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Zachary Quinto has been doing multiple interviews to help promote the Netflix movie, The Boys In The Band. Quinto stars alongside an all-gay cast in the new, screen version of Mart Crowley’s seminal 1968 play of the same name.
Quinto first came to attention in the 2006 sci-fi drama Heroes, in which he appeared in all four seasons. In 2007, it was announced that he was to play Spock in the big-screen reboot of Star Trek.
He came out in 2011. Talking to Variety last week, he said that before this, he had concerns about revealing his sexuality.
“I did feel like me coming out would have potentially had an impact on my career and it wouldn’t have been a good one.”
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However, reading about young gay people killing themselves made him realize coming out could have a beneficial effect on others. He says he felt obliged to speak out.
“That was at a time when a lot of young gay kids were killing themselves around the country because of bullying. There was a huge spate of teen suicides that were happening.
“I just felt like I had an obligation at this point,” he said. “Having enjoyed a certain level of success, I felt like the hypocrisy was too much to bear for me to be enjoying this life that I had created for myself and not acknowledging my identity as a gay man. I felt like it was actively harming a group of young people who the choice to come out could benefit.”
Related: Zachary Quinto and Charlie Carver dish on wild, boozy gay parties in ‘The Boys in the Band’
He soon realized that times had changed and being an openly gay actor was not career suicide. He told The Telegraph in 2015, “I work more now than I ever did when I was in the closet and I’m doing a wider range and variety of roles than I ever did before I came out. I feel like that’s what I need to keep demanding of myself and what I need to keep demanding of the industry.”
Quinto starred in the Broadway revival of The Boys In The Band, before also signing up for the new movie version. Since its debut on Netflix last week, the movie has received an overwhelmingly positive response, earning an 80% critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes and an 84% audience score.
Perhaps surprisingly, Quinto revealed to Variety he’d still not seen the first movie adaptation of the play. William Friedkin (of The Exorcist fame) directed a version in 1970.
“When I got invited to do the play, I thought, ‘Well, I don’t want to watch it before we go into rehearsals,’” said Quinto. “And then I thought, ‘I’ll watch it when the play is over.’
“But then I went right into another job after the play was done. By the time I would have watched the movie, our movie was on the table. And so I thought, ‘Well, I don’t want to watch it now.’ So I’m going to wait until we’ve put it out into the world. I very much look forward to the experience.”
Related: Zachary Quinto splits with his boyfriend of six years, model Miles McMillan
rbernard
Zachary Quinto was terrific as Harold in Netflix’s “Boys in the Band”.
Anyone watching “Boys in the Band” movie that is younger than 60 needs to keep in perspective, the late 1960s was a different time, an oppressive time to be openly gay. We had no rights, apparently not much self esteem, and the scorn of most who didn’t understand us.
Both versions of “Boys in the Band” are entertaining, but are difficult movies to watch.
Yet the William Friedkin version I found to be too melodramatic, and a negative portrayal of gay men’s lives and how they treated their close friends – a period piece.
The Netflix version was warmer, captured the 60s vibe, the comradery of of a particular group of friends, and made you like the characters, without the fingers on the chalkboard effect William Friedkin wove into in his horror movie.
Matthewnow
Turned 60 today. Saw the movie decades ago in a “public” venue with other gay men. Was concerned about being raided and being found out. So comforted we have more human rights today. VOTE!!
Joshooeerr
So Quinto hasn’t seen the 1970 William Friedkin movie?! Sure, he hasn’t. His performance is virtually an homage to Leonard Frey’s performance in the same role. He’s styled to look almost identical to Frey. He adopts the same mannerisms, the same walk, the same delivery of lines. It’s not like any of this is suggested by the script. And there’s no way anyone arrives at an almost identical reading of a role by complete accident. It had to be a conscious decision, just as Mantello chose to pretty much replicate some of Friedkin’s direction, shot-for-shot.
Cam
I was thinking the same thing. His character is nearly identical to the one from the original movie. The only other possibility is that, the director saw the original and guided him, but when actors tell me they haven’t seen source material, I always think the same about them as I do when people make a HUGE deal about not having a TV. They mention something nobody cares about as if it’s a badge of honor.
smartguyd
Zachary Quinto is the male Ellen. A snobby entitled asshole who thinks being gay means he can be condescending to people he looks down on.