Odin Biron may not be a household name here in the United States, but hop over to Russia and he’s one of the country’s hottest television actors.
The 30-year-old Minnesota man has made a name for himself starring on the popular medical sitcom Interns, the Russian version of Scrubs. The show attracts an average of 3.7 million viewers per episode and is a huge hit among Russian audiences.
The sitcom also stars Ivan Okhlobystin, the awful homophobe who, in 2013, said that all gay people should be put into an oven and burned alive, among other terrible things. Which puts Biron in an especially awkward position.
In an interview published in New York Magazine, Biron speaks candidly about what it’s like to be a closeted gay heartthrob in a notoriously antigay country.
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Biron has kept his sexuality a closely-guarded secret since joining the cast of Interns five years ago. His family and close friends in both the United States and Russia know he’s gay. So do a few of his television colleagues. But other than that, he’s never spoken publicly about it.
“I’ve never lied,” he says. “Journalists ask, ‘What do you think of Russian women?’ ‘Well, Russian women are beautiful.’ ‘Do you have a girlfriend right now?’ ‘No, I don’t.’”
Biron first arrived in Russia at 20, enrolling in a study-abroad semester at the legendary Moscow Art Theatre. He quickly found work in the professional theater scene. In 2010, he landed a role on Interns.
After Okhlobystin, who Biron describes as a friend, made those hateful comments about gay people in 2013, Biron says he felt like he’d been “punched in the gut.”
“I wanted to go to the station and make a statement that I would no longer work there if Ivan Okhlobystin’s going to be working at this station,” he says.
But he didn’t. In part, he says, because he didn’t think it would have much of an impact. Also, he’s never been very good at confrontation.
“[That’s] just not the way I want to operate,” he explains. “That’s the way things operate in the States. That’s not what this country needs. This country needs dialogue.”
He also considered quitting Interns and leaving Russia in a show of protest, but ultimately decided that wasn’t the solution either.
Biron realized he was in a unique position, as a beloved public figure, to help change people’s minds. Talking openly about his sexuality, he says, is “forcing my hand, and maybe that’s a good thing.”
So that’s what he’s doing. And he’s starting by speaking to New York Magazine. He says he has no idea what the repercussions will be when the Russian public learns he’s gay, but just to be on the safe side, he has a backup plan.
Last year, he signed a lease on an apartment in Minneapolis and enrolled in culinary school because enjoys baking bread. If his acting career in Russia can’t survive his coming out, he says he may open a restaurant, or a theater, or, perhaps, a dinner theater. He’s not sure yet, but he’ll likely have a better idea in a few weeks when he begins shooting the sixth season of Interns.
Until then, his focus is on his bread.
“I love,” he says, “how much thought you can put into one simple loaf.”
h/t: Vulture
Related stories:
Russian “Scrubs” Actor Wants Gays Burned Alive; News Anchor Wants us Burned Dead
A Brief History Of Russian Violence Against LGBTs
Putin Claims Russia Has No Issue With Gay People, You’re Nuts For Thinking So
PRINCE OF SNARKNESS aka DIVKID
Damn, that neck looks soooo chewable!
Charlie in Charge
Spasiba.
vive
@PRINCE OF SNARKNESS aka DIVKID, he does have a nice neck, doesn’t he?
orcanyc
Sending you love and support.
Alan down in Florida
Odd that his fallback position does not include continuing as an actor.
jwtraveler
@PRINCE OF SNARKNESS aka DIVKID: @vive: After reading this, all you can talk about is his neck! IDIOTS!
jwtraveler
I hope his popularity will have a positive effect on perceptions of gay people in Russia, but I suspect he has a culinary career in his future.
MinnesotaNotNice
Aww, to hell with Russia, come back home to Minnesota now! I’m sure we could find some work for you at the Guthrie.
[email protected]
What a smart man! I wish him the best.
robho3
Girl better be careful.
Cam
Honestly, he needs to be careful. Chances are he’s already been fired from the show and could be arrested when he returns to Russia for “Propaganda”.
Billy Budd
He is cute and will succeeed anyway.
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
I wanna play Doctor with him…………………
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
@PRINCE OF SNARKNESS aka DIVKID:
@vive:
What are you guys fanboys of Fritz Haarmann??????
Derek Williams
Best of luck!
Captain Obvious
@PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS: Seconded.
NoCagada
He looks like he’s be the brother of CLOSET CASE Aaron Schock.
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
@NoCagada:
Ok, we can take turns being the “attending”………. :p
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
@PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS:
Sry wrong reply!
@Captain Obvious:
Meant that one for you, ya know about being the “attending”…… :[
tdh1980
Well, Queerty, if nothing else comes from this story, your next Homo Erotica feature just might: necks.
Paul Nadolski
If he ever wants to come back home to Minnesota, I’d be happy to help him stay warm on those long, cold winter nights. 🙂
vive
@PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS, @jwtraveler, @Captain Obvious,
Jeez, you perverts. He has a neck that looks especially nice to nuzzle, that’s all.
drivendervish
From what I know about Russia Odin has probably lost his job. But I have so much more respect for him than I do for twin brothers who you can tell are gay from 100 yards away videotaping coming out to their liberal dad on the telephone and then flogging it so hard on social media they get interviewed on Ellen!