In writer/director Rob Williams’ Role/Play, Graham (Steve Callahan) is a soap stud hiding out at a resort in Palm Springs after he is forced out of the closet when a gay sex tape is leaked on the web. He meets Trey (Matthew Montgomery), a gay marriage activist, who is recovering from his own marriage imploding. As the men fight and then make nice—and of course, fall in love—they address issues of truth and trust, outing and fidelity, as well as sex and skinny dipping. Callahan and Montgomery, partners off screen as well as on, talked about their roles and Role/Play.
AP: What made you decide to work together? Have you been looking for projects, or was this specifically written for you?
MATT: The truth is we’ve worked together a few times already. We had one scene in Pornography, and we did a few theatre productions, and a web series together, but this is the first time where we’ve been this involved in a project, playing against each other. It’s been effortless, which is nice.
AP: The film addresses moral issues of coming out, gay marriage, the role of the gay media. Do you think it’s a “political” film?
STEVE: I think it’s a very political film—and that’s what I love about the script. I think Rob has a lot of things to say about what’s happening in the gay community. As an out actor, it’s ironic I’m playing closeted. I think there’s something important about actors coming out.
MATT: What he said! Being an actor who works in the indie film world, there’s a lot of credibility to what Rob’s saying about the absence of support of gay indie artists—actors, writers, musicians—that helps us crossover into the mainstream world. But by putting straight allies rather than the faces of our community on magazine covers, we become a bit of a sellout to a degree. We need to support our artists who are marginalized because they are gay, and Rob makes it clear that’s an issue we’re still dealing with. Yes, it’s getting better, but we have a long way to go.
AP: Given the film’s speeches that suggest gay actors should come out—as well as the reasons why they don’t—and the recent Newsweek article about gay actors not playing straight convincingly, how do you as out actors respond?
MATT: I think that whole article is bull—-. I’m not going to provide any more of a response than that. I’m also very much against outing. You figure out what you need to figure out at your own pace. Nobody has a right to shove you out of the closet. It’s not for anybody to decide. If people want to stay in the closet, I may not agree with it, but that’s their choice. You get the make that choice
STEVE: I feel sorry for the people who stay in the closet—for career or financial reasons—I’m not sure how authentic you can be. We’re out working actors and we have a great life. I can’t imagine not sharing that. I can’t imagine not being there when Matthew receives an award. I think it’s smart that Rob cast openly out actors. A nice counterbalance to the Newsweek article is our Role/Play co-star David Pevsner wrote something on The Huffington Post.
AP: The characters have to learn to separate their professional lives from their personal ones. Are you both able to do that working together?
MATT: The themes in the film deal with having a public and private persona and a separation between the two. I personally find that requires such an immense amount of energy and time—I’m way too lazy for that! I think it’s harder to build one identity out in the world and another at home. For me, it’s all the same—I’m a big goofball all the time
AP: What about filming your bedroom scenes? Was it hard to play at making love to your boyfriend for “work?”
STEVE: There are worse ways to make a living! I don’t think it as hard at all. Matt and I trust each other as people, actors, and boyfriends, so there was none of the awkwardness of meeting an actor [for the first time]. It’s a little awkward with the crew around, but it felt natural.
AP: How often do you guys fight?
MATT: Usually I start the fights and I end them.
STEVE: [LAUGHS]. No you don’t! Now we’re going to fight about that.
MATT: I’ll admit, I’m not the easiest person to be with—neurotic and sensitive, so when we get into arguments, I’ll just flip out over a misunderstanding, and he’ll peel me down off the ceiling and we’ll talk through it.
STEVE: I think that’s a great way of putting it. I like to talk it out, and not be angry.
AP: There’s a line in the film—“Never tell the media the truth.” Did you guys say anything I can trust or believe?
MATT: [LAUGHS] Yes, everything! If there’s anything I don’t want to answer, I don’t answer.
STEVE: It’s Graham’s agent who says, “Never tell media the truth,” but we’re here, telling you our story, and living honest open lives.
Role/Play screen Saturday July 10 at 7:15 at the Ritz East 1 and Sunday, July 11, at noon at the Ritz East 1
AroundPhilly Staff
