TAYLOR ZAKHAR PEREZ is fine. Yes, in part from beads of sweat silent left on his skin from wrapping a Males’s Health “Put collectively Love” video, however more so thanks to some in particular electrical legit news. Appropriate hours earlier than busting out a pair of hip thrusts, High Video offered that Crimson, White & Royal Blue, a romantic comedy in line with the 2019 unique of the similar name by Casey McQuiston, would perchance be getting a truly-earned sequel. Within the major film, Perez performs Alex Claremont-Diaz, the extremely suave and a little smug first son of the US whose vulgar disdain for Prince Henry (Nicholas Galitzine), inheritor to the British throne, step by step morphs into a catastrophe-stuffed admire affair between the 2 males.
The note-up movie comes and not utilizing a source literature, however customary creator Casey McQuiston and screenwriter Matthew Lopez will write the original script collectively. The unknown of all of it is some distance something the 32-year-extinct necessary person finds more thrilling than nerve-wracking.
“Casey even asked me, ‘I’d devour to hear where you look Alex going, on fable of. you would possibly perchance probably probably also fair luxuriate in lived with him for so long,” he remembers the creator announcing. “‘Even if I created him, where develop you watched he would drag subsequent?'”
More to Alex’s story has but to be written, and the similar would possibly perchance probably also very correctly be stated of Perez himself—however issues are searching promising. He’s made his rounds by technique of awards season within the absolute best of suits, signed with an extremely considerable talent agency, and continues to grow his already stacked, wildly exact following (can all people say 5.1 million?). It’s sure the 32-year-extinct is incomes his plan in Hollywood, slowly however indubitably, along with his talent, sure, however also a charming smile and surprisingly quaffed hair—even submit-teach.
Lounging lend a hand in gymnasium clothes and excessive socks, Perez sat down with Males’s Health to chat about excellent LGBTQ+ on-masks representation, showing a chunk of skin, and the ability of fan-casting.
MEN’S HEALTH: What’s your excellent travel for Alex in Crimson, White & Royal Blue 2?
TAYLOR ZAKHAR PEREZ: I agree with Alex being a blue-collar kid in an out of the ordinary teach is the American dream, in a technique. His father became as soon as dropped at the US when he became as soon as 5, and then raised in Texas, and then wound up within the White Home. Following Alex on this travel into his political profession would possibly perchance probably be such an aspirational story, and inspirational to folks that probably don’t look themselves represented on TV.
MH: What in negate stands out about Crimson, White & Royal Blue‘s message to you?
TZP: I’ve seen a range of poorly centered and never correctly completed irregular films. And I watched an increasing selection of after I got solid on this and there became as soon as a transparent distinction of what roughly movie I did now not are searching for to assemble.
The icy thing became as soon as that sure, these are two irregular males, however the panorama is politics within the US [and] politics within the United Kingdom. It’s much less about self-acceptance, on fable of these two guys are devour, ‘Oh wow, okay, right here’s admire, right here’s happening.’ And they’re into it and besides they’re open to it. Nonetheless the factors attain must you luxuriate in the political panorama of what are the ramifications of The Crown, what are the ramifications of his mother’s 2nd election if this comes out? I cherished how it became as soon as much less centered on them coming to terms with who they were, and more in regards to the enviornment and the repercussions of going public.
MH: Is there the leisure about having fun with Alex that you just’ll settle on with you to future roles?
TZP: It’s more in regards to the reactions I’ve gotten from fans and target market people after they attain up and portray me what Alex technique to them. The weight of this character is a shadow in a technique, however in to take into accounta good intention. And likewise you know you would possibly perchance probably probably also very correctly be making a incompatibility in these folks’s lives. It’s important to be a steward of that story when folks live and set aside a demand to you in regards to the characteristic, and how extraordinary it technique to them, and how they contemplated suicide earlier than they be taught this book or earlier than they saw this film, and there became as soon as no hope in their existence till they saw this film. That’s been primarily the most impactful thing for me.
MH: Nicholas referred to you as “Adonis” in a recent GQ UK interview, announcing it became as soon as “advanced in some aspects” being when put next to you. Nonetheless I’m irregular about you. It’s now not an effortless exchange to be in, so what’s your intention to overcoming insecurities in both your own and legit existence?
TZP: I’ve been in L.A. for 14 years, and earlier than that I became as soon as doing theater and going to castings and industrial auditions. And so there is continuously that insecurity sitting within the room all over from someone you grew up gazing on TV, and now you would possibly perchance probably probably also very correctly be going up in opposition to them on a mission. I agree with the more you label that all people brings their very possess particular something to a scene, the more you’ll throw away that comparability. Because comparability kills all the pieces.
I settle on my possess advice that I give folks, which is, ‘You are right here for a reason.’ They wouldn’t luxuriate in solid you within the occasion that they did now not imagine in you. It excellent takes one person; I’m the made of that. From these projects on Netflix that I did, it excellent took Joey King to luxuriate in a camera be taught and be devour, ‘I need him to be Marco.’ And Vince [Marcello] to claim, ‘Here is my Marco,’ as a director.
I saw this announcing the different day: ‘Don’t eavesdrop on folks that portray you no who wouldn’t luxuriate in the ability to claim sure.’ And I became as soon as devour, ‘That is out of the ordinary.’
MH: That’s tattoo-worthy.
TZP: For precise.
MH: It’s probably you’ll perchance need reasonably the next, and probably receive masses of praise and positivity on a range of your posts. Nonetheless when did you understand it is now not continuously to take into accounta good idea to dig by technique of the feedback allotment?
