‘Queer’s’ Daniel Craig and Drew Starkey talk straight actors playing gay roles

Daniel Craig and Drew Starkey, stars of Luca Guadagnino’s drama ‘Queer’, have shared their thoughts on whether straight actors should portray gay roles.

The anticipated film is adapted from William S. Burroughs’ semi-autobiographical 1986 novel. It features James Bond icon Daniel Craig as William Lee, a U.S.A. expat struggling with addiction and on the run in 1950s Mexico City. There, he encounters Eugene Allerton, a character played by Drew Starkey, known for his role in ‘Love, Simon’.

Initially, as ‘MSN’ writes, Eugene is uninterested in William’s awkward advances, but eventually, he gives in, leading to a complicated and intense romance that culminates in a psychedelic scene in the South American jungle.

While the film delves into themes of hidden desires, isolation, and substance abuse, the explicit sex scenes are the main focus of discussions and social media buzz. A notable aspect is that Craig and Starkey, both straight men, are portraying explicitly gay characters. In interviews with Variety ahead of the film's release, both actors rejected the notion that queer roles should be exclusively filled by LGBTQ+ actors, with Craig noting that the film transcends its exploration of sexuality.

Starkey remarked, “It wasn’t part of the audition process,” and pointed out that Guadagnino “didn’t ask us the intricacies of our sexuality.” Craig emphasized that he wasn’t dismissing the conversation about acting roles and sexuality, stating his trust in Guadagnino’s direction.

“There’s a trust in the director, and a trust in the process,” Craig explained, highlighting the story’s universal themes that aim to resonate with a wide audience. “The movie’s not defined by that. I genuinely don’t think it is. Other people see it differently, that’s up to them.”

In a previous discussion, Starkey shared that he had “no hesitation” about playing a queer character, viewing the role and the opportunity to work alongside Craig as a “blessing.”

Conversely, Craig indicated that he didn’t see it as his “responsibility” to represent the LGBTQ+ community, noting, “I’m not sure that I can take on, I don’t think that’s my place. That’s too big a thing for anybody to take on,” as he mentioned to the Associated Press last month.

Despite neither actor having strong objections to participating in gay sex scenes, they seemed to enjoy the experience. Craig humorously revealed to Variety that the screenplay's depiction of semen involved a “secret recipe.” He quipped, “I think there may have been a lot more at one point, but it’s still there. It’s a little Easter egg.” Addressing whether it was genuine, he added, “There’s a whole story attached to that. It’s a very, very secret recipe.”

Although a bit difficult to digest, Guadagnino disclosed that a “sperm” scene initially shot for the movie’s opening was edited out. “There was a shot of the sheets with the semen; we removed it,” he admitted. “But, of course, there’s a lot of semen in the movie.”

‘Queer’ is set to release in UK cinemas on 13 December.