When gay marriage was legalized in the U.S. in 2015—after years of hard work and advocacy—the flippant response was that, now, we better prepare ourselves for gay divorce.
Of course, “same-sex divorce” is very much a reality (albeit at a slightly lower rate than hetero couples!), and has even come for some of our most-high profile gay marriages this past year: Lukas Gage and Chris Appleton, Ricky Martin and Jwan Yusef, and Billy Porter and Adam Smith.
Coincidentally, the recently single Porter is the star of this year’s Our Son, one of the first movies to bring a gay divorce to the big screen.
Porter plays Gabriel, a former actor who takes on most of the stay-at-home dad duties for 8-year-old son Owen (Christopher Woodley), while his husband Nicky (Luke Evans) devotes much of his time to his stressful job in the publishing industry.
Years into their marriage, Gabriel finally accepts that he’s been unhappy for quite some time, and decides to file for divorce. Though they agree to navigate the separation amicably, complications over co-parentage lead the two toward a custody battle that “forces both of them to confront the changing reality of their love for each other and for their son.”
In other words, Our Son sounds a bit like Kramer Vs. Kramer—but make it gay.
The film, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival this past summer and currently has an 85% approval rating on RottenTomatoes, looks to be a great showcase for both Porter and Evans. Porter’s done his fair share of dramatic acting before—and stage and on Pose—though this role is much more somber and interior than we’re used to from him.
Meanwhile, Evans is no stranger to blockbusters (including Beauty And The Beast, as well as The Hobbit and Fast & Furious franchises), but Our Son lets him play it grounded and human, not to mention it’s one of the first gay roles the out actor.
Related*
Luke Evans reveals why he’s never played gay in films… until now
The out 44-year-old actor is opening up about taking his first queer movie role.
Of course, you can’t put two powerhouse vocalists together and not have them sing. While their characters don’t duet at any point in the movie, Porter and Evans did record an original number for the film called “Always Be My Man,” which we hope will see an official release soon.
Elsewhere in Our Son is Broadway babe Andrew Rannells, AHS: NYC hottie Isaac Cole Powell, Big Little Lies‘ Robin Weigert, and former Cosby Show matriarch Phylicia Rashad as Gabriel’s mother.
After playing a handful of film festivals this fall, Our Son heads to select theaters on December 8 and then will be available for digital rental or purchase beginning December 15.
Watch the trailer below:
Related*
Billy Porter recalls his anger at his record label giving one of his songs to Celine Dion
Porter released an R&B-influenced debut album in 1997.
KissBananaPeels
Where are TWO Black gay men???
Aaron
Gay white film financiers don’t relate to gay films without a white lead.
Kangol2
That would be interesting but it would get little play beyond the film festival circuit, though these days it might end up on BET+ or even Netflix, Max, AppleTV+, Prime Video, Criterion, etc.
KissBananaPeels
EVERY minority in the movie (via the trailer) is partnered with a WHITE MAN….THIS NEEDS TO STOP…
Openminded
Are you saying Minorities should be segregated to their “own” people? What happened to the dream of being color blind and sexual orientation acceptance? You sound like a minority member who won’t be satisfied no matter what is achieved.
Kangol2
Openminded, he’s asking whether Whiteness always has to be centered. Do you even grasp what that means? Would it be too hard to show a couple featuring an Asian American and a non-White Latino men, say? Or a Black man and an Arab man? Let alone two Black men or two Asian American men, etc. These couples do exist. And in parts of the US, “minorities” are the majority. Given your grossly racist comment about all Black people below, though, you clearly have no clue.
Openminded
Kanglo, When roughly 50% of the population are white, statistically, there will be one white person in each couple. Obviously, not the rule, just the math. Add to that that movies have to walk the fine line of appealing to the widest audience possible to be profitable, one should expect to see exactly what we see on the big screen today. As for your opinion on my comment below, not all statements about minorities are racists.
Baron Wiseman
I’m sure there is an audience for this movie, but it won’t be me. Perhaps these two actors have chemistry on-screen, but it seems like a mismatch.
I’m not a big Billy Porter fan, mainly due to his “look at me” persona. However, I thought he perfectly cast in ‘Pose’ and was exceptional in that role (which is the only one I’ve seen him in).
dbmcvey
I’m sure everyone is devastated.
And really? You’re not a Billy Porter fan? Shocking.
Baron Wiseman
@dbmcvey
In your effort to cancel and marginalize me, you stated you were no longer going to respond to my posts. When exactly does that take place?
dbmcvey
What does “cancel” mean Baron Oxymoron?
You post so much on this site. You are keeping it alive all by yourself.
And yet, you’re still a liar who has never typed an honest word.
