FOX, AND JENNIFER LOVE HEWT SAW THE BATN OF HIPNS AND RPECT PROPEL THEM TO A DIFFERENT LEVEL OF TV CELEBRY. THAT CELEBRY HAS RRIED WOLF THROUGH A 25-YEAR REER THAT ULD, SENCE, BE MARTED BY THREE BELOVED TEEN DRAMAS HE HAD ROL ON: PARTY OF FIVE, EVERWOOD THE EARLY 2000S, AND, NOW, THE CW’S NANCY DREW SERI, ON WHICH HE PLAYS—BRACE YOURSELF, FOLKS—THE DAD. IT’S A HARSH TTH THAT TEEN IDOLS GROW UP, AND WOLF TURNED 51 THIS YEAR. HE HAS HIS OWN “PARTY OF FIVE,” SO TO SPEAK: THE THREE KIDS HE’S RAISG WH HIS WIFE, LIFE ACH KELLEY WOLF, PARK CY, UTAH. HE’S ALSO DOG THE THG FORMER TEEN IDOLS AREN’T SUPPOSED TO GET TO DO, OR, AT LEAST, THAT WE ALMOST NEVER LET THEM DO: PLAY THE PART THAT EXC THEM, THAT STS THEM A DIFFERENT LIGHT, THAT POSSIBLY SETS THEM UP FOR A NEW PHASE OF THEIR REER. FOR WOLF, THAT’S STARRG AGAST TYPE INSI GAME, OUT FRIDAY, AS A WOMANIZG, DG-ALG GO-BETWEEN MAN THE FAMO NBA SNDAL VOLVG A REFEREE WHO TIPPED OFF BOOKI ON GAM HE OFFICIATED. WHEN HE WALKS TO THE SPEAKEASY-LIKE SEND-FLOOR BAR AT NEW YORK’S EDITION HOTEL, NOT SO MUCH H OFF A COMIC-CON BLZ SUPPORT OF NANCY DREW AS HAVG SURVIVED , HE GRS AT THE LEATHER-AND-MAPLE R. HE’S BEEN SNEAKG NIGHT PS THERE OVER THE LAST FEW DAYS WH HIS BROTHER, WHO LIV NEW JERSEY NEAR WHERE THEY GREW UP, JT OUTSI THE CY. ADVERTISEMENT HE’S DRSED LIKE A DAD: SLACKS, BUTTON-DOWN, AND A FIRM HANDSHAKE. A HOT DAD, SURE. BUT STILL. THE JAWLE IS PRACTILLY SHOWG OFF AS HE S AND ROLLS UP HIS SLEEV, EXCED TO DIG TO . TWO OLD FASHNEDS ARE DROPPED OFF AT THE TABLE, AND HE LIFTS HIS TO CHEERS. IT’S THE FIRST TIME SCE THAT MAJOR START TO HIS REER THAT HE’S GIVEN AN -PTH TERVIEW ABOUT WHAT HE’S BEEN THROUGH, WHERE HE’S E OM, AND HOW HE MANAGED TO WEATHER TWO-AND-A-HALF S HOLLYWOOD LARGELY UNSTHED. WHAT A NICE THG, A RARE THG, REALLY, WHEN YOU THK ABOUT : YOUR FAVORE STAR OM YOUR FAVORE SHOW MAKG TO THE OTHER SI.IT’S NOT BEEN EASY, AND ’S NOT ALWAYS BEEN HAPPY. THIS WASN’T SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN FOR STT WOLF. BUT HE FOUND A WAY. YOU SEE, STT WOLF WAS GOG TO BE A BSMAN. OR SOMETHG. HE WENT TO LLEGE AT GEE WASHGTON UNIVERSY WASHGTON, D.C., BEE ONE OF HIS OLR BROTHER’S IENDS WENT THERE AND TOUTED S AWOMENS, WHICH WAS MORE THAN ENOUGH FOR A TEENAGE BOY. ADVERTISEMENT “IT JT FELT SAFER TO NOT FEEL STUFF, BEE STUFF FELT SRY. STUFF FELT SAD, YOU KNOW?” HE STUDIED FANCE, BEE SEEMED LIKE THE PRACTIL THG TO DO. IT’S WHAT HIS DAD DID. IT’S AT THIS POT REUNTG HIS BGRAPHY THAT WOLF STARTS GIGGLG AND HIS DIMPL NVE TO SUCH PTH THEY ULD BE OFFICIALLY CLASSIFIED AS CRATERS ON A TOPOGRAPHIC MAP. “TO BE HONT, I WAS DATG A GIRL,” HE SAYS. “IT WAS MY HIGH SCHOOL GIRLIEND, WHO I HAD AN ENGAGEMENT RG ON LAYAWAY FOR AND WAS MAKG PAYMENTS ON. THAT HAD AS MUCH TO DO WH AS ANYTHG.”IT WASN’T THAT HE WAS SHUNNG THE IA OF ACTG TO BE REASONABLE, OR STIFLG A CREATIVE CH ORR TO BE RPONSIBLE. THE TTH IS, HE HAD NEVER REALLY NSIRED . NOW HE KNOWS WHY HE NEVER OPENED HIMSELF UP TO THE IA. AND HE N ALSO SEE EXACTLY WHY WAS THE PATH HE WAS ALWAYS SUPPOSED TO TAKE. HIS PARENTS DIVORCED WHEN HE WAS YOUNG, SO HE GREW UP A HOE, HE SAYS, “THAT HAD MAYBE MORE THAN YOUR AVERAGE DYSFUNCTN.” HIS STEPFATHER “WASN’T MAN OF THE YEAR ANY OF THE YEARS WE LIVED WH HIM; WASN’T EVEN NOMATED.” HIS MOTHER, WHO HAS SCE PASSED, WAS AN ALHOLIC. THE HOE WAS NOT AS SAFE AS A HOE IS SUPPOSED TO FEEL FOR AN 8-YEAR-OLD, WHICH WOLF WAS AT THE TIME, FDG HIMSELF PLAYG REFEREE TO HIS OLR AND YOUNGER BROTHERS. “IT JT FELT SAFER TO NOT FEEL STUFF, BEE STUFF FELT SRY,” HE SAYS. “STUFF FELT SAD, YOU KNOW?” ADVERTISEMENT THE THG ABOUT CLICHéS IS THAT THEY TEND TO BE ROOTED TTH. SO WHEN SO MANY ACTORS TALK ABOUT HOW TV AND THE MOVI WERE THEIR