15 years ago, michaelurie was discouraged from coming out of the closet. Now, the actor is starring in Netflix’s first gay Christmas movie.
“We did go to serious places, we were able to tell some real stories and really focus on some truth,” Urie remembers ofand its early-aughts progressivism. “It was so diverse. The hero was a person of color and the villain was a woman of color.” Still, Urie remains aware of its flaws. “There’s some comedy racism that maybe wouldn’t fly today. There’s some comedy transphobia that certainly wouldn't fly today,” he notes.
was introduced as a villain, over time, Betty’s generosity and sincerity rubbed off on him, and quickly, the writers started to write the characterUrie. “When I saw the breakdown for the role, the entire description was ‘bitchy, gay assistant,’” Urie says. “I knew that the casting director had seen me do this Jacobean tragedy in a basement, where I was dressed sort of like David Bowie and played it up, essentially like a bitchy, gay guy, and that’s how I got the job.
ended, the actor says he has also noticed an evolution in the way gay characters are written elsewhere. “It’s very rare that I pick something up that’s set now, that’s modern, and the character’s problem is that he is gay,” he says. “There’s a lot more going on in the queer community now, and I’m excited about that kind of content. I also think we’re in this period of time where it’s going to [become] rarer and rarer that gay characters are played by straight people.
However, the actor cites the example of Adam Driver playing Louis in the 2011 Broadway revival of Tony Kushner’sas the rare instance of a straight actor playing gay that felt natural and inoffensive . He praises Driver’s simple approach, and his choice to not dramatically change his voice or body language to play the role. “He did not feel the need to put on any kind of airs that were not authentic to himself,” Urie says. “I’ve always admired that and really appreciated that about him.
After a moment of contemplation, Urie settles on one final thought about his place in the entertainment industry as a queer actor who has played queer roles: “The implication is that somehow it’s easy when you’re queer to play queer, and somehow it’s a great challenge when you’re a straight cis person playing [queer],” he says.
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