FILM
Q&A with Actor Robin de Jesús
Actor stars as gay best friend in “tick, tick... Boom!”
BY GARY M. KRAMER
Out gay actor Robin de
Jesús steals his every
scene in “tick, tick…
Boom!,” the new fi lm
version of a musical about “Rent”
creator Jonathan Larson, directed
by Lin-Manuel Miranda.
Andrew Garfi eld plays Jon, a
composer who recounts his efforts
to quit waiting tables and produce
his long-gestating musical theater
production, “Superbia.” However,
he needs money, a big break, and
the patience of both his girlfriend,
Susan (Alexandra Shipp), and his
gay best friend, Michael (de Jesús).
As Jon prepares for a workshop
that he thinks will advance his career,
he threatens to destroy everything
around him.
De Jesús gets both a fun musical
number, “No More” — about
moving into a fancy high rise — as
well as some emotional moments in
the fi lm. The actor recently chatted
with Gay City News about Larson’s
legacy and making “tick, tick…
Boom!” before the fi lm hits Netfl ix
on November 19.
GARY M. KRAMER: You appeared
in “Rent” on Broadway,
so “tick, tick…Boom!” must
have been like a homecoming
for you. What are your impressions
about Jonathan Larson?
ROBIN DE JESÚS: Even though
I never had the fortune of getting to
meet Jonathan, I feel like I’ve known
of him since I was a freshman in
high school. When I was 21, I made
my Broadway debut in “Rent,” and as
much as I knew “Rent,” I didn’t clock
the importance of so many of these
themes because I was so young. He
presented himself in my life as an
adult in the lyrics of, “There’s only
us, there’s only this. Forget regret,
or life is yours to miss.” As an actor,
your job is to be present, but you
can’t always do that in life. Jonathan
provided those reminders. He
infl uenced so many of us. It’s crazy
to think that I made my Broadway
debut in “Rent,” and the follow-up to
that was “In the Heights,” with Lin,
and Lin said having seen “Rent,”
Jonathan gave him permission to
Andrew Garfi eld (left) and Robin de Jesús (right) in “tick, tick... Boom!” De Jesús spoke to Gay City News before “tick, tick… Boom!” hits Netfl ix.
write “In the Heights.” So now, 20
years later, to be a 37-year-old man
and connect with Lin in this other
thing that is Jonathan-centered —
Lin and I might not have met if not
for Jonathan.
KRAMER: What observations
do you have about transferring
Broadway shows to fi lm? “tick,
tick…Boom!” is a good example,
but so is the stage and screen revivals
of “The Boys in the Band,”
both of which you appeared in,
and Lin-Manuel Miranda’s “In the
Heights,” earlier this year, where
you did the stage show only.
DE JESÚS: Having been in
an adaptation where I was in the
show, and one where I wasn’t, I
can tell you that making “Boys
in the Band” gave me the sense
of relaxation because I knew the
play inside out — but I could still
be open, in a new medium, to new
moments that could come up. With
“tick, tick,” there was a familiarity,
but there was also a lot more work
I had to do to really fi nd the character
and dig prior to fi lming. But
that’s also the fun part. That said,
the diffi culty of learning the choreography
for “No More” was really
challenging but also really frustrating
at times. There was the energy
of Lin and Andrew, and the quality
of material was so good, so that
buffered it. I can’t imagine what it
would be like to do the fi lm of “In
the Heights,” which was so big. As
for the moment of all these adaptations,
I think it is the accumulation
of “Glee,” Ryan Murphy on Broadway,
the success of “Hamilton,” and
the fact that there are people like
Sara Bareilles, Cyndi Lauper, and
John Legend writing. It’s in the zeitgeist.
It is cool to be on Broadway
again. I hope it’s not just a moment
and will go on forever.
KRAMER: How did you identify
with the character of Michael?
He saw himself as a mediocre
actor who sells out because he
wants to enjoy life while he can.
DE JESÚS: Cackles That was
so concise and so hurtful! I have
had moments in my career and
my life where I’ve been frustrated.
I understood where Michael came
from prior to his decision to quit
acting — I obviously didn’t follow
through on that the way he did.
But I know that what I connected
with most — as someone who is a
big personality and takes up space
— sometimes it’s easy to assume
that I’m not also, at times, a quiet,
introspective person. I’m a homebody
who likes a lot of alone time. I
really wanted my follow up to “Boys
NETFLIX
in the Band” to be a subtler performance.
What got me with Michael
is an aspect that comes up in my
relationship with my friends: I am
a bit of a therapist or bring that
divine feminine caretaker energy.
That was where I connected with
Michael. There are certain people
in my life where I am the one who
says, “Calm down, honey, you’re
going to be fi ne.”
KRAMER: Do you tend to feel
typecast, or only play roles that
align with your ethnicity or sexuality?
DE JESÚS: All day and every
day. I am very intentional, and with
age I’ve gotten even more intentional.
I know what I like, and I know
what and want, and I know what
serves, and what is healthy for me
and the culture and what I attach
my name to. Emory in “Boys in the
Band” was amazing. He is such a
well-written character. When I did
that role, I thought, this is brilliant.
I will start the show being what everyone
typically thinks of me and
how they typecast me and then I
will sucker punch them with that
beautiful monologue and bring me
into a new light for certain people.
And with this “tick, tick…Boom!”,
it is completely different than what
others have seen me do before.
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