SALVATNS GROWG UP, MAY BE CLICHED, BUT ’S CLICHED FOR A REASON. WOLF REMEMBERS BEG 10 YEARS OLD, ACTG AS QUIET AS HE ULD SO THAT HIS MOTHER WOULDN’T NOTICE THAT HE WAS STAYG UP PAST HIS BEDTIME TO TCH EPISOS OF ST. ELSEWHERE. HE REMEMBERS WEEPG AT THE END OF THEM, HE WAS SO MOVED. THE SAME THG WOULD HAPPEN WHEN HIS MOM WOULD TAKE HIM TO THE CY TO SEE PLAYS. STT WOLF ON NANCY DREWCW “I DON’T THK I WAS SOME 10-YEAR-OLD KID GOG, LIKE, I’M LOOKG THROUGH THIS TELEVISN BOX AT A REAL GROUP OF PEOPLE,” HE SAYS. “I KNEW WAS ACTG AND I KNEW WAS PERFORMANCE. BUT MA ME FEEL MORE ALIVE AND HUMAN THAN ANYTHG ELSE DID.”STILL, WASN’T UNTIL A LATER, AFTER A BARBECUE FOR HIS BROTHER’S BIRTHDAY, THAT ACTG EVER ENTERED HIS MD. A IEND OF HIS FATHER’S WAS AT THE PARTY, AND HE HAPPENED TO BE A FORMER, THOUGH UNSUCCSFUL ACTOR. AFTER SPENDG THE AFTERNOON WH WOLF, HE WROTE WOLF’S FATHER A LETTER. HE ADMTED THAT WHAT HE WAS WRG WAS CRAZY, PECIALLY SCE HE ULDN’T MAKE THE DTRY HIMSELF, BUT HE SENSED SOMETHG WOLF THAT WAS UNNIABLE. HE WAS SUPPOSED TO AN ACTOR. TO HIS CRED, WOLF’S DAD DIDN’T LIGHT THE LETTER ON FIRE. IN FACT, HE STUFFED AN ENVELOPE AND MAILED TO WOLF AT HIS DORM D.C. ADVERTISEMENT WOLF WAS TRIGUED. HE VISED THE HEAD OF THE THEATER PROGRAM AT GW AND EXPLAED THAT, SANE THOUGH SOUND, HE WAS A SENR FANCE MAJOR AND WAS THKG OF ABANDONG ALL FOR ACTG. HOW? HE CREATED AN PENNT STUDY FOR WOLF, AND GAVE HIM BOOKS NOT JT ON CRAFT, BUT ON WHAT HEADSHOTS ARE AND HOW TO GET A MANAGER. “HE WAS THE FIRST PERSON WHO WAS STANDG AT THE DOOR OF THIS WHOLE NEW WORLD, WHO ULD HAVE CLOSED MY FACE. BUT HE SAID, ‘COME ON ,’” WOLF SAYS. “I DON’T THK WOULD HAVE STOPPED ME IF HE SLAMMED THE DOOR. BUT YOU NEVER KNOW HOW SOMETHG LIKE THAT AFFECTS YOU MOVG FORWARD, YOU KNOW?”AFTER LLEGE HE WENT TO L.A. THERE WERE B PARTS SAVED BY THE BELL AND BLOSSOM. BURT REYNOLDS ST HIM TWO EPISOS OF EVENG SHA, HIS BIG BREAK. THEN ME PARTY OF FIVE, AND THE RT OF HIS LIFE. THERE WAS A TIME RIGHT AROUND THE SEND SEASON OF PARTY OF FIVE WHEN GREW OM CRIL DARLG THAT NO ONE WATCHED TO POP-CULTURE PHENOMENON THAT WON A GOLN GLOBE FOR BT DRAMA. ADVERTISEMENT WOLF WAS REAPG THE BENEFS OF BEG THE NEW HOT THG: A LREL CANYON ADDRS WHERE HE ULD BUNK LUXURY WH HIS YOUNGER BROTHER, EXCLIVE PARTI, AND PRIMO MOVIE STGS. IN THIS SE, THERE WAS THE EVENG STAR, A SEQUEL TO TERMS OF ENARMENT THAT WOULD SEE WOLF TRA THE TENSE DRAMA OF PARTY OF FIVE TO PLAY A HUNKY UNRWEAR MOL DATG SHIRLEY MACLAE’S GRANDDGHTER, AND WHE SQUALL, A MID-’90S RIDLEY STT MOVIE PRIMED TO BE ONE OF THOSE MID-’90S RIDLEY STT MASSIVE HS. WOLF JOED JEFF BRIDG AND AN ENTIRE TEEN PEOPLE’S ISSUE OF HOT YOUNG STARS THE ST: JEREMY SISTO, RYAN PHILLIPPE, ETHAN EMBRY, AND BALTHAZAR GETTY. A 1996 ENTERTAMENT WEEKLY PROFILE OF WOLF SPENT S FIRST FEW PARAGRAPHS BATG WHETHER WAS MORE APPROPRIATE TO LL WOLF “THE NEXT TOM CISE,” GIVEN HIS GOOD LOOKS AND MAGIC PERSONALY, OR “THE NEXT GEE CLOONEY,” NSIRG HIS TV-TO-MOVI TRAJECTORY. THE DIMPL MAKE A TRIUMPHANT RETURN WHEN WOLF IS REMD OF THIS. “THE WAY MY MD WORKS IS YOU N HAVE LIKE 98 PEOPLE SAY, ‘I DON’T KNOW WHETHER YOU’RE THE NEXT TOM CISE OR THE NEXT GEE CLOONEY.’ AND THEN TWO PEOPLE SAY, ‘HE’S LIKE A WOON FOOL WHO SHOULD BE A PLUMBER.’ THOSE ARE THE ON YOU REMEMBER.”WH A KNOWG SE, HE SISTS THAT HE ENJOYED THE SPOILS OF HIS FAME WHEN WAS ALL HAPPENG. AND THERE WAS MUCH ATTENTN PAID TO HIS CELEBRY. ADVERTISEMENT HE WAS AT ONE POT ENGAGED TO ALYSSA MILANO, 1993. WHEN HE PLAYED A CLOSETED GAY ACTOR 1999’S GO, MOR LS SWIRLED ABOUT HIS OWN SEXUALY. MOSTLY THOUGH, THERE WAS FUN—AND, THANK GOD, FUN THAT WAS SHIELD OM TODAY’S NSTANT FLASH OF IPHON, CSANT CELEBRY VERAGE, AND PREDATORY TABLOIDS. “I DID NOT HOLD BACK MY ENJOYMENT OF MY LIFE,” HE SAYS. “MY TWENTI AND EARLY THIRTI L.A. WERE REALLY A BLAST. I JT FEEL LIKE I WAS VERY LUCKY THAT WHEN I GOT SORT OF SLAPPED ACROSS THE HEAD WH THAT WHOLE FIRST WAVE OF FAME, I SAW FOR EXACTLY WHAT WAS. I WAS GRATEFUL FOR BEE MEANT THAT I ULD ACT, AND MAYBE ACT FOR A WHILE.” “I JT FEEL LIKE I WAS VERY LUCKY THAT WHEN I GOT SORT OF SLAPPED ACROSS THE HEAD WH THAT WHOLE FIRST WAVE OF FAME, I SAW FOR EXACTLY WHAT WAS. I WAS GRATEFUL FOR BEE MEANT THAT I ULD ACT, AND MAYBE ACT FOR A WHILE.” WHEN THE PRODUCERS OF NANCY DREW WERE LOOKG FOR SOMEONE TO REPLACE FREDDIE PRZE JR., WHO PLAYED NANCY’S FATHER THE SHOW’S PILOT, THEY REACHED OUT TO WOLF BEE THEY THOUGHT HE WOULD BE A POSIVE FLUENCE ON THE SHOW’S YOUNG STARS. HE ALMOST N’T BELIEVE HIMSELF AS HE SAYS : “NOW I’M THE ELR STATMAN.” ADVERTISEMENT IN 2014, WOLF STARRED THE DIE MOVIE 37: A FAL PROMISE, ABOUT A PRSED ROCK STAR WHO VOWS TO KILL HIMSELF ON HIS 37TH BIRTHDAY, ONLY TO HAVE PLANS PLITED WHEN HE MEETS AND FALLS LOVE WH A WOMAN. DURG THE PRS HE DID FOR THE FILM, HE WAS ADAMANT THAT HE’S NEVER H A POT AS LOW AS HIS CHARACTER SUFFERS. BUT, WHILE, GENERALLY SPEAKG, HAPPY, HE HAS BEEN THROUGH HIS FAIR SHARE OF TOUGH SH. IN AN TERVIEW WH ABC NEWS, HE TALKED ABOUT GOG THROUGH HIS OWN DARK SPELL AND BAD PATTERNS OF BEHAVR WHEN HE MET HIS WIFE, KELLEY, 2002, SAYG THAT SHE “SAVED HIM.” PRSED TO TALK MORE ABOUT WHAT HE MEANT AND WHAT HE WAS GOG THROUGH, HE LGHS AND SIGHS. “I WANT TO TALK ABOUT SOME FUN STUFF, TOO! I FEEL LIKE I SHOULD BE PAYG YOU $140 AN HOUR.”BUT HE OBLIGED. A VIRTUE OF THE WAY HE GREW UP AND OM VAR EXPERIENC HIS LIFE, HE NEVER TSTED THAT PEOPLE WERE GOG TO STICK AROUND WHEN THGS GOT HARD. IF THERE WAS ONE THG THAT HE HAD FAH , WAS THAT THE PEOPLE CLOST TO HIM WOULD N FOR THE HILLS WHEN HE NEED THEM MOST. SO RELATNSHIPS, WHEN PEOPLE STARTED TO GET CLOSE, REALLY CLOSE TO HIM, “I WOULD START KD OF POKG AND MAKG LIFE DIFFICULT FOR THEM,” HE SAYS. “IT WAS REALLY UNFAIR, BUT WAS MY WAY OF LIKE PROVG THAT YOU WEREN’T GONNA BE ABLE TO DO . AND THEN EVENTUALLY, LIKE ANY FUCKG SENTIENT BEG WHO’S POKED ENOUGH, YOU LEAVE. THEN I WOULD BE LIKE, ‘SEE! I KNEW .’” ADVERTISEMENT STT WOLF AND KELLEY LIMP ATTEND THE 2019 ROBERT F. KENNEDY HUMAN RIGHTS RIPPLE OF HOPE AWARDS ON DECEMBER 12, 2018, NEW YORK CY.MICHAEL LOCCISANO/GETTY HE KNEW ALMOST OM THE MOMENT THEY MET THAT KELLEY WAS HIS MATCH. BUT PATTERNS ARE PATTERNS FOR A REASON, AND HE STARTED POKG AND PRODDG AT HER. IT ALL ME TO A HEAD ON ONE NIGHT NEW YORK CY WHEN HE PHED HER TO THE BRK. AS WAS HAPPENG, HE HAD AN OUT-OF-BODY EXPERIENCE, LIKE HE WAS WATCHG HIS LIFE, HIS ENTIRE CHANCE AT BEG HAPPY, WALK OUT THE DOOR. WHAT HAPPENED OVER THE NEXT FEW HOURS HE LIKENS TO A OF THERAPY. “I SMASHED APART A NSTCT THAT I HAD BUILT AS AN 8-YEAR-OLD BOY TO PROTECT MYSELF,” HE SAYS. “BEE ‘I’M SORRY, I WON’T DO THAT ANYMORE’ WASN’T GOG TO KEEP TOGETHER. THAT I MANAGED TO DO THAT HAS EVERYTHG TO DO WH WHO SHE IS AND WHAT SHE MEANT TO ME. THE FACT THAT SHE WAS POWERFUL ENOUGH TO BELIEVE ME IS THE MOST CREDIBLE THG I’VE EVER BEEN GIVEN.”BEFORE THEY MET, WOLF HAD BEEN DATG A LOT L.A. AND EXPERIENCG THE KD OF TRATN ONE GETS WHEN THEY’RE THEIR THIRTI AND STILL HAVEN’T MET THEIR PERSON. HE VIVIDLY REMEMBERS ONE DAY THAT AN EPISO OF THE REAL WORLD: NEW ORLEANS WAS ON TV, ON WHICH KELLEY WAS A ST MEMBER, AND SEEG HER AND THKG, “WHERE’S A GIRL LIKE THAT MY LIFE?”SERENDIPY ME WHEN, A WHILE LATER, A MUTUAL IEND SET THEM UP. WHENEVER THEY WERE NEW YORK AT THE SAME TIME, THEY WOULD GO ON EPIC, HOURS-LONG DAT. ON A WHIM, HE VED HER ON A CHARY TRIP TO FLORIDA, AND BY THE TIME THEY LAND BACK NEW YORK, HE KNEW HE WAS GOG TO ASK HER TO MARRY HIM. ADVERTISEMENT IT HAD BEEN OVER A SCE HE HAD PUT THAT DIAMOND ON LAYAWAY WHILE HE WAS AT GW. “FALLY, I WAS ABLE TO E THAT RG,” HE LGHS. LAST JUNE, WOLF CELEBRATED TURNG 50 A WAY THAT NOT MANY CELEBRATE TURNG 50. HE POSTED A PHOTO OF HIMSELF ON INSTAGRAM SHIRTLS, PROUDLY DISPLAYG—AND WE UNTED—EIGHT ABS. “IF POSTG A SHIRTLS SELFIE AT 50 YEARS OLD IS WRONG...I DON’T WANT TO BE RIGHT. #THISIS50 #YOUBETYOURASSIDID,” HE WROTE THE PTN.