Billy Eichner has called out Hollywood’s hypocritical and homophobic nature in a new interview.
Over the last few years, LGBTQ+ representation in the entertainment sphere has become more prominent with projects like Heartstopper, RuPaul’s Drag Race, and Fire Island.
However, while there are more pieces of media for LGBTQ+ people to consume, queer stars like Eichner say the industry still has a long way to go.
While attending the 2022 MTV Movie & TV Awards, the comedian opened up to Page Six about the anti-gay side of the entertainment industry.
“Hollywood has often been very accepting on the surface but very homophobic underneath the surface and very hypocritical,” he revealed. “And a lot of decisions have been made based on fear – fears that I think are often irrational – and yet, people were scared.
“You know, a lot of it was based around what they think the mainstream audience would or would not accept. And that’s pretty infuriating when you think about it.”
Eichner’s recent comments come a few months before his highly-anticipated LGBTQ+ film Bros hits theatres.
Written by the Parks and Recreation alum alongside Nick Stoller (Neighbors), with the latter also directing the film, Bros has been billed as the first gay rom-com to be produced by a major Hollywood studio.
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The film is also set to feature a predominantly queer cast – with all of the principal heterosexual roles being played by openly LGBTQ+ actors and actresses.
In an exclusive interview with GAY TIMES, the Difficult People star opened up about his initial worries during the creative process for the film.
“I didn’t know what the story of the movie would be, then it was one of those crazy things – and maybe you get this as a writer – where all of a sudden, you’re obligated to write something so you sit down, stare at the blank page. Turns out, I had so much to say!” he said.
“I realised that we are just so hungry as LGBTQ+ people, as gay men, to see accurate, multi-dimensional and genuinely funny and genuinely smart depictions of ourselves that we don’t get.”
Eichner also talked about the importance of the film’s dialogue to reflect how he and his queer circle interact in everyday life, by depicting gay people as “funny, sad, lonely, extremely confident, messy, brave horny and hypocritical adult human beings”.
“We so rarely see that, so it was really important to me,” he added. “I said to Nick from the very beginning, ‘This has to be authentic. I’m not doing it unless we’re telling, of course I want it to be funny, but it has to feel real and grounded.'”
Check out the trailer for Bros below.
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