The Boys In The Band Cast: Real-Life Couples
"The Boys In The Band" once again moved from Broadway to our screens thanks to Ryan Murphy and Netflix, and we just can't get enough of its fabulous all-gay cast.
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Viewers of "The Boys In The Band" may know the stars for what they see on the surface, but die-hard fans understand what is happening in the actor's real lives. Here's a look at what they are.
ZACHARY QUINTO AS HAROLD
You know the actor from "Star Trek," "Heroes," and "American Horror Story," but now, Zachary Quinto is bringing "The Boys In The Band" to Netflix, together with his Broadway co-stars.
Although he had long been known as an active supporter of gay rights and organizations, Zachary's own coming out was catalyzed by 14-year-old gay activist and YouTuber Jamey Rodemeyer in 2011.
Zachary Quinto / Photo:Getty Images
"It became clear to me in an instant that living a gay life without publicly acknowledging it - is simply not enough to make any significant contribution to the immense work that lies ahead on the road to complete equality," the actor wrote on his blog, as told by The Hollywood Reporter.
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Quinto dated a fellow actor Jonathan Groff for a couple of years, but they quit in 2013. Zachary reportedly had a fling with Jesse Tyler Ferguson. Although both actors admitted they never dated, they enjoyed the rumor instead.
Zachary Quinto / Photo:Getty Images
Quinto's most recent love story featured model and musician Miles McMillan. The couple dated for more than five years before they broke up amicably in early 2019. While he has reportedly been single since the break-up, fans claimed a new couple alert this January.
ROBIN DE JESÚS AS EMORY
He was the only one in the cast to get a Tony nomination for "The Boys In The Band" play in 2019, but his portrayal of Emory almost didn't happen. When Robin was offered the part, he was busy with rehearsals for another play, "Homos."
Zachary Quinto and Brandon Flynn / Photo:Getty Images
De Jesus thought that his chance to join the all-star, all-gay cast was missed for good, but fortunately, the timing for Ryan Murphy's hit changed.
For Robin, who used to play humiliated gay characters, portraying the brave campy queen was truly liberating, and being in the company of very out and proud gay men helped a lot:
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"It became so meaningful to be in that group because I tapped into that pride, and it gave me permission to take up my space," he said in an interview.
Robin de Jesús / Photo:Getty Images
As for his love life, Robin is reportedly single. He admitted to having had a couple of heartbreaks in the past, but they helped him to become confident about himself as a lover.
De Jesús also revealed that Wade Robson was his first celebrity crush. As for "The Boys In The Band" cast, Andrew Rannells is the one who makes him laugh the most.
ANDREW RANNELLS AS LARRY
You probably remember him as Elijah from "Girls" or Bryan from "The New Normal," but Andrew Rannells' career of over 30 years spreads much further than TV.
He's made a name for himself in theater, anime, and animation. He played a stripper in both "The Bachelorette" and in "Sex and the City," but those are not roles he's embarrassed about.
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Andrew Rannells / Photo:Getty Images
His upcoming big project is another collaboration with Ryan Murphy - Netflix's icon-packed adaptation of "The Prom" musical. The crew and cast, including Meryl Streep, Nicole Kidman, and James Corden, managed to finish shooting during COVID so that we can all have a good story for Christmas.
As for Rannells' love life, we were excited to know that his on-stage romance with Tuc Watkins moved to real life. Yes, the actors became an Instagram official couple one years ago, and they look adorable together.
In addition to playing partners in "The Boys In The Band," Rannells and Watkins starred in Showtime's Black Monday together, and things turned hot on set.
TUC WATKINS AS HANK
Before becoming Andrew Rannells' on-stage boyfriend, Watkins was mainly known for his TV roles in the soap operas "One Life to Live" and "Desperate Housewives." He appeared in thirty-something other series, including "General Hospital," "Baywatch," and "Parks and Recreation."
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Tuc Watkins / Photo:Getty Images
As for "The Boys In The Band," Watkins believes that the play and the movie stand as a critical, vital portrait of the toll prejudice takes on both a personal and societal level.
"When you've got a leading man saying 'Here's who I am, and I'm still working, or I get to work not despite that but because of it, that is the turn of events, that changes the zeitgeist," he said.
Now 54, Watkins came out as gay only seven years ago in his interview with Marie Osmond. By that time, the actor had already welcomed twins Catchen and Curtis via a surrogate. The kids will turn 8 in December, and meanwhile, they enjoy spending time with their dad Tuc and his boyfriend, Andrew.
MATT BOMER AS DONALD
Matt Bomer is a cousin of Courteney Cox and a distant cousin of Justin Timberlake. He made a name for himself with numerous TV and film credits, starting with soap operas "All My Children" and "Guiding Light."
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Matt Bomer / Photo:Getty Images
Matt's most prominent works on television were in the series "White Collar," "The Last Tycoon," and "American Horror Story."
He shared the big screen with Channing Tatum in "Magic Mike" and played opposite Jim Parsons in "The Normal Heart." However, the actor admitted that being an openly gay man in Hollywood came at a cost, and "The Boys In The Band" became a truly freeing experience.