“I TRAED HARD FOR THAT SELFIE,” HE SAYS, GRASPG FOR HIS OLD FASHNED LIKE ULD MAYBE SAVE HIS LIFE. “IT’S FUNNY. UH. UH. I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO SAY.” THAT HE WAS SUCH GREAT SHAPE WAS A BYPRODUCT OF HIS TRAG TO PLAY TOMMY MARTO INSI GAME. IN 2017, NBA REFEREE TIM DONAGHY, PLAYED BY ERIC MABI, WAS UGHT GAMBLG ON GAM HE OFFICIATED NCERT WH TWO MEN WH NNECTNS TO THE GAMBO CRIME FAY: BOOKIE BABA BATTISTA (WILL SASSO), AND A DG ALER NAMED TOMMY, WOLF’S ROLE. ADVERTISEMENT THE MOVIE PUTS WOLF FULL-ON ITALIAN MO—HE’S REFERRED TO THE MOVIE AS “AN ITALIAN KEN DOLL”—WH MOST SCEN REQUIRG HIM TO BE EHER LIFTG BARBELLS AT THE GYM OR SMOKG A BONG. IN THE OPENG SEQUENCE, HE’S UGHT HAVG SEX A BATHROOM STALL. CONSIRG THAT WOLF HAS MA AN ENTIRE REER OF PLAYG SOME OF THE NICT, MOST WELL-TENTNED MEN TO EVER EXIST, ’S A LTLE JARRG. “I’VE BEEN LUCKY AND WORKED ON A BUNCH OF THGS OVER THE YEARS, BUT HAD BEEN A MUTE SCE I HAD DONE SOMETHG THAT FELT CREATIVELY MANDG AND FULFILLG,” HE SAYS. “THIS ROLE AND THIS PROJECT, AND HAVG THAT KD OF MAND PLACED ON ME CREATIVELY, JT PUT ME BACK NTACT WH WHY, THE WHY OF WHY I’VE ALWAYS LOVED DOG THIS.”IT’S A LOT OF EXISTENTIAL, LIFE STUFF TO THK ABOUT , BUT WOLF IS RELISHG THE OPPORTUNY TO NSIR ALL. HE LGHS ABOUT THE POST-MORTEM SURE TO HAPPEN WHEN HE MEETS HIS WIFE A FEW MUT FOR DNER, AS SHE’S ALSO JT LAND NEW YORK CY AFTER LEADG A TRIP SOUTH AI AS A LIFE ACH. “TURNG 50’S A HEAVY THG, YOU KNOW? IT ALMOST FEELS LIKE THE FIRST MORTALY BIRTHDAY. IT’S LIKE, 30 IS FOR WORRYG, ‘HOW’S MY REER GOG?’ FORTY IS LIKE, ‘HOW DO MY WHOLE LIFE LOOK, WH FAY AND WORK?’ AND 50 IS LIKE, ‘I’M GOG TO DIE…’”HE LETS OUT AN EXHSTED GUFFAW, AND DRAS THE LAST BS OF HIS DRK. “THERE ARE DAYS WHEN YOU’RE LIKE, EH, GETTG H BY A B WOULDN’T BE THE WORST THG EVER. NOW I’M MAKG SURE TO LOOK BOTH WAYS BEFORE CROSSG THE STREET.” KEV FALLON
STT WOLF ADDRS GAY GOSSIP
” (new theaters), Wolf plays a closeted gay actor tryg to clear himself of dg posssn charg while playg cuddle bunni wh ”Saturday Night Live” alum Jay Mohr. Given that the role will add fuel to an already overheated blaze of mors that Wolf himself is gay, he is bracg to take some heat.
”And sce Jay and I did the ver of a magaze that I suppose is targeted towards gay men, I’m sure will.
STT WOLF BAR ALL: HOW THE ’90S HEARTTHROB SURVIVED HOLLYWOOD AND HIS PERSONAL DEMONSPARTY OF 50PHOTO ILLTRATN BY THE DAILY BEASTTWENTY-FIVE YEARS AFTER THE PREMIERE OF “PARTY OF FIVE,” WOLF GETS NDID ABOUT HIS UNLIKELY PATH TO STARDOM, TE LOVE, AND, IF YOU N BELIEVE , PLAYG NANCY DREW’S... DAD.KEV FALLONSENR EDOR, OBSSEDUPDATED OCT. 30, 2019 4:21PM EDT / PUBLISHED OCT. 30, 2019 5:27AM EDT THIS WASN’T SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN FOR STT WOLF—AT LEAST NOT THIS WAY. HEARTTHROBS AND TEEN IDOLS AND TIGER BEAT ADONIS, PECIALLY OF A CERTA TIME, SPECIFILLY OF THE ’90S, WERE SUPPOSED TO BE WALKG THROUGH THEIR SMALL HOMETOWN MALLS OR ORRG AN ICE CREAM OM THE UNTER AT THE SHOP THEIR TOWN SQUARE WHEN A STG DIRECTOR ON A SUMMER HOLIDAY SPOTTED THEM OM ACROSS THE STREET, SAW DOLLAR SIGNS THEIR EY, AND WHISKED THEM AWAY TO HOLLYWOOD. THERE, THEY WOULD BEE IT GUYS AND STRONG-JAWED TV STARS AND CALV KLE MOLS. THAT MAGIL PHRASE: “PLUCKED