Popnography
CONTACTStaffCAREER OPPORTUNITIESADVERTISE WITH USPRIVACY POLICYPRIVACY PREFERENCESTERMS OF USELEGAL NOTICE
© 2024 Pride Publishing Inc.
All Rights reserved
All Rights reserved
By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Private Policy and Terms of Use.
Replacing a cast member in as ballyhooed a show as the New York revival of Tony Kushner's Angels in America is a glamourless proposition. Unless you are Michael Urie, recently of Ugly Betty, who has taken over the central role of Prior Walter and will continue playing the part until the show concludes its run in late April.
Urie's performance is a revelation -- a precise, ravishing embodiment of a tricky character. We grilled the actor about Angels' influence on his life, the rigors of eight shows a week and on-stage nudity:
Out: How did you wind up in this show?
Michael Urie: I auditioned originally about a year ago, but I didn't get the part. Then I got the call to replace Christian [Borle, who originated the role of Prior Walter in this production of Angels in America]. I only had to think for a half-second before saying, "Yes."
Did you have much of a connection to Angels in America prior to performing in this production?
When I was 15, my sister took me to a bookstore in the gay area of Dallas. I had heard about the play but didn't know much about it. So I bought a copy with my own money. While I was in high school, I worked on scenes where I played Roy Cohn. Then I auditioned for college using one of the monologues written for the closeted Mormon character Joe Pitt. Then at Juilliard, I wanted to be the angry self-hater, so I played Louis. This was the first time I thought about playing Prior. Now, truly, I can't imagine playing any other part.
Prior is, by all accounts, the center of the play -- both in terms of plot and spiritually. He has AIDS, his lover abandons him, he is visited by angel who demands that he remains still, and, in one powerful scene, he strips for a medical examination. Is the part as challenging as it appears?
For the first time ever, learning lines was hard. I had to do a lot of homework. It's also my first time doing nudity, and I lost a lot of weight for the part. Until Angels, I had never changed my physical appearance for a job. Still, I've only woken up once during the run and thought to myself, "I don't want to perform today." Because the play is that good. Doing this piece is like doing Shakespeare. There's a newness to every performance because Tony Kushner's language is so dense.
You define yourself as queer, is that right?
I am a member of the LGBT community; I have a man who lives with me. I know some people say that they like the ladies and don't mean it. But I do.
The run of Angels ends in a few weeks. What happens next?
I'm on pins and needles about a television pilot. And I'm especially excited about a documentary project that I've been working on for quite a while about forensics -- like high school debate. My experience with forensics prepared me for how to deal with failure and not always winning. For now, though, I'm enjoying this experience with this play. It makes me wish I could go back in time and pat my 15-year-old self on the shoulder in the bookstore and say, "You're making a really good decision."
-- SCOTT HOCKER
For more info on Angels in America and to purchase tickets, head to the show's official website.
Photo: Richard Termine
Want more breaking equality news & trending entertainment stories?
Check out our NEW 24/7 streaming service: the Advocate Channel!
Download the Advocate Channel App for your mobile phone and your favorite streaming device!
From our Sponsors
Most Popular
38 Male Celebs Who Did Full Frontal Scenes
November 17 2023 5:18 PM
These are all the celebrities Who came out as LGBTQ+ in 2023
December 31 2023 12:19 PM
These Pics Prove Maluma Has Always Been a Certified Daddy
October 20 2023 1:13 PM
32 LGBTQ+ Celebs You Can Follow on OnlyFans
October 25 2023 3:15 PM
26 actors who showed bare ass in movies & TV shows
February 28 2024 1:50 PM
16 Times Celebrity Men Had to Say They Weren't Gay
February 29 2024 1:19 PM
15 Unforgettable Gay Kissing Scenes From TV & Movies
February 14 2024 10:20 AM
13 Queens Who Quit or Retired From Drag After 'RuPaul's Drag Race'
November 24 2023 10:11 AM
40 steamy celebrity Calvin Klein ads we'll always be thirsty for
January 04 2024 10:54 AM
The 15 Best LGBTQ+ Movies of 2023
December 04 2023 10:32 AM
Watch Now: Advocate Channel
Trending Stories & News
For more news and videos on advocatechannel.com, click here.
Trending Stories & News
For more news and videos on advocatechannel.com, click here.
Latest Stories
March 27, 2024
17h
'Barbie' star Hari Nef is starring in a biopic about this trans legend
March 26 2024 7:02 PM
Alert! Lady Gaga just gave us the most substantial update on LG7 to date!
March 26 2024 4:31 PM
Find your perfect fit with gender-inclusive fashion from The Pride Store
March 26 2024 2:16 PM
The queer stars of Universal Television stun in spring menswear
March 26 2024 1:58 PM
With 'Hello Again,' Tig Notaro knows she's a role model for queer women
March 26 2024 12:48 PM
The ball's in Zendaya's court in this horny new 'Challengers' clip
March 26 2024 12:35 PM
'Scott Pilgrim's Satya Bhabha knows queer visibility starts on set
March 26 2024 12:00 PM
Joel Kim Booster talks 'Loot' & kissing his boyfriend on red carpets
March 26 2024 12:00 PM
'Chicago Fire's Daniel Kyri talks the 'joy' of playing an out hero on TV
March 26 2024 12:00 PM
Mark Indelicato teases the 'shake-up' on 'Hacks' & talks spring style
March 26 2024 12:00 PM