CULTURE
The Houseboy Speaks
We talk superheroes, sex and iPod playlists with Nick May, the hot star of gay film, The Houseboy.
On the surface, Spencer Lee Schilly’s The Houseboy, which had its premiere at Dublin’s GAZE Film Festival last month, may look like just another gay rom com populated with hot, barely dressed guys, but scratch that surface an another film appears before your very eyes, one that deals with very serious issues, while keeping the hot guy barometer high.
Newcomer, Nick May plays Ricky, the third wheel in a relationship with two men in their 30s. When Ricky hears of their plans to replace him for Christmas, he sets out to find new love, while promising to commit suicide on Christmas Day.
We caught up with Nick to talk about his experience playing Ricky.
GCN.ie: Was it difficult playing the part of Ricky? What preparation did you do for the role?
Ricky was a character that I instantly connected with. I've never traveled the road of wanting to kill myself, but I think that every young person has had a time in their life where they need to be accepted for who they are, and to find out where they belong in the world.
Music was a big part of finding Ricky. I created a playlist on my iPod called ‘Songs To Kill Yourself By’. It was a compilation of mid-’90s über emo songs. Every day on my way to set I would listen to my iPod and get myself into Ricky's state of mind. I also started to spend a lot more time on my own as well. I'm a person who loves having other people around, but while I was filming I separated myself from a lot of my friends, and isolated myself, to better understand Ricky's loneliness.
And lastly, I was broken up with mid-filming, so that also helped me understand Ricky's emotional spiral.
What have audience reactions to the film been like?
It's so interesting because people react differently to it everywhere in the world. I've traveled to a bunch of different film festivals to do Q&As after the film, and sometimes people are crying during it. Other audiences laugh a lot, and some react as if it's a horror film whenever Ricky does something that's getting him in trouble.
Since its release on DVD in North America, though, I've been getting a ton of support from people who have seen the film and had a strong connection to it, which I love hearing about. That's why I was a part of the film, so that I could connect with people and evoke emotions.
What do you feel is the message of The Houseboy?
I feel that the main message is to love and respect yourself, and that even when times are tough, you're not alone.
Do you worry that because your performance in The Houseboy was so good, you run the risk of gay type-casting?
It has crossed my mind, but I try not to stop too long to think about things like that. I'm just going to grasp on to any great opportunities that come my way and see where it leads me.
On your myspace page there was a quiz to see which Power Ranger you are (you're White!). If you had your choice of onscreen superheroes, who would you like to play?
Superman, Spiderman, Iron Man, they've all been done. I'd like to be an original superhero. The first one that comes to mind isn't from a comic though, he’s from Perry Moore's novel Hero. I'd like a play Thom Creed, a young guy with the power to heal injuries for others instantly.
What's next for you?
I'm currently flipping through scripts and figuring out exactly what's next for me. I may be doing another feature in December. And I'd definitely like to come to Ireland in the next year. I have a ton of friends there and I’ve always wanted to visit.
You can purchase The Houseboy here