OM OBSCURY.” IT’S THE GEN X VERSN OF GEE-GOLLY ’50S NOSTALGIA, A ROSE-LORED GAZE BACK AT SIMPLER, MORE GLAMORO TIM. OR, THIS SE, WHEN PEOPLE WORE MORE FLANNEL.BUT THAT’S NOT STT WOLF’S STORY, THE ACTOR WHO FIRST ROSE TO FAME WHEN HE WAS ST AS BAILEY SALGER THE FOX PRIMETIME DRAMA PARTY OF FIVE 1994. WOLF WAS 26 WHEN THE SERI PREMIERED, 25 YEARS AGO THIS FALL. Y, HIS POSTER SOON JOED THE HALLOWED HALL OF FAME ON GIRLS’ BEDROOM WALLS ALONGSI LE PERRY AND JASON PRITLEY. Y, SEEMED LIKE HE WAS SHOT OUT OF A NNON DIRECTLY TO THE HEARTS—AND LIBIDOS—OF TEEN GIRLS, MOMS, WORKG WOMEN, GAY MEN, AND ANYBODY WH A PULSE, REALLY. BUT WH PARTY OF FIVE SENTIALLY A HIGH-BROW ANTIDOTE TO BEVERLY HILLS: 90210, APPEALG TO ADULTS AND CRICS AS MUCH AS DID TO THE OL TEENS SMOKG CIGARETT THE ALLEY, HE AND -STARS NEVE CAMPBELL, MATTHEW FOX, AND JENNIFER LOVE HEWT SAW THE BATN OF HIPNS AND RPECT PROPEL THEM TO A DIFFERENT LEVEL OF TV CELEBRY. THAT CELEBRY HAS RRIED WOLF THROUGH A 25-YEAR REER THAT ULD, SENCE, BE MARTED BY THREE BELOVED TEEN DRAMAS HE HAD ROL ON: PARTY OF FIVE, EVERWOOD THE EARLY 2000S, AND, NOW, THE CW’S NANCY DREW SERI, ON WHICH HE PLAYS—BRACE YOURSELF, FOLKS—THE DAD. IT’S A HARSH TTH THAT TEEN IDOLS GROW UP, AND WOLF TURNED 51 THIS YEAR. HE HAS HIS OWN “PARTY OF FIVE,” SO TO SPEAK: THE THREE KIDS HE’S RAISG WH HIS WIFE, LIFE ACH KELLEY WOLF, PARK CY, UTAH. HE’S ALSO DOG THE THG FORMER TEEN IDOLS AREN’T SUPPOSED TO GET TO DO, OR, AT LEAST, THAT WE ALMOST NEVER LET THEM DO: PLAY THE PART THAT EXC THEM, THAT STS THEM A DIFFERENT LIGHT, THAT POSSIBLY SETS THEM UP FOR A NEW PHASE OF THEIR REER. FOR WOLF, THAT’S STARRG AGAST TYPE INSI GAME, OUT FRIDAY, AS A WOMANIZG, DG-ALG GO-BETWEEN MAN THE FAMO NBA SNDAL VOLVG A REFEREE WHO TIPPED OFF BOOKI ON GAM HE OFFICIATED. WHEN HE WALKS TO THE SPEAKEASY-LIKE SEND-FLOOR BAR AT NEW YORK’S EDITION HOTEL, NOT SO MUCH H OFF A COMIC-CON BLZ SUPPORT OF NANCY DREW AS HAVG SURVIVED , HE GRS AT THE LEATHER-AND-MAPLE R. HE’S BEEN SNEAKG NIGHT PS THERE OVER THE LAST FEW DAYS WH HIS BROTHER, WHO LIV NEW JERSEY NEAR WHERE THEY GREW UP, JT OUTSI THE CY. ADVERTISEMENT HE’S DRSED LIKE A DAD: SLACKS, BUTTON-DOWN, AND A FIRM HANDSHAKE. A HOT DAD, SURE. BUT STILL. THE JAWLE IS PRACTILLY SHOWG OFF AS HE S AND ROLLS UP HIS SLEEV, EXCED TO DIG TO . TWO OLD FASHNEDS ARE DROPPED OFF AT THE TABLE, AND HE LIFTS HIS TO CHEERS. IT’S THE FIRST TIME SCE THAT MAJOR START TO HIS REER THAT HE’S GIVEN AN -PTH TERVIEW ABOUT WHAT HE’S BEEN THROUGH, WHERE HE’S E OM, AND HOW HE MANAGED TO WEATHER TWO-AND-A-HALF S HOLLYWOOD LARGELY UNSTHED. WHAT A NICE THG, A RARE THG, REALLY, WHEN YOU THK ABOUT : YOUR FAVORE STAR OM YOUR FAVORE SHOW MAKG TO THE OTHER SI.IT’S NOT BEEN EASY, AND ’S NOT ALWAYS BEEN HAPPY. THIS WASN’T SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN FOR STT WOLF. BUT HE FOUND A WAY. YOU SEE, STT WOLF WAS GOG TO BE A BSMAN. OR SOMETHG. HE WENT TO LLEGE AT GEE WASHGTON UNIVERSY WASHGTON, D.C., BEE ONE OF HIS OLR BROTHER’S IENDS WENT THERE AND TOUTED S AWOMENS, WHICH WAS MORE THAN ENOUGH FOR A TEENAGE BOY. ADVERTISEMENT “IT JT FELT SAFER TO NOT FEEL STUFF, BEE STUFF FELT SRY. STUFF FELT SAD, YOU KNOW?” HE STUDIED FANCE, BEE SEEMED LIKE THE PRACTIL THG TO DO. IT’S WHAT HIS DAD DID. IT’S AT THIS POT REUNTG HIS BGRAPHY THAT WOLF STARTS GIGGLG AND HIS DIMPL NVE TO SUCH PTH THEY ULD BE OFFICIALLY CLASSIFIED AS CRATERS ON A TOPOGRAPHIC MAP. “TO BE HONT, I WAS DATG A GIRL,” HE SAYS. “IT WAS MY HIGH SCHOOL GIRLIEND, WHO I HAD AN ENGAGEMENT RG ON LAYAWAY FOR AND WAS MAKG PAYMENTS ON. THAT HAD AS MUCH TO DO WH AS ANYTHG.”IT WASN’T THAT HE WAS SHUNNG THE IA OF ACTG TO BE REASONABLE, OR STIFLG A CREATIVE CH ORR TO BE RPONSIBLE. THE