Matt Bomer / Photo:Getty Images
To a person who grew up in an ultra-conservative religious family, coming out was a challenging thing. Bomer used to avoid commenting on his relationship or sexuality allegations until he publicly came out in 2012.
The actor secretly married publicist Simon Halls in 2011 and revealed it only three years later. Together the couple is raising three teenage kids conceived through surrogacy.
CHARLIE CARVER AS COWBOY
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The youngest in the cast, 32-year-old Charlie Carver, has had quite a remarkable year so far. Recently, he played the sweetest hospital worker Huck Finnigan in "Ratched," alongside Sarah Paulson.
He was also cast in the next "Batman" movie alongside Robert Pattinson and Colin Farrell, so 2021 will be huge for the actor.
Charlie Carver / Photo:Getty Images
Carver was a child actor, and together with his identical twin brother Max, they appeared in "Desperate Housewives," "Teen Wolf," and "The Leftovers." He also had solo roles in "Hawaii Five-0" and "The League," while his brother appeared in "The Office" and "Victorious."
As for his role of Cowboy in "The Boys In The Band," Carver confessed to initially feeling very insecure and not "hunky" enough for the part, but it led him down an essential path of self-discovery. He said:
"I was forced to confront that shit head-on. I had to find a different way into the character and then trust that it was enough."
Charlie Carver and Max Carver at the 2013 San Diego Comic Con International / Gage Skidmore / CC BY-SA 2.0 / flickr.com
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The actor came out in 2016 through a post on his Instagram, and he's never regretted that decision. Carver was grateful for the support from fans and champions like Ryan Murphy, who opened the doors for him. Reportedly, Charlie is single now, and it's no wonder considering his work commitments.
JIM PARSONS AS MICHAEL
Although Jim Parsons played Sheldon Cooper on "The Big Bang Theory" for 12 years, the actor keeps proving to us that he's so much more than his famous sitcom role.
Jim Parsons at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards on September 15, 2019 / Photo:Getty Images
Parsons' dramatic roles include the movies "Hidden Figures" and the highly-praised "The Normal Heart," where he shared the screen with Matt Bomer, as well as Netflix's mini-series "Hollywood," where Parsons was also a producer.
His most recent role of party host Michael is played with masterful sensitivity, and Parsons calls "The Boys In The Band" movie the deepest experience he's ever had in front of the camera.
Jim Parsons / Photo:Getty Images
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The actor's character is the only one in the group who hates his gayness, reflecting the culture where homosexuality is not celebrated.
"Happy as I am, I'm still working out the fear I grew up with: that by revealing who I really am, I will somehow lose the love of the people who are important to me," he shared.
As for his personal life, Parsons confirmed that he was gay in an interview with The New York Times in 2012. Just like some of his colleagues, he was afraid to do so earlier as he did not want his coming out to influence his career.
In 2017 he married his partner of 14 years, producer Todd Spiewak, and sounded a bit like Sheldon when he called their relationship "an act of love, coffee in the morning, going to work, washing the clothes, taking the dogs out - a regular life, boring love."
MICHAEL BENJAMIN WASHINGTON AS BERNARD
The only African American in the set of gay friends, Washington had the critical mission of bringing up race issues in the LGBTQ story, and he nailed it.
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Michael Benjamin Washington attends the 73rd Annual Tony Awards / Getty Images
You may know him as Donald from "30 Rock," Ruben from "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt," and most recently as Trevor from Netflix's "Ratched."
Michael Benjamin became a real firecracker on the stage, with his impeccable acting in "Mamma Mia!," "La Cage Aux Folles," "Fires in The Mirror," and many other plays.
Currently, Washington is writing a play about Dr. Maya Angelou and preparing for his role in an upcoming TV movie, "American Auto." As for "The Boys In The Band," Michael is very curious about the audience's feedback. As he said:
"It's very important to see how [the film is] received, that's a real barometer of where culture, society, and civilization is - particularly American civilization."
The actor said he never hid who he was, his sexuality was always visible, yet he keeps his private life away from the media.
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BRIAN HUTCHISON AS ALAN
Brian Hutchison has made numerous guest appearances in popular TV shows, including "Jessica Jones," "Law & Order," "Madam Secretary," and "The Sinner." He has worked both on and off-Broadway in New York and at major regional theaters.
While Hutchison knew that everyone would hate his character, he felt that the role of Alan suited him best. He said:
"I really have such empathy for his journey and his denial, and the inability to move forward with his life."
Brian Hutchison / Photo:Getty Images
In addition to acting, Brian is a SOVA award-winning narrator who has recorded over 150 audiobooks. Apart from that, Hutchison is a professional photographer who shoots publicity headshots, portraits, landscapes, and architecture.
Although Brian is quite a secretive person, he does not hide his partner from social media. The actor has been happily married to real estate agent Ron Maggio since 2018. Another frequent visitor on Hutchison's Instagram is his 13-year-old ginger dog, Jake.
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