“I mostly audition for gay roles now.” Graham Parkhurst says in between a long pause.”I’ve been told before in the room like, oh, that’s great, but can you be more gay? And I’m like, what do you mean? And I know what they mean, but I want them to say it. Yeah, you want to challenge them to realize that, for them to realize that this is, it’s not okay. It’s not okay. Or there are so many different levels, so many different types of gay men, gay people, queer people. So that was a big one for me. They’re like, oh my God, it was so funny. Can you be more gay? And then suddenly, what they want is a super flamboyant. Super bitchy, and it’s just not a reality.” On the other side. No, nobody ever, can you please act more straight? Yeah. It could be more straight. No one says that. That happens honestly, with many of my friends who are people of color too. It was like they’ll walk in, they are like, can you be more of this? And then my friends, what does that mean to you? Right. They challenge that as well because it’s kind of stupid. I don’t know. They’re too scared to ask for what they want because they’re scared to look bad, but then they ask you in roundabout ways and it’s almost more insulting.”
Netflix cult classic Glamorous might have been Parkhurt’s “gayest” role. The actor played Parker a stereotypical jock character who is very much a self-proclaimed jock and semi-douche that idolizes gay male perfection, 6-pack and all. Parkhurst is no stranger to a fandom previously starring in series like Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, The Umbrella Academy, and Titans. We sit down with the Toronto-based actor to discuss sexual orientation bias in “Hollywood”, first loves, and how the toned actor stays fit.
Was there ever a coming out for you and what was that like personally and professionally?
Personally? Funny story. Actually. I was in musical theater school. It was my first year. I was at a party with a girl that I think had a crush on me at the time, and literally in a closet. Literally in a closet. That’s amazing. And then she said something along the lines of, I like you. And then I said, I’m gay. And then she made some noise. I dunno if it was a scream, but there was an audible noise, and she left the closet. And then I came literally out of the closet, and then that night got so wasted and told pretty much everyone at the party. Professionally, I never really hid that I was gay, but I mean, Glamorous was broadcasted around the world, so I’m glad that that happened, honestly, because I don’t feel like I have to hide it anymore. Hopefully, I still get cast for straight roles.
How do you think that role helped change or highlight perceptions in the LGBTQ community? Or do you think it did?
I think there are a lot of Parkers out there. I think I’ve dated some Parkers, so I don’t think his character is new to anybody. And I don’t think it probably changed anybody’s opinion on that type of person. What I think I did with the character, might have been a little different than what another actor would’ve done. I tried to make it more human because everyone is human, and I believe even flawed people have kindness and love, even if they aren’t able to show it.
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What is the climate right now in “Hollywood”?
I know that I’ve spoken to a lot of very eager artists who are ready and willing to create again, because last year everybody, it was kind of taken away from everybody. So what I feel from up here and people I’ve been able to talk to is that everybody’s ready to work, ready to work hard, and ready to create. However, I’m not sure there are enough money jobs for everybody right now, which is driving everybody nuts. But I think that’ll probably level out throughout the year once everything calms down a bit. A lot of the biggest names right now are taking jobs they never would’ve looked at before, because they also haven’t worked in a year, or they haven’t worked as much in the year. So then everybody else, especially if you’re just beginning or you’re not as high up, you’re not being selected for these jobs. But everybody takes it personally and thinks that it’s because of them. It’s something they’re doing when it has nothing to do with them. They’re perfectly great at what they’re doing, maybe even better, but they’re going to go up with the people that bring a name or bring something else or have a larger resume because they’re available also. But a hopeful, creative kind of energy is what I am getting from the people I talk to. Everybody’s anxious to work. And through that, a lot of artists are being creative, and I think people are exploring what they like too.
What is it that inspires you?
I think ultimately it’s one of the only times that I’d let go, and I’ve realized over the years, especially when I was in theater, the reason I loved theater so much was because when I was performing was the only time I felt grounded where I felt like in the moment I felt that on the set of Glamorous as well, as soon as the camera started rolling, it’s like, oh, I’m here. I’m in this moment. Doing, what you’re meant to be doing, and when you don’t have access to it, you start to lose yourself, which kind of goes back to the last question of how is Hollywood? Everybody lost a sense of who they were for a little while, and now everybody’s eager to get that back
What sort of roles do you dream about playing as the next,
I want to go on Broadway. I want to be on Broadway. I think that would be the next step for me in terms of theater. I haven’t done theater in a little while, a few years, so I think it’d be really, really cool to get to do it again on that level and yeah, be in the moment again, truly just be in the moment. And when you’re on a big show, you have weeks, maybe months of rehearsal where you’re breaking down a character, you’re creating a family with the cast. And even if the family doesn’t last after the show finishes, you just spent so much of your time collaborating with people who you love or hate, whatever. But you have people around you all the time who have the same invested interest in creating magic. And when you’re not working as an artist, I think that’s what disappears. Then you start the comparison game with regular people. But I think the magical thing about Broadway is everyone’s there for the main purpose of creating magic, even if it sucks. Oh, and what else do I like to play? I don’t know about it, at first, I thought I would like to be in a superhero movie, but I like to be a supervillain. I think that’s kind of where my talents would be better suited. I think I’d have more fun with it. I think I could bring more humanity maybe to a villain. I don’t know.