TTH IS, HE HAD NEVER REALLY NSIRED . NOW HE KNOWS WHY HE NEVER OPENED HIMSELF UP TO THE IA. AND HE N ALSO SEE EXACTLY WHY WAS THE PATH HE WAS ALWAYS SUPPOSED TO TAKE. HIS PARENTS DIVORCED WHEN HE WAS YOUNG, SO HE GREW UP A HOE, HE SAYS, “THAT HAD MAYBE MORE THAN YOUR AVERAGE DYSFUNCTN.” HIS STEPFATHER “WASN’T MAN OF THE YEAR ANY OF THE YEARS WE LIVED WH HIM; WASN’T EVEN NOMATED.” HIS MOTHER, WHO HAS SCE PASSED, WAS AN ALHOLIC. THE HOE WAS NOT AS SAFE AS A HOE IS SUPPOSED TO FEEL FOR AN 8-YEAR-OLD, WHICH WOLF WAS AT THE TIME, FDG HIMSELF PLAYG REFEREE TO HIS OLR AND YOUNGER BROTHERS. “IT JT FELT SAFER TO NOT FEEL STUFF, BEE STUFF FELT SRY,” HE SAYS. “STUFF FELT SAD, YOU KNOW?” ADVERTISEMENT THE THG ABOUT CLICHéS IS THAT THEY TEND TO BE ROOTED TTH. SO WHEN SO MANY ACTORS TALK ABOUT HOW TV AND THE MOVI WERE THEIR SALVATNS GROWG UP, MAY BE CLICHED, BUT ’S CLICHED FOR A REASON. WOLF REMEMBERS BEG 10 YEARS OLD, ACTG AS QUIET AS HE ULD SO THAT HIS MOTHER WOULDN’T NOTICE THAT HE WAS STAYG UP PAST HIS BEDTIME TO TCH EPISOS OF ST. ELSEWHERE. HE REMEMBERS WEEPG AT THE END OF THEM, HE WAS SO MOVED. THE SAME THG WOULD HAPPEN WHEN HIS MOM WOULD TAKE HIM TO THE CY TO SEE PLAYS. STT WOLF ON NANCY DREWCW “I DON’T THK I WAS SOME 10-YEAR-OLD KID GOG, LIKE, I’M LOOKG THROUGH THIS TELEVISN BOX AT A REAL GROUP OF PEOPLE,” HE SAYS. “I KNEW WAS ACTG AND I KNEW WAS PERFORMANCE. BUT MA ME FEEL MORE ALIVE AND HUMAN THAN ANYTHG ELSE DID.”STILL, WASN’T UNTIL A LATER, AFTER A BARBECUE FOR HIS BROTHER’S BIRTHDAY, THAT ACTG EVER ENTERED HIS MD. A IEND OF HIS FATHER’S WAS AT THE PARTY, AND HE HAPPENED TO BE A FORMER, THOUGH UNSUCCSFUL ACTOR. AFTER SPENDG THE AFTERNOON WH WOLF, HE WROTE WOLF’S FATHER A LETTER. HE ADMTED THAT WHAT HE WAS WRG WAS CRAZY, PECIALLY SCE HE ULDN’T MAKE THE DTRY HIMSELF, BUT HE SENSED SOMETHG WOLF THAT WAS UNNIABLE. HE WAS SUPPOSED TO AN ACTOR. TO HIS CRED, WOLF’S DAD DIDN’T LIGHT THE LETTER ON FIRE. IN FACT, HE STUFFED AN ENVELOPE AND MAILED TO WOLF AT HIS DORM D.C. ADVERTISEMENT WOLF WAS TRIGUED. HE VISED THE HEAD OF THE THEATER PROGRAM AT GW AND EXPLAED THAT, SANE THOUGH SOUND, HE WAS A SENR FANCE MAJOR AND WAS THKG OF ABANDONG ALL FOR ACTG. HOW? HE CREATED AN PENNT STUDY FOR WOLF, AND GAVE HIM BOOKS NOT JT ON CRAFT, BUT ON WHAT HEADSHOTS ARE AND HOW TO GET A MANAGER. “HE WAS THE FIRST PERSON WHO WAS STANDG AT THE DOOR OF THIS WHOLE NEW WORLD, WHO ULD HAVE CLOSED MY FACE. BUT HE SAID, ‘COME ON ,’” WOLF SAYS. “I DON’T THK WOULD HAVE STOPPED ME IF HE SLAMMED THE DOOR. BUT YOU NEVER KNOW HOW SOMETHG LIKE THAT AFFECTS YOU MOVG FORWARD, YOU KNOW?”AFTER LLEGE HE WENT TO L.A. THERE WERE B PARTS SAVED BY THE BELL AND BLOSSOM. BURT REYNOLDS ST HIM TWO EPISOS OF EVENG SHA, HIS BIG BREAK. THEN ME PARTY OF FIVE, AND THE RT OF HIS LIFE. THERE WAS A TIME RIGHT AROUND THE SEND SEASON OF PARTY OF FIVE WHEN GREW OM CRIL DARLG THAT NO ONE WATCHED TO POP-CULTURE PHENOMENON THAT WON A GOLN GLOBE FOR BT DRAMA. ADVERTISEMENT WOLF WAS REAPG THE BENEFS OF BEG THE NEW HOT THG: A LREL CANYON ADDRS WHERE HE ULD BUNK LUXURY WH HIS YOUNGER BROTHER, EXCLIVE PARTI, AND PRIMO MOVIE STGS. IN THIS SE, THERE WAS THE EVENG STAR, A SEQUEL TO TERMS OF ENARMENT THAT WOULD SEE WOLF TRA THE TENSE DRAMA OF PARTY OF FIVE TO PLAY A HUNKY UNRWEAR MOL DATG SHIRLEY MACLAE’S GRANDDGHTER, AND WHE SQUALL, A MID-’90S RIDLEY STT MOVIE PRIMED TO BE ONE OF THOSE MID-’90S RIDLEY STT MASSIVE HS. WOLF JOED JEFF BRIDG AND AN ENTIRE TEEN PEOPLE’S ISSUE OF HOT YOUNG STARS THE ST: JEREMY SISTO, RYAN PHILLIPPE, ETHAN EMBRY, AND BALTHAZAR GETTY. A 1996 ENTERTAMENT WEEKLY PROFILE OF WOLF SPENT S FIRST FEW PARAGRAPHS BATG WHETHER WAS MORE APPROPRIATE TO LL WOLF “THE NEXT TOM CISE,” GIVEN HIS GOOD LOOKS AND MAGIC PERSONALY, OR “THE NEXT GEE CLOONEY,” NSIRG HIS TV-TO-MOVI TRAJECTORY. THE DIMPL MAKE A TRIUMPHANT RETURN WHEN WOLF IS REMD OF THIS. “THE WAY MY MD WORKS IS YOU N HAVE LIKE 98 PEOPLE SAY, ‘I DON’T KNOW WHETHER YOU’RE THE NEXT TOM CISE OR THE NEXT GEE CLOONEY.’ AND THEN TWO PEOPLE SAY, ‘HE’S LIKE A WOON FOOL WHO SHOULD BE A PLUMBER.’ THOSE ARE THE ON YOU REMEMBER.”WH A KNOWG SE, HE SISTS THAT HE ENJOYED THE SPOILS OF HIS FAME WHEN WAS ALL HAPPENG. AND THERE WAS MUCH ATTENTN PAID TO HIS CELEBRY. ADVERTISEMENT HE WAS AT ONE POT ENGAGED TO ALYSSA MILANO, 1993. WHEN HE PLAYED A CLOSETED GAY ACTOR 1999’S GO, MOR LS SWIRLED ABOUT HIS OWN SEXUALY. MOSTLY THOUGH, THERE WAS FUN—AND, THANK GOD, FUN THAT WAS SHIELD OM TODAY’S NSTANT FLASH OF IPHON, CSANT CELEBRY VERAGE, AND PREDATORY TABLOIDS. “I DID NOT HOLD BACK MY ENJOYMENT OF MY LIFE,” HE SAYS. “MY TWENTI AND EARLY THIRTI L.A. WERE REALLY A BLAST. I JT FEEL LIKE I WAS VERY LUCKY THAT WHEN I GOT SORT OF SLAPPED ACROSS THE HEAD WH THAT WHOLE FIRST WAVE OF FAME, I SAW FOR EXACTLY WHAT WAS. I WAS GRATEFUL FOR BEE MEANT THAT I ULD ACT, AND MAYBE ACT FOR A WHILE.” “I JT FEEL LIKE I WAS VERY LUCKY THAT WHEN I GOT SORT OF SLAPPED ACROSS THE HEAD WH THAT WHOLE FIRST WAVE OF FAME, I SAW FOR EXACTLY WHAT WAS. I WAS GRATEFUL FOR BEE MEANT THAT I ULD ACT, AND MAYBE ACT FOR A WHILE.” WHEN THE PRODUCERS OF NANCY DREW WERE LOOKG FOR SOMEONE TO REPLACE FREDDIE PRZE JR., WHO PLAYED NANCY’S FATHER THE SHOW’S PILOT, THEY REACHED OUT TO WOLF BEE THEY THOUGHT HE WOULD BE A POSIVE FLUENCE ON THE SHOW’S YOUNG STARS. HE ALMOST N’T BELIEVE HIMSELF AS HE SAYS : “NOW I’M THE ELR STATMAN.” ADVERTISEMENT IN 2014, WOLF STARRED THE DIE MOVIE 37: A FAL PROMISE, ABOUT A PRSED ROCK STAR WHO VOWS TO KILL HIMSELF ON HIS 37TH BIRTHDAY, ONLY TO HAVE PLANS PLITED WHEN HE MEETS AND FALLS LOVE WH A WOMAN. DURG THE PRS HE DID FOR THE FILM, HE WAS ADAMANT THAT HE’S NEVER H A POT AS LOW AS HIS CHARACTER SUFFERS. BUT, WHILE, GENERALLY SPEAKG, HAPPY, HE HAS BEEN THROUGH HIS FAIR SHARE OF TOUGH SH. IN AN TERVIEW WH ABC NEWS, HE TALKED ABOUT GOG THROUGH HIS OWN DARK SPELL AND BAD PATTERNS OF BEHAVR WHEN HE MET HIS WIFE, KELLEY, 2002, SAYG THAT SHE “SAVED HIM.” PRSED TO TALK MORE ABOUT WHAT HE MEANT AND WHAT HE WAS GOG THROUGH, HE LGHS AND SIGHS. “I WANT TO TALK ABOUT SOME FUN STUFF, TOO! I FEEL LIKE I SHOULD BE PAYG YOU $140 AN HOUR.”BUT HE OBLIGED. A VIRTUE OF THE WAY HE GREW UP AND OM VAR EXPERIENC HIS LIFE, HE NEVER TSTED THAT PEOPLE WERE GOG TO STICK AROUND WHEN THGS GOT HARD. IF THERE WAS ONE THG THAT HE HAD FAH , WAS THAT THE PEOPLE CLOST TO HIM WOULD N FOR THE HILLS WHEN HE NEED THEM MOST. SO RELATNSHIPS, WHEN PEOPLE STARTED TO GET CLOSE, REALLY CLOSE TO HIM, “I WOULD START KD OF POKG AND MAKG LIFE DIFFICULT FOR THEM,” HE SAYS. “IT WAS REALLY UNFAIR, BUT WAS MY WAY OF LIKE PROVG THAT YOU WEREN’T GONNA BE ABLE TO DO . AND THEN EVENTUALLY, LIKE ANY FUCKG SENTIENT BEG WHO’S POKED ENOUGH, YOU LEAVE. THEN I WOULD BE LIKE, ‘SEE! I KNEW .’” ADVERTISEMENT STT WOLF AND KELLEY LIMP ATTEND THE 2019 ROBERT F. KENNEDY HUMAN RIGHTS RIPPLE OF HOPE AWARDS ON DECEMBER 12, 2018, NEW YORK CY.MICHAEL LOCCISANO/GETTY HE KNEW ALMOST OM THE MOMENT THEY MET THAT KELLEY WAS HIS MATCH. BUT PATTERNS ARE PATTERNS FOR A REASON, AND HE STARTED POKG AND PRODDG AT HER. IT ALL ME TO A HEAD ON ONE NIGHT NEW YORK CY WHEN HE PHED HER TO THE BRK. AS WAS HAPPENG, HE HAD AN OUT-OF-BODY EXPERIENCE, LIKE HE WAS WATCHG HIS LIFE, HIS ENTIRE CHANCE AT BEG HAPPY, WALK OUT THE DOOR. WHAT HAPPENED OVER THE NEXT FEW HOURS HE LIKENS TO A OF THERAPY. “I SMASHED APART A NSTCT THAT I HAD BUILT AS AN 8-YEAR-OLD BOY TO PROTECT MYSELF,” HE SAYS. “BEE ‘I’M SORRY, I