If you’ve ever wondered what queer brilliance sounds like served with samosas and a side of astrological dating advice, Dinner’s On Me just served a feast. The episode pairs Jesse Tyler Ferguson with ‘Looking’ and ‘American Horror Story: NYC’ star Russell Tovey. What follows is one part gay brunch debrief, one part art class with a crush-worthy teacher, and one part karaoke bootcamp—seasoned with trauma, healing, and a healthy dash of “fuck the haters.”
From Nickelodeon to Lichtenstein, Baby
“I loved like Ren & Stimpy growing up and then suddenly seeing them colors of Nickelodeon on the walls in like Ellsworth Kelly, them sort of just big orange canvases I found so inspiring,” says Tovey, whose childhood love of cartoons somehow led him straight to the Tate Modern. For a queer working-class kid in ’90s Essex, pop art wasn’t just cool—it was salvation. “It felt like that was my invite into art,” he explains. “Because if they’re doing it, then surely I’m allowed to be there.”
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And now? He’s not just allowed—he’s running the place with his podcast Talk Art and a new book, Art School: In a Book, written for kids like him. “Art was never given to me, never given to us,” he says. Now he’s giving it right back—to your nan, your niece, and every baby gay who ever doodled instead of doing algebra.
Karaoke, But Make It Gayer (and in Key)
Of course, no good queer journey is complete without a trip to a gay bar and a power ballad. “I took Rory Kinnear and Jessica Hynes,” he says, describing a night out during Years and Years filming on Manchester’s Canal Street. “John Legend, All of Me or Ordinary People… a bit of swing, I would pepper in there.” But don’t mistake this for drunk-and-messy karaoke—Tovey’s approach is basically X Factor-level serious. “I’d go, ‘No, it’s pitchy. Next one, cancel.’” Honestly? Iconic.
Sex, Death, and Growing Up Gay Under Section 28
Then the conversation deepens. Underneath Tovey’s charm is a lived experience shaped by Thatcher’s homophobic Section 28 law, which banned “promoting” homosexuality in schools. “You could be gay, you could be straight—it was always like, that’s not an option,” he remembers. “I confused sex and death.”
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This stark emotional honesty is what makes Tovey’s work hit so hard. It’s joy laced with survival. It’s the sparkle that comes from making it out alive.
When Gay Representation Gets Judged by Its Own People
Ferguson opens up about Modern Family criticism from the queer community, and Tovey echoes the sentiment about Looking. “Looking was a show that… people were saying it didn’t represent them, and there was this buzz that it was boring,” he says. “We’d be filming in San Francisco, and people would be like, ‘Oh, that’s boring.’ We’d be like, ‘Have you seen it?’ ‘No, I just heard.’”
It’s a frustrating truth every out actor knows: no matter how well you do, some will still say you don’t represent them “enough.” But as Tovey puts it, “If you become successful in a minority, you become an ambassador for it.” And he’s clearly not afraid to wear the sash.
Rocky: The Bulldog, The Legend, The Scorpio
And then, there’s Rocky. Tovey’s 13-year-old bulldog (yes, a Scorpio—so obviously dramatic and loyal) is, without exaggeration, his soulmate. “He’s been my witness. He’s slept next to me in the bed for 12 years, nearly 13 years,” Tovey shares. “He is the most wonderful mate I’ve ever had in my life. And it’s going to be horrific.” If you’re not crying yet, are you even gay?
There’s more: Rocky is deaf, half-blind, may have had a stroke recently, and is still absolutely showing up. Honestly, if that’s not queer resilience embodied, what is?
Astrology, McDonald’s Ads, and Being Told He’d Never Work Again
In case Tovey’s queer cred wasn’t fully sealed, here’s the proof: he uses star signs to dodge red flags in dating. “I want to know star signs… and I’ve got star signs of ex’s that I’m trying to avoid.” We’ve all been there.
Also? He got kicked out of drama school for choosing a McDonald’s ad over the school musical. (“Well, the thing is though, if you leave now, you probably won’t ever work again,” his teacher told him.) Spoiler alert: she was wrong.
Loud, Queer, and Not Backing Down
Tovey ends the chat with a powerful reminder of what it means to be queer and conscious in 2025. “Now, here we are, like 30 years later… things are being reversed,” he says. But like Harvey Milk, he believes in giving hope—and that includes stepping up for our trans siblings. “We have to do more for trans people… We as a community first have to like protect our own, bring them in, and then become stronger.”
It’s not a soundbite. It’s a mission statement. And he’s not backing down.
Whether he’s serving pop art education with flair, delivering gay karaoke realness, or mourning the inevitable goodbye to his beloved Rocky, Russell Tovey is queer excellence wrapped in vulnerability, humor, and an unwavering sense of purpose.
If the revolution’s coming, we want him on the mic—with a John Legend track queued up and a bulldog at his feet.
You can listen to the full podcast here.
If a straight man had said the kinds of things about effeminate kids that Tovey has, he’d never work again.