Who are your top three biggest heart throbs right now?
Very hard question. Oh, top three Biggest heart throbs. I’m going to go with Jonathan Bailey you know, I’m going to give one to Ms. Benny. I love her. Thank you. Who else? Let’s see. There are too many. Maybe Luke Evans, so into him right now. He’s so cute.
What was it like the first time you fell in love?
Looking back, it was awful, but in the moment, beautiful. I had no idea that it was an obsession, not love, and it was just wanting to be loved and wanting to love somebody more than actual love. But I mean, I think that’s everybody’s first real experience, but to feel comfort was beautiful, and to feel connection that you might not have ever felt before, especially for gay men, because it’s so much later for us. Not all of us, but especially millennials, I guess. We kind of grew up in a time when it wasn’t like the eighties or nineties, but it still wasn’t cool. Now it’s almost cool to have dated every type of person before you leave high school, but there was a lot of shame. We still carried as millennial gay men, but so the first time is magic. It’s magic. You look back and then you realize a lot of trauma went into creating that relationship. But yeah, magical.
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Who are some of the most remarkable people you’ve had to work, you’ve gotten to work alongside?
Insert Miss Benny, actually, for sure. I also worked, when I was in theater, I did a play with I, George and he was from Cheers, the TV show, cheers, and his wife, Bernadette. I remember just, we were in Calgary, Alberta, and we did a show, and I think it was 12 weeks or something like that. It was a small cast, so we all got to know each other well, and we’re just the sweetest, most wonderful, wonderful, down-to-earth people. And George was so famous in the eighties and with Cheers. Before I had done that show, I had done so many different shows on bigger levels, but my dad, he knows nothing about the industry. As soon as he saw that show and saw George. He was like, wow, you finally made it. And I was like, no, dad. I made it six years ago. Pretty much everything I’ve done has said bigger than this scale, but I was like, thank you, dad.
What does your family think of your career?
They’re so disconnected from it. My mom says that was awesome to every single thing. I don’t think she could tell if it was garbage. And in a way, it’s really good that none of my family’s in the arts. It keeps me grounded. And when you go home at Christmas I just become a child again. The kid who’s just happy to be there with this family, none of them could care less. They do not care at all about any of it. And some people are like, oh, I saw your butt on Instagram. But it’s like, I can just be a child again. Just be taken care of. They don’t care. There’s no pressure. They’re happy for me. And whether I’m performing for 200 people on stage or I’m on Netflix, they think it’s the same thing. You know what I mean? Which is just like, it’s great grounding, humbling.
Who would you like to share the screen with?
Oh, ooh. I’ve answered this one differently almost every time, but in my wildest, I would say, give me a scene with Meryl Streep. I want her to murder me with her skills. You know what I mean? I want to learn and just be in the presence of someone who I’ve looked up to forever. How iconic would that be? I’ve worked with so many incredible actors, and when they challenge you, that’s when you get the best workout. So yeah, I’m just going to be boring and say of Meryl Street
What do you do for self-care?
I go to the gym probably six days a week. I eat pretty healthy. I used to read, but I don’t do that so much anymore because I love TikTok. I have a lot of really close friends that I see quite often, which I just absolutely, need that. I mean, I need that support. And non-artists, which in a way is the same as a family almost, because they don’t get it, and therefore they don’t hold me to any expectations or standard or they couldn’t care less who I am. I don’t have to put on. Oh, yeah. I moisturize a lot
Any words of motivation for the people reading this
I mean, the irony of saying this right now, but patience and try your best not to lose focus. If you start focusing on other people, you will start comparing yourself and that’ll steal all the joy out of out what you’re doing. Yeah, it’s important to want to better yourself and learn from people, but as soon as you start comparing your career to theirs, you’re done. I think of it as linear, right? It’s like the person you’re inspired by is at D, but you’re just starting at A, right? So it’s the same thing. You just have to kind of keep going. Eventually, you’re going to be at D. Does that make any sense? Yeah. I don’t know graphs, but I don’t think it’s like people are here, here. You are just at different points in your career, and everybody starts at a different time. Everybody gets success at a different time. But if you keep going you stay focused and you better yourself, something will inevitably happen eventually.
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