The Idea Of You Star Nicholas Galitzine Is ‘Guilty’ Of Playing Gay Roles As A Straight Man

Nicholas Galitzine, who rose to fame for his portrayal of Henry in Red White and Royal Blue, recently expressed feelings of "guilt" regarding the part. The actor plays a British prince in the movie who falls in love with the son of the president of the United States. Galitzine told British GQ that although the part catapulted him to fame, it also caused him to feel "uncertainty" in his career.

Nicholas Galitzine on playing gay roles

In addition to the role of Henry, Galitzine also plays a man who is having an affair with the King of England in the film Mary & George. Fans of the actor are already aware that he also portrayed LGBT roles in Handsome Devil, The Craft: Legacy, and one Legends episode. It appears that Galitzine has given consideration to the LGBT theme that permeates his body of work.

Addressing the controversial debate about straight actors playing gay roles in cinema and thereby taking up space in the LGBTQ community, Galitzine said he felt guilt about the same. He said, “I identify as a straight man, but I have been a part of some incredible queer stories. I felt a sense of uncertainty sometimes about whether I’m taking up someone’s space, and perhaps guilt. At the same time, I see those characters as not solely their sexuality.

"I am Nick, and I'm not my role," Galitzine emphasized, and this also applies to his straight personas on screen. The actor was last seen in the romance drama The Idea of You on Prime Video, which co-stars Anne Hathaway. He portrays a gorgeous boy band singer who develops feelings for a forty-year-old widow.

Red White and Royal Blue sequel announced

The sequel of Red White and Royal Blue was recently announced at the special screening event. Nicholas Galitzine and Taylor Zakhar Perez will return for the second part and will reprise their characters of Prince Henry and Alex Claremont-Diaz, respectively.

Red, White & Royal Blue, which premiered on streamer Prime Video in August 2023, was based on the 2019 New York Times Bestseller of the same name that was written by Casey McQuiston. According to a press release, filmmaker Matthew Lopez will return to write the script alongside McQuiston.