dishin' it

Actor Christian Weissmann on his dream TV reboot, dating secrets, and why he loves being bisexual

Photo Credit: Ryan Clemens

An actor on the rise, Christian Weissmann is a charming queer star who’s been popping up everywhere lately.

Between the Tubi original rom-com Crushed and guest spots on Netflix‘s Dear White People series and Peacock’s Saved By The Bell reboot, Weissmann’s becoming something of a streaming regular.

Later this year, he’ll have his splashiest role yet in Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, Netflix’s star-studded portrait of the infamous serial killer from super-producers Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan.

Related: Ryan Murphy, Evan Peters & Nicey Nash team on a new series about notorious gay killer

Meanwhile, Weissmann has been moonlighting as an op-ed writer for the Los Angeles Times, penning thoughtful essays about quarantine relationships and bisexuality’s place within the LGBTQ community, which prove he’s a multi-hyphenate to look out for in the coming years.

Weissmann recently took the time to connect with Queerty and be the inaugural subject for “Dishin’ It,” our new Q&A interview series where we talk to some of our favorite queer stars about, well, anything and everything!

Game to play along, he fielded our random questions to share stories about his longtime Hannah Montana stan-dom, explain why tennis kids become anxious adults, and ask what we’ve been wondering for years: Why wasn’t the butler in The Parent Trap gay?

1. Is there a piece of pop-culture—either a movie, TV series, book, album,  etc…—that you consider a big part of your coming-out journey? Why does  it stand out to you?  

WEISSMAN: There is so much that influenced me as a kid and aided in my coming-out story. I would say that Hannah Montana mania played a big part in my confidence as an adolescent. I wanted to become a popstar just like her—she was definitely a gay icon and very ahead of her time. I used to put on concerts in my living room for all who’d watch, performing the Hannah Montana: Best Of Both Worlds Tour entire setlist, front to back, choreo and all. Although, kids my age definitely made fun of me for it. So upon coming out, I got myself a Hannah Montana vinyl record and a t-shirt to commemorate that time and treat my inner child, as silly as it sounds.  

Also… Will And Grace. Definitely Will And Grace.  

2. Your new movie, Crushed, is all about the lengths we’ll go to win a crush’s affection. What’s an example of something embarrassing you’ve done to get a crush to notice you?

Oh boy. I had a secret lookout in the hills of LA with an incredible 360 view, that I would take dates to impress them. It’s quite embarrassing that I’ve taken multiple dates to the same exact spot… Hahaha. Note to self, find a new spot.  

3. Where’s one of the first places/spaces you can remember that made you  feel a part of a queer community?  

My acting class. I have a tight knit group of friends I would go to scene study with and those were some of the first people I came out to. The freedom of expression and zest for life everyone made me feel cushioned and protected to share my truth. I also felt very welcomed when working on my first piece for the LA Times with the editor, Rene Lynch. She handled my coming-out story with kid gloves and helped me find the conviction to tell my experiences authentically. 

4. Since you’ve had roles in the the Saved By The Bell and Boy Meets World reboots, if you could reboot and star in any other show from the past, what would it be and why?  

I know the answer right away: Gilmore Girls, 100%. I’m sad I only discovered it in the last few years, but I think it’s one of the greatest, most comforting shows ever made. I’m sad I missed the reboot in 2016, but I would give my left leg to be on another one of them. I often daydream about living in Stars Hollow, reading books, drinking copious amounts of coffee, and somehow always having a cute boyfriend like Rory did. Ooh, or The Nanny!

5. Who is a queer artist, performer, or creator that you think is doing really cool work right now? Why are they someone we should all be paying attention to?

Oh, there’s so many! Michelle Zauner (from Japanese Breakfast), first and foremost. A bisexual icon. She puts out incredible music and released a full length memoir, Crying In H-Mart, an exquisite depiction of grief and complex relationships. Everyone should be paying attention to her. I also love Arlo Parks! Oh, and the king of queer history, Eric Cervini! Eric is doing incredible work for the LGBTQIA+ community and debunking all the myths/fallacies about the queer experience. He’s one to watch. Everyone needs to check out his projects.  

6. You wrote a really great piece for the Los Angeles Times about bisexuality and its role in the queer community. In your opinion, what’s the best part about being bisexual?  

Thank you! That piece was a massive deal for me, it felt like taking my clothes off in front of every person that I’ve ever met all at once. Terrifying. But the actual experience was incredibly special.  

I feel that being bisexual/queer helped me challenge the tropes of heteronormativity. The binary view of seeing men as one way and woman as another was quickly debunked because I realized, when dating more than one gender, people are more or less the same… perfectly imperfect, flawed humans. 

All individuals are complicated and unique on their own. Gender should not be forcefully attached to their attributes to have to describe them.

7. Who’s a fictional character that definitely feels gay to you and tell us why.  

Uhhh… Martin (the butler) from The Parent Trap. Why did they put him and Chessie together? I’m still confused to this day. They both deserved to live out their queer dreams. 

8. And our final question is a segment we like to call “Explain Yourself,” in which we ask you to explain the story behind one of your random social media posts. So, tell us: What’s the story behind this tweet, “the tennis team kids to anxious attachment adults is my favorite pipeline”?  Is that a “pipeline” you went through yourself? Why do tennis team kids become anxious adults?

Oh my god, haha… I tweeted this after playing tennis with my friend. We were talking about how we both grew up playing the sport extensively as kids, and the drills, camps and coaches were insanely tough. Even if you were doing an amazing job, you could have always “done better.” The pipeline describes how that sort of wild intensity at a young age definitely makes for an adult with anxious, attachment style. It’s very on the nose. I’m sure kids that grew up in dance feel the same.

Christian Weissmann signs off with a selfie–just for Queerty!
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