Nicholas Galitzine admits he feels conflicted playing LGBTQ roles as a straight actor as of late.
Galitzine, 29, who stars opposite of Anne Hathaway in the new romantic comedy The Idea of You, had many enamored in his role for Red, White & Royal Blue as gay British prince.
He also stars as another queer royal on the Starz series Mary & George.
Even in 2016, the star played as a closeted rugby player in the project titled Handsome Devil and his 2020 role in the The Craft: Legacy saw the actor as a bisexual in the film.
In an interview with British GQ for a GQ Hype cover story, Galitzine said, “I identify as a straight man, but I have been a part of some incredible queer stories. I felt a sense of uncertainty sometimes about whether I’m taking up someone’s space, and perhaps guilt.”
“At the same time,” he adds, “I see those characters as not solely their sexuality.”
Galitzine has also starred in films like Purple Hearts and Bottoms, and recently admitted to HuffPost U.K. “there’s sort of a plethora of reasons” he ends up in various queer roles.
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“One, I have so many friends within the community, and I know so many of them didn’t feel like they had these stories growing up,” he said.
“I think with all of these characters the thing that I find really intriguing as an actor is that underbelly of vulnerability and having to hide oneself,” said Galitzine. “I’m very interested in identity. … I think they’ve all just been really rich characters in of themselves.”
Galitzine plays the 24-year-old pop star who gets into an unlikely relationship with a 40-year-old divorced art dealer (Hathaway) in his latest film.
The star admitted to PEOPLE that “so much thought” when into “fame and its effect on love and relationships” plus “female pleasure” for the film.
Galitzine also spoke to the Hollywood Reporter on his audition with Hathaway who “was so open and so playful and that’s what I love about acting, that sense of play and collaboration. It is rare that you get that in the audition process. And to have someone who is such an amazing, incredible, huge star like Annie really open themselves up to you, it was very humbling.”
He also reflected on his time at a “boy band bootcamp” to prepare to play the lead singer in the band August Moon, joking, “They locked me in a room for hours and they just forced me to dance over and over and over again until I just engrained it.” He credited choreographer Danny Vitale for helping him “ground my body as sort of a dancer, in a way. I’m not a dancer by trade, I was an athlete and I think getting rid of a lot of that rigidity was a very important thing and really just being able to own a stage and sort of command a bit of a presence, I think.”
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In a conversation with What’s Trending, director Michael Showalter reflected on the two stars and their work ethic for the film.
“I love Anne, I’ve wanted to work with Anne for a long time and loved this premise.”
He went on to add, “Obviously Nick and Anne are two characters that are having a major love affair, so they are kind of kissing a lot and that kind of thing. But it never really felt weird. It always felt like work. They are both very professional but we tried to have fun.”
Showalter went on to admit, “It’s one of those things where you don’t feel the magic until you are editing it.” He also noted, “When you start to slow everything down and live with the performances you start to see some really magical moments.”
The Idea of You is now streaming on Prime Video.
