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He started out playing the handsome boyfriend of many a prime-time straight gal before segueing into fame on the controversial Queer As Folk. Today, with his new gay action movie, the out and proud ROBERT GANT is a secret agent man for our times
Some lucky bastard is getting to lick Robert Gant’s face, and it ain’t me.
“My puppy, Bodhi, is feeling pretty inquisitive at the moment,” he laughs. “He’s so sweet.”
I concede defeat—it’s impossible to compete with a 10-month-old chocolate Lab who wants his tummy rubbed—but the next round is mine, mostly because I have the power of speech—and a killer opening question.
“How’s it going, Robert?”
“I’m really good, man, really good,” Robert says. “I’m a little tired today. I had a late night filming last night.”
In the late ’90s, there was a lot of talk about Rupert Everett playing a gay James Bond, which never happened. Let’s talk gay spies, like Gant's character, Jacob Keane, in here! Networks’ new movie Kiss Me Deadly.
“I’m just really excited that the whole gay spy thing is happening! The concept conjures chuckles. You can certainly go that way, but I love that we made the choice not to. Our movie shows that the gay guy can kick ass, that the gay guy can be the hero.”
“Watching it reminded me of when I was in elementary school and loved the Police Academy movies,” I say, a professional to the core. “It was fun to pretend to be an action hero, running around with a squirt gun, feeling like a badass. I wish that there had been a gay character like yours.”
“It’s fantasy fulfillment for a lot of people, like what you said,” he says graciously. “We have role models in real life, but then we have role models in a sense through characters. We go, ‘Oh, I can actually see myself as a superhero,’ when before, it’s just our imagination.”
Love it or hate it, Queer As Folk really was a cultural turning point, wasn’t it?
“Queer As Folk broke so much ground. Each of the things along the way—Ellen, the kiss on Roseanne—has moved the ball forward, and Queer As Folk certainly did, so much so that it still resonates deeply in people’s consciousness,” he says, amazed. “It’s still expanding! I get e-mails all the time from people—straight mothers, everyone—around the world who are just discovering the show.”
“The world’s become a very different place since then,” I offer.
“I think the culture has changed because of this forward momentum. We have seen politicians embrace gay people far more than they ever have, we see the prospects of gay marriage really, really contemplated—we’re on the verge of it and it’s already happening in certain ways. It’s an idea that continues to expand and eventually will just be our full-on reality,” he says, then adds proudly, “Queer As Folk showed the first legal gay marriage on television when Ben and Michael married in the fourth season.”
“I didn’t really like Queer As Folk,” I say. “I thought it was too stereotypical.”
“Hey, every artistic endeavor has its fans and its critics. It helps, because as soon as we get something, we want something more,” he laughs. “What was great for me in playing Ben was we got to see a very masculine take on gay men, plus a cross-section of different kinds of gay men through the other characters, too.”
Robert’s on a roll, and his voice is full of passion as he speaks.
“That’s just how progress happens,” he says. “Along the way we take steps backwards or face unfair amendments, but these things create awareness and rally people together to get involved.”
In what ways have you changed during your journey?
“I didn’t even begin to envision this as my reality, you know? To be honest, my goal was always to do a show like Melrose Place. Queer As Folk was that kind of vibe in a way, except it had a world-changing capability,” he says. “But I never contemplated being openly gay, at least professionally. Now, I couldn’t imagine it any other way."
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To read the rest of Robert Gant's interview, pick up a copy of Instinct at your local newsstand today—or order online here!
Plus, check out our behind-the-scenes video at Robert Gant's Instinct cover shoot!
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written by lc on May 01, 2008
is danny nunez gonna be in the film too?
written by Jesse on May 05, 2008
I think he's just the model for the photos. They all look hot? Is that other guy one of Janice's models too?
written by Paul Tee on May 05, 2008
I LOVE Robert Gant! He is such a stud. I hope the film isn't a stinker.
written by julian on May 09, 2008
I love love love Robert Gant.
written by deejay signs on May 10, 2008
Wow so I love how the gay world is xpanding so much. It is great and i think it is helping out so much, Deejay Signs
written by pussy on May 11, 2008
watever .......