There was a time when playing gay in Hollywood was career suicide. Boy, how that has changed.
Now, playing a gay porn star isn’t even seen as very shocking. Just ask former Disney Channel star Garrett Clayton.
The Teen Beach Movie actor plays Sean Lockhart, aka Brent Corrigan, in the highly anticipated new film King Cobra.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Clayton discusses some of the more, erm, challenging parts of the role.
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Actually, he almost didn’t take the part to begin with.
“Honestly, when I first read the script for this movie I thought, you know, like, ‘I’m not doing this,'” he revealed.
But writer/direct Justin Kelly convinced him that the project was worthwhile, and from what we’ve heard — he was onto something.
Then again, that didn’t mean the shoot was a breeze.
Related: James Franco And Keegan Allen Work Up A Sweat In New “King Cobra” Clip
When you’re playing a porn star, it’s understandable things are going to get physical on set.
“The day I found very challenging was — there’s a montage in the movie where Sean/Brent is becoming from a porn actor to a porn star, and I got to work one day and there was eight men sitting outside of set and they’re like ‘alright these are the people that will be in the montage with you,” Clayton recalled.
“That was a very difficult day, to be almost a little bit more manhandled by a bunch of strangers. Being touched by one stranger alone is a lot, let alone eight, and you’re like, pulling your clothes off, and you have to sell it. It was at the end of that day that I remember calling my mom and I was like, ‘I don’t know if I can do this.'”
Watch the interview, which also features Kelly in an enviable sparkle-jacket talking about James Franco in a cock-sock, below:
Bob LaBlah
Forgive me for being so blunt but by now a release date is what should be announced instead of reports and snippets that should have been released at least two months ago. At this rate by the time it gets released all interest by a movie ticket buying public will be lost. Lets not forget last years disaster called Stonewall.
Warner27
“I remember calling my mom and I was like, ‘I don’t know if I can do this.’” ????
Boy, you are a well paid actor. Get over it, do the job or find another job
Stache
What a complete pussy. Mommy come get me!! These men are like touching me.
Like the director said. He knew in advance what he was getting into. It’s the gay stuff that weirds him out.
I’m sure his agent sold him on it though.
zaneymcbanes
I can sympathize that the day was something different for him and made him uncomfortable. I did a quick scan through his IMDB page, it doesn’t look like he’s done anything like this movie before, so I’m sure just filming sex scenes was probably odd. But I think he should also check his privilege. Women are asked to do this thing all the time. Gay men are asked to act in heterosexual sex scenes. It’s acting. He agreed to the script. We’ve heard so many straight actors given star making roles in gay media tell us how they loathed even touching another man. It’s 2016. Check your privilege. Do the job you signed up for.
Stache
What I don’t understand is that there’s a million actors out there who would love to get their hands on this role. Nope. We gotta find the cry baby one that’s all freaked out over the icky gay stuff because some agent thinks he’s the next star. Why are some of these assholes so damned privileged and others more fitting completely ignored?
Bo Dan
It’s totally understandable with his discomfort especially if all he did was Disney Channel type stuff before. Just because you’re mentally aware of what you’re getting into, doesn’t mean it won’t be difficult or uncomfortable to get into in the moment.
I’m sure there are many guys who can do the 8 guys thing no problem but when it comes to having to carry in someone else’s entire life into it, Way more difficult to do. Acting is definitely not simple even for the ones who have won Oscars. It makes me want to know more about his life experiences and how that clashes with totally different experiences that he probably never imagine himself to be a part of.
Baba Booey Fafa Fooey
@Stache: Exactly, and not only that, there are million openly gay male actors that would love a part like this and yet they all go to straight (or proclaimed) straight actors. It is inconceivable for filmmakers to cast gay men in gay roles. Yet, we get these a tors who bitch about the gay context and plot. I’m not seeing this stupid film.
MarionPaige
Clayton seems really tired in that clip, like he had been up all night promoting the movie. Really,
The clip attached to this article shows some of the best “acting” and the hardest work these people have done for “King Cobra”. I mean, seriously,
Uwe Boll’s movies have better production values than King Cobra. Taking King Cobra seriously and taking the time to promote the movie has to be hard work for these actors. But then, you know what?
Christian Slater was actually in at least one Uwe Boll movie – “Alone In The Dark”.
Baba Booey Fafa Fooey
@MarionPaige: Tiredness = homophobic tantrums?
MarionPaige
@MarionPaige: “The clip attached to this article shows some of the best “acting” and the hardest work these people have done for “King Cobra”. I mean, seriously”
To Prove My Point,
There is another clip (a group discussion at deadline.com with Clayton, Slater, Franco and Kelly) in which Clayton says exactly the same thing in exactly the same way. http://deadline.com/2016/04/james-franco-christian-slater-king-cobra-video-justin-kelly-tribeca-film-festival-1201740370/
Bauhaus
Garrett Clayton should have eaten a box of ex~lax at the end of that day. Constipated!
scotty
@Warner27:
evidently not that well paid. his education will come in time. but yeah you’re an actor, at least act mature.
Billy Budd
He is a sissy. Not brave enough to act in a normal movie. Gay sex is normal.
AlliterationAddict
In fairness, I would feel really awkward if I had to feel up a bunch of girls. I don’t know, it would just feel kind of weird.
Captain Obvious
Oh please with that phat ass fit for a queen. Boy is a bottom, freaks out cause it felt too real, and the world is supposed to care?
Straight guys don’t actually gay panic. Only closeted gay ones do. And an actor would know it’s not real in the first place.
AtticusBennett
yet another reason i wish people would, you know, consider casting actually and openly gay people as actually and openly gay characters
Louis
I really wish my comments would post I really dont understand why they wont .
Smh.
Louis
Im tired of this guy his constant immaturity and clear intolerance is a huge turn off.
He can screw off if he cant educate himself and he comes across in this way then thats on him not us.
He clearly has a lot of maturing and growing and educating to do period.
I really do wish they would hire more LGBT members to portray roles like this.
I am so tired of hearing these insensitive and very disrespectful straight men always whining about taking roles like this one.
If you didnt want the role you shouldnt have taken it in the first place.
Yet another slap in our face hiring yet ANOTHER clearly intolerant and bigoted straight guy to play a GAY role.
Hollywood is so moronic.