TZP: After I’m now not doing press or when I develop now not luxuriate in something to allotment, I in truth preserve off of it. It’s now not downloaded on my phone. No TikTok, no Instagram. Feedback are a upsetting plan. Nonetheless I will say the Crimson, White neighborhood is amazingly supportive. Whenever you happen to probably can assemble fun of your self, there would possibly be now not in any admire times extraordinary someone can say that you just have not already regarded as your self. And I lived devour that increasing up with seven siblings. Glorious excellent fortune getting out unscathed from a family characteristic.
MH: The dialog round irregular males being the ones deserving to play irregular characters is ongoing. Nonetheless that dialog seems to be to secure muted when the actors develop it excellent. What develop you watched became as soon as excellent about Crimson, White & Royal Blue?
TZP: Cate Blanchett stated something, ‘We must battle to the death to droop disbelief.’ And that excellent continuously stuck with me, on fable of when you would possibly perchance probably probably also very correctly be gazing a movie and there is nothing outside the room that issues, the actors are doing their jobs.
Nicholas became as soon as excellent asked the different day about his sexuality, and I excellent secure it so vulgar. It’s unprofessional and nobody’s industry. That’s someone’s personal existence.
And so I’m grateful to be allotment of a mission where, sure, it is some distance a admire story, however as soon as more, it is now not the one real level of curiosity. These folks luxuriate in sturdy, elephantine lives. They’re educated. Alex is in law school. Henry is crazy trim and he’s a prince, and his sense of responsibility is unparalleled. The much less folks level of curiosity on sexuality and look what these folks are able to, that is after we luxuriate in created precise exchange.
MH: I would possibly perchance probably be doing a disservice if I didn’t carry up that you just’re no stranger to on-masks nudity: prosthetic work in Minx, a chunk of butt stir in Crimson, White & Royal Blue.Whenever you happen to know these scenes are coming, what’s the major to shaking these nerves? Or were you in total at ease on your skin?
TZP: Oh, no. I became as soon as now not at ease in my skin increasing up. I continuously had these long eyelashes, and all people continuously devour, ‘Oh, he’s so reasonably.’ And as a younger man, that is now not what you would possibly perchance probably probably also very correctly be searching for to hear.
After I got to Los Angeles, I cannot develop the leisure half-assed, so I became as soon as devour, ‘Okay, I excellent are searching for to be in shape.’ Consistency is key with the leisure you develop, however especially with figuring out, so I strive to determine 5 days a week. Perchance develop some roughly pilates on a weekend or mountain bike utilizing, surfing, so I do know my physique is continuously prepared.
After I look a persona breakdown, devour with Shane from Minx, where it’s a prosthetic and partial nudity, I presumed the characteristic became as soon as excellent hysterical. And he became as soon as the form of tiresome-tiresome. If it is now not gratuitous nudity, I’m down for it. If it makes sense, and it is authentic, and appropriate to the character and the scene given conditions, then I’m 100% in.
MH: The secure loves some excellent fan-casting, and folks seem enthralling to belief you saving the enviornment as a superhero. Is there a negate characteristic within the genre you watched you would possibly perchance probably probably thrive in?
TZP: Wolverine has continuously been one of these characters for me, on fable of Logan is the form of dynamic man, and he has the form of deep, tortured previous that I devour. He became as soon as my popular character increasing up.
I’d devour to be within the X-Males world, 100%. Something with an edge, a darker edge—I’m surely leaning into that. Something that roughly subverts all the pieces I’ve been doing.
MH: Followers also seem to in truth need you within the adaptation of A Court of Thorns and Roses.
TZP: I’ve heard. I in truth excellent be taught a pair of the books. My niece is on TikTok, and she or he’s devour, ‘Uncle Taylor, they need you to play..’ Rhysand?
MH: Yep, that man.
TZP: I agree with it became as soon as presupposed to be in model with Hulu. Nonetheless I’d devour to belief where that character goes, on fable of within the major book he’s now not that mountainous of a characteristic, and then within the 2nd book he becomes more enthusiastic. And I’ve never been in a fantasy mission.
By no technique say never. I agree with fan-casting is icy. Me and Sever are the kings of variations.
MH: Now we luxuriate in talked a bunch about potential roles within the long flee. What’s a characteristic that got away?
TZP: I auditioned for Babylon. And that became as soon as sick, on fable of I luxuriate in so extraordinary admire for Damien Chazelle. I became as soon as in truth pondering that one.
At that point in my existence, all the pieces became as soon as so thrilling, on fable of I hadn’t been exposed to the projects I got to develop at the stage I got to develop them. And at the time, dropping a customer necessary person on a TV prove became as soon as so a lot. That became as soon as excellent tricky, formative years of sweat equity to secure into the industry.
MH: From where you would possibly perchance probably probably also very correctly be excellent now, how would you devour to belief your profession play out from right here?
TZP: I in truth admire Matt Damon and his profession, and I are searching for to develop stuff devour he has. I devour him in all of his Bourne films, and then he does projects devour Air, or others in line with appropriate tales. They’re uplifting, and you look reasonably of your self in that character.
I need folks to belief reasonably of themselves within the characters I play. And I develop devour having fun with a now not unique kid in an out of the ordinary circumstance, on fable of that is what we all are searching for to be. I are searching for to encourage folks to secure out of their lounge, faraway from that TV that they are gazing me on, and drag detect the enviornment and assemble a incompatibility.
This interview has been edited for jabber material and clarity.