WON’T DO THAT ANYMORE’ WASN’T GOG TO KEEP TOGETHER. THAT I MANAGED TO DO THAT HAS EVERYTHG TO DO WH WHO SHE IS AND WHAT SHE MEANT TO ME. THE FACT THAT SHE WAS POWERFUL ENOUGH TO BELIEVE ME IS THE MOST CREDIBLE THG I’VE EVER BEEN GIVEN.”BEFORE THEY MET, WOLF HAD BEEN DATG A LOT L.A. AND EXPERIENCG THE KD OF TRATN ONE GETS WHEN THEY’RE THEIR THIRTI AND STILL HAVEN’T MET THEIR PERSON. HE VIVIDLY REMEMBERS ONE DAY THAT AN EPISO OF THE REAL WORLD: NEW ORLEANS WAS ON TV, ON WHICH KELLEY WAS A ST MEMBER, AND SEEG HER AND THKG, “WHERE’S A GIRL LIKE THAT MY LIFE?”SERENDIPY ME WHEN, A WHILE LATER, A MUTUAL IEND SET THEM UP. WHENEVER THEY WERE NEW YORK AT THE SAME TIME, THEY WOULD GO ON EPIC, HOURS-LONG DAT. ON A WHIM, HE VED HER ON A CHARY TRIP TO FLORIDA, AND BY THE TIME THEY LAND BACK NEW YORK, HE KNEW HE WAS GOG TO ASK HER TO MARRY HIM. ADVERTISEMENT IT HAD BEEN OVER A SCE HE HAD PUT THAT DIAMOND ON LAYAWAY WHILE HE WAS AT GW. “FALLY, I WAS ABLE TO E THAT RG,” HE LGHS. LAST JUNE, WOLF CELEBRATED TURNG 50 A WAY THAT NOT MANY CELEBRATE TURNG 50. HE POSTED A PHOTO OF HIMSELF ON INSTAGRAM SHIRTLS, PROUDLY DISPLAYG—AND WE UNTED—EIGHT ABS. “IF POSTG A SHIRTLS SELFIE AT 50 YEARS OLD IS WRONG...I DON’T WANT TO BE RIGHT. #THISIS50 #YOUBETYOURASSIDID,” HE WROTE THE PTN.“I TRAED HARD FOR THAT SELFIE,” HE SAYS, GRASPG FOR HIS OLD FASHNED LIKE ULD MAYBE SAVE HIS LIFE. “IT’S FUNNY. UH. UH. I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO SAY.” THAT HE WAS SUCH GREAT SHAPE WAS A BYPRODUCT OF HIS TRAG TO PLAY TOMMY MARTO INSI GAME. IN 2017, NBA REFEREE TIM DONAGHY, PLAYED BY ERIC MABI, WAS UGHT GAMBLG ON GAM HE OFFICIATED NCERT WH TWO MEN WH NNECTNS TO THE GAMBO CRIME FAY: BOOKIE BABA BATTISTA (WILL SASSO), AND A DG ALER NAMED TOMMY, WOLF’S ROLE. ADVERTISEMENT THE MOVIE PUTS WOLF FULL-ON ITALIAN MO—HE’S REFERRED TO THE MOVIE AS “AN ITALIAN KEN DOLL”—WH MOST SCEN REQUIRG HIM TO BE EHER LIFTG BARBELLS AT THE GYM OR SMOKG A BONG. IN THE OPENG SEQUENCE, HE’S UGHT HAVG SEX A BATHROOM STALL. CONSIRG THAT WOLF HAS MA AN ENTIRE REER OF PLAYG SOME OF THE NICT, MOST WELL-TENTNED MEN TO EVER EXIST, ’S A LTLE JARRG. “I’VE BEEN LUCKY AND WORKED ON A BUNCH OF THGS OVER THE YEARS, BUT HAD BEEN A MUTE SCE I HAD DONE SOMETHG THAT FELT CREATIVELY MANDG AND FULFILLG,” HE SAYS. “THIS ROLE AND THIS PROJECT, AND HAVG THAT KD OF MAND PLACED ON ME CREATIVELY, JT PUT ME BACK NTACT WH WHY, THE WHY OF WHY I’VE ALWAYS LOVED DOG THIS.”IT’S A LOT OF EXISTENTIAL, LIFE STUFF TO THK ABOUT , BUT WOLF IS RELISHG THE OPPORTUNY TO NSIR ALL. HE LGHS ABOUT THE POST-MORTEM SURE TO HAPPEN WHEN HE MEETS HIS WIFE A FEW MUT FOR DNER, AS SHE’S ALSO JT LAND NEW YORK CY AFTER LEADG A TRIP SOUTH AI AS A LIFE ACH. “TURNG 50’S A HEAVY THG, YOU KNOW? IT ALMOST FEELS LIKE THE FIRST MORTALY BIRTHDAY. IT’S LIKE, 30 IS FOR WORRYG, ‘HOW’S MY REER GOG?’ FORTY IS LIKE, ‘HOW DO MY WHOLE LIFE LOOK, WH FAY AND WORK?’ AND 50 IS LIKE, ‘I’M GOG TO DIE…’”HE LETS OUT AN EXHSTED GUFFAW, AND DRAS THE LAST BS OF HIS DRK. “THERE ARE DAYS WHEN YOU’RE LIKE, EH, GETTG H BY A B WOULDN’T BE THE WORST THG EVER. NOW I’M MAKG SURE TO LOOK BOTH WAYS BEFORE CROSSG THE STREET.” KEV FALLON
”My asked if the guy was a fan, and he rpond, ‘Oh yeah, and I have a iend who was ”wh” him — he’s fely gay. Y, seemed like he was shot out of a nnon directly to the hearts—and libidos—of teen girls, moms, workg women, gay men, and anybody wh a pulse, really. When he played a closeted gay actor 1999’s Go, mor ls swirled about his own sexualy.
My gaydar ed to pg for him. It had Julie the mormon, Matt the virg, Jamie the at stud, Melissa the Filipo spfire, and, of urse, Danny the gay hottie! He was credible playg gay still has ictn wh Jay Mohr.