Raul Esparza Interview in Sunday Times — Page 2

I don't know why people keep comparing Raul to Anthony Rapp. There are other actors that have come out, you know...

DonelBee, I wondered about that. Mainly because I'm surprised Larry Kramer didn't eat him; he's not exactly tolerant when it comes to the closeted.

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Well, I think people are expressing that they're surprised about this because Raúl is notoriously very private about his personal life, other than that he tells one story or another that makes mention of his wife in almost every interview he does. I obviously don't know what the reaction was when Anthony came out to the public, but he did it very differently, under very different circumstances.

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This may not be the place to ask this, but I've actually been curious about this for a while. I've noticed that most of the people on BWW who seem to be really fascinated by Raul Esparza are young, straight women. It echoes last year's fascination with Manoel Felciano - another somewhat (perhaps sexually) troubled male performer in his thirties. It seems to go beyond talent. What is it about these men that draws this young female crush demograph? I ask this with all great respect, not at all to be sarcastic or snide. Part of me would hope these aren't the types of men you would search out in terms of your own personal romantic lives. Lots of heartache there (as Esparza's interview indicates)...

I don't really think that's what MB was asking...

I think a lot of want I want to say belongs in PM, depending on where it ends up going, but speaking for myself, yes, you're right. I do want to first emphasize as heavily as I can that I think he is one of the most talented performers on Broadway right now, of his generation, and that I might ever have the privilege of seeing perform. I think he is a genius, in performance and otherwise -- wildly intelligent, enviably articulate and then some. Bottom line: he is quite possibly the only person who I would get on a plane to see on stage. And that has always been the foundation for my attachment to him and his work. Not to be defensive, but it's important to me that I clarify that -- because it is in all absolutely honesty that which came first; before I knew a thing about his life outside of his profession. I also believe that if I had continued to know nothing, his work is good enough that it would have kept my attention anyway.

But anyway, to answer your question -- or to try to, anyway. I don't think it's appropriate to go into anything speculative about Felciano's personal life, but as for the "comparable" fascination... he hates that I say this, but Mano reminds me of Raúl. Physically, in the way he performs, in his devotion to the craft, etc, and that's part of the reason I find myself drawn to him. But, I think that's sort of where it ends, for me at least.

I say I'll "try" to answer your question because you pinpoint something that I'm not sure I can explain, even though I clearly experience it. I mean, I find the whole thing terribly interesting, but I'm not sure I can articulate why, which may not be too bright a thing to say.

However, though, that said, I think that this can be looked at like you'd look at the general fascination of straight females with gay and bisexual male actors -- there's something safe and distanced about that, especially for young girls. I don't know if I put myself in that category, but it goes on to be able to say that no, someone so troubled is not at all someone I'd actually want to be with. Not at all.

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Updated On: 11/25/06 at 02:07 PM

Since MB hinted that our attraction to him was merely sexual and that we didn't know about what he was *really* like, I just wanted to mention that we did know and it hasn't effected our opinion yet.

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Actually, orange - I have asumed you do know and continue to be fascinated - which is what makes it all the more fascinating to me, because it clearly isn't the standard girl crush on Brad Pitt or Matt Damon...

Very interesting responses - particularly Emcee's. That seems to make a lot of sense.

I want to add that I think a lot of it comes from the allusions he often makes to how his work and his personal life often mutually reflect back and forth upon one another. So when you figure out what's going on, it makes a lot of sense, and when you can place that sort of "angst" in context with work you so admire, that makes the fascination almost cyclical -- and into one.

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I think that siamese dream hits the nail on the head as to a part of the appeal. Foremost, for me at least, is the fact that I think he's one of the most extraordinary actors that I've ever seen, as well as being passionate, articulate and, well, physically attractive. But there's also something that's attractive -- from a very, very safe distance -- about that darkness that speaks to inner conflict of some sort. Angst, basically, or the capacity for it or for similar emotional intensity. It's nothing that I would ever look for in a romantic relationship, but it's somewhat intriguing nonetheless.

I'm surely getting myself into trouble here: I don't like him because he seems unhappy or wish that on him by any means, so I hope that it doesn't seem that way. I would love for him to be content, and I wish him the very best and hope that he finds happiness. I think that this interview could be a very big step for him.

Updated On: 11/25/06 at 02:27 PM

If anyone has been following Raul's career for awhil,e as I have (I've seen him in all his Broadway roles save CHITTY, plus his George in SITPWG at the Kennedy Center) you already knew this. This is old news. VERY old news. Raul specifically discussed this situation YEARS ago in one of those ASK A STAR features on Broadway.com or Playbill and made it quite clear he was bisexual. What's the big deal?

A Good Nightmare Comes So Rarely,
P genre

Right, I also think there's a fair amount of fascination with male bisexuality in the demographic being discussed; yes, it's sexually attractive from a distance (as is that mysterious sort of enigmatic nature), but there's also a lot of psychology, biology and cultural issue that can often mystify, I think, and it's something I've been very interested in on a general level for a long time. For me, there's a lot of that involved as well. The truth of the matter, I guess, is that there are all of these issues which I am admittedly interested in and mystified by, and I see them embodied in someone who I am, yes, very attracted to, and whose work I got on an airplane to see, and everything just piles up on itself. I think the fascination that exists about his personal life wouldn't exist if not for being drawn in by his work in the first place, though, especially considering that I know a lot of us have long acknowledged it as a story full of heartbreak and sadness, just like he says. I don't know. I'm really hesitant admitting a lot of this because I don't want it to dumb down the way I feel about his work -- or the way people think that I regard him. That all HAD to come first, as I see it, otherwise everything else would be moot. I don't love his work more because of these things, or think he's more talented because he's bisexual and that's hot, or whatever. I'm fearful that admitting to these things will make it seem like I care less about his work, which I would really like to contest as best I can. This is a piece of the puzzle, because it's a combination of professional admiration and personal intrigue, but in no way does the latter trump the former.

When the "Ask a Star" thing first hit, I took it for a joke. Many people fought that notion, but because it was said in the tone that it was, a lot of people brushed over it as any SERIOUS admission. The information has always been for the taking if you know the right people in the right places, I think, but that snippet could have easily looked like a straight man poking fun at the fact that so many in the theater are gay or bi.

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Updated On: 11/25/06 at 02:44 PM

First off, I too was quite surprised with this article, but greatly admire his honesty. You can debate whether this belongs in the times, but it still is admirable to be so honest in such a major paper.

I'm not sure if I'm actually adding anything to the discussion, since I am someone not very attracted to Raul or Mano, but I am often attracted to the gay/bisexual men. While...I can see where the safety and such can be a factor, I've realized it goes beyond that. There's been many situations that I've seen someone, thought he was gorgeous, then discovered he was gay. I don't know what it is, but there is just...something that happens to be quite physically appealing to me about gay men...strictly in looks, even before I see mannerisms. I certainly don't know what it is...but it's something.

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I don't know what it is, but there is just...something that happens to be quite physically appealing to me about gay men...strictly in looks, even before I see mannerisms.

You do realize there are ugly gay men out there too, right?

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