Whether I play a straight character or not.
Ever in my life again,
you know, because that conversation
is rooted and based in this idea that playing
straight is better.
-So, congrats on the movie.
How do you feel about it?
-Well, I haven't seen it yet, but I feel amazing about it.
I have seen my part
and I am thrilled about this new interpretation.
You know, I'm thrilled that I get to play
the Whitney Houston part, as I call it.
-And the role that you're playing is iconic,
of course, and is being
played by numerous people.
Whitney Houston being
one of them. It's been interpreted in
many different ways on film and on stage.
What did you think
that you could bring to
the role that hadn't been brought to it before?
-Well, first of all, I'm a man.
And I am queer.
Those two things alone,
you know, with a gender-free,
gender-fluid sensibility
is magical. You know, magic has no gender.
That's been my, sort of, tagline
from the moment the ink was dry on the contract for me.
-Can you tell me a little bit about
how that came about?
You know, when you were approached for a role,
did you say, I will do it
only if it's genderless or what was the decision making?
-No, Kay Cannon had me in mind for the role
when she was rewriting it.
They sent me a script and,
you know, I said yes
before I even got
to my part.
-But was it important for you
that it was a genderless
character rather than being just a man?
-That wasn't even a part of
that wasn't even really a part of it
until we started conversations about what
the character looked like
You know, I don't even
know what you know, he, she, em, them, they,
it, ze, za I don't know. You know, like it just
it evolved inside of our conversations
and our, you know, preproduction work. Yeah.
-So, it wasn't something
that you came to the role thinking,
I want to do this?
And it wasn't something
that Kay came to you and said, I want to do this?
-No, it was just no, it was just organic.
It just organically became what it is. They wanted me.
And whatever version of
that that it ended up being is what she was
prepared to be happy with,
which is a gift in and of itself.
-And are you happy with where that ended up, you know,
was that something more that you wanted to do
with the character
or more progression that you wanted?
-No, it's pretty perfect
as far as I'm concerned, if I may say so myself.
-I think so. No, I agree.
And obviously there’s a a big debate at the moment
about queer characters
playing queer roles. What are your thoughts on that?
-You know, I do believe
in a cross, in an across the board way that
queer roles at this point
in the game, should be for queer actors.
The only reason why I feel that way so
strongly is because
queer people playing
straight roles is
not the same, we don't get the same,
we don't get the same
thought. We don't get the same opportunities in that way.
It's imbalanced.
I think the conversation is more for me about balance,
about the balance of that.
You know, we still
exist in a world
and it's changing and it has changed a lot.
And let me say that,
you know, because I want to speak
from the positive side
of things, there has been a lot of change,
the fact that I'm sitting
here having a conversation with you is that change.
So, I want to make sure
we say that and we still have a long way to go.
I personally don't care
whether I play a straight character or not
ever in my life again,
you know, because that conversation is rooted
and based in this idea that playing straight is better.
-Right.
-If you can play straight you’re better.
That's not true.
So, I have personally taken that off the table
for myself and for my own psyche.
It's not better.
It's just different.
-Yeah. And also with your role in this film
and your work on ‘Pose’, you've proven that
queer talent and also queer stories
that can be told and told successfully.
Do you think it's,
all that's had the impact
on Hollywood that you would have wanted it to have had?
-Yeah, I do.
I do feel like there has been a significant change.
You know, I and people like me and the cast of ‘Pose’
of all of that were at the
forefront of this change.
And, you know, we're in a space where
people in positions of power are open
to what that kind of change means.
You know, so, I just want to
take advantage of it and make sure that,
you know, I make the most of this moment
and we all make the most of this moment, and that,
you know, this kind of representation
is here to stay.
-So, do you feel like
people have sat up up and
have taken notice?
-Yeah, I mean, I do I do feel like, I do.
The short answer is I do.
And I want to make sure that that continues.
That energy continues.