Baron Wiseman
@dbmcvey
You didn’t answer my question. When are you going to stop responding to my posts like you promised? In writing, please. Thank you
dbmcvey
Billy does seem to trigger the conservatives. He’s done it with Oxymoron here.
inbama
@Baron Wiseman
Both dbmcvey and her sockpuppet abfab are liars.
That they gave you their word they would stop harassing you means absolutely nothing.
As for Porter’s character in the film, I’ve known big queens like that all my life. They can be entertaining, but they are also constantly seeking attention and fishing for compliments. Relationships with them are exhausting.
And that was before fools started placating their narcissism with they/them pronouns.
abfab
”Our word”? You’re pathetic bama.
Openminded
Baron, show me a gay black person who doesn’t have a “look at me” persona. There’s nothing wrong with it. Black people tend to be a little “louder” and “prouder” (gay or straight) than us uptight white folks. Once you realize and accept that black people typically tell it like it is and don’t back down from their beliefs, you will find that Porter is just another person who refuses to be put in the corner. I’d imagine black folks need less therapy because they usually call it like they see it and get it off their chests instead of internalizing their feelings like so many of us do. As a side note, loud and proud doesn’t always mean that person is right, as shown by BananaPeels rant above.
Baron Wiseman
@Openminded
The last person I dated, for about a year, was black and did not have a “look at me” persona.
abfab
A whole year? Oh that poor bastard.
Kangol2
I’m glad someone responded to Openminded’s grotesquely racist comment though it’s disappointing that no one called him/them out for how grotesquely racist the comment was. When you lump hundreds of MILLIONS of people (i.e. all the “Black” people on this earth, let alone the 45+ million in the US alone) together under some horribly racist, misguided categorization, you really need to be called out. Of course Ronbo, who is always calling for civility, etc., said nothing, though should anybody be surprised?
dbmcvey
Inbama calling someone else a sock puppet. Pot, meet kettle.
Openminded
Kanglo, I made no racists comments. I made some general stereotyped comments, none of which were hateful. Of course when the vast majority of commenters here make hateful comments about ALL Republicans, which is also lumping at least a third the American population together, that’s acceptable stereotyping? I’m not claiming anyone here should agree with or like a Republican but that doesn’t mean it’s o.k. to lump us all together.
storm45701
Oh god, Porter will have a meltdown if he isn’t nominated for an Oscar. Worse, if he is nominated, and doesn’t win, the hissy fit will never end.
abfab
Let us know when YOUR hissy fit ends.
Diplomat
Absies,
You are the original walking talking hissy fit. Don’t let anyone crowd your drippy dark cloud.
abfab
zzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Diplomat
The poopie baby is sleeping. That’s music to our ears.
1967Man
It’s difficult to decide which Billy is more unwatchable, Eichner or Porter.
abfab
Life is hard.
Diplomat
That’s easy. Eichner hands down.
Aaron
Billy Eichner is insufferable.
Kangol2
Porter can sing (Cole Porter and any other composer of note, including himself), while Eichner is unbearable.
dbmcvey
They’re both great. But, I know there will always be bitter gay men who resent other successful gay men.
Diplomat
Only the seriously obnoxious and repulsives like you. Particularly you with your women hating issues.
dbmcvey
Hey diplo, did you just type random words there?
lather
I thought Billy Porter was quite good in Pose. One scene in particular where it was a dream sequence and he was singing to AIDS patients in the hospital was simply brilliant. He was amazing.
I couldn’t even name you a film Luke Evans was in, though he seems quite good in the trailer. I don’t see the chemistry between Porter and Evans either, though they both seem to have chemistry with other members of the cast. Andrew Rannels always steals the scene for me. And no, he’s not my type at all, but damn, he walks into the room and I can’t keep my eyes off of him. 🙂
abfab
YES! POSE was great. The dream sequence and all!
Diplomat
Porter does deliver for sure. Evans doesn’t catch my stare at all. I might take this movie in but not sure I won’t trapes on to another channel. I don’t believe this duo has believability.
dbmcvey
I’m always so impressed with how he was out and proud from the beginning of his career. He never lied about who he is.
SDR94103
porter the ABW.
jaugustrichards
I think it looks great!
Kangol2
This film looks pretty formulaic but given the two leads and the fact that it’s about a gay couple, I will watch it. Now, how about a film in which a 30/40/50-year old gay father with a kid or kids–they exist!–falls in love with a single 30/40/50 gay man–they exist!–and we see the ins and outs of their relationship? And what if the relationship…lasted! Would that be such a stretch? I know of several men in this various configuration. It’s not science fiction, so let’s step outside the box, gay screenwriters and filmmakers, please!
dbmcvey
How many movies have you seen about a gay couple divorcing?