We checked in with actor Tate Ellington earlier this summer about his role as gay, Jewish FBI recruit Simon Asher in Quantico, ABC's drama about terrorism, and he confessed that even he didn't know if his character's identity was a ruse, but he said that he was hoping Quantico's writers would take their cues from edgier fare like Transparent, a series he praises for the realistic way it sexualizes its queer characters. "I don't want to sound like I'm quoting Top Gun," Ellington said, "but I want them to push the envelope."
Now, it seems that there's new queries as to whether Asher is actually gay or it's just some sort of spy scheme. NewNowNext caught up with Ellington recently to get the lowdown (including those hunky co-stars), including Rick Cosnett (The Flash) who plays another gay FBI trainee, named Elias Harper.
Graham Rogers (left), Ellington & Jake McLaughlin in 'Quantico'
On Simon's sexuality:
"You're going to keep asking that question for a while! I love that he doesn't necessarily have a label or a classification for his sexuality. It's nice to have somebody you can't exactly pinpoint things on."
On his scenes with gay FBI trainee Rick Cosnett (who plays Elias Harper):
"I would say at this point, he's a thorn in his side and I can't wait for you to see what's coming up. There's definitely some really cool stuff with them." And while Simon may seem annoyed with Elias now, don't be surprised if he doesn't start indulging in the cat-and-mouse game they've been playing. "I think it actually opens more doors up later, [and] I really do think Simon, as much as he might be afraid of things that Elias may or may not find out, I think he enjoys it."
Ellington & Rick Cosnett
On Simon's surprise skills:
"He doesn't mean to show what he knows [but] even in the shooting scene, he knows what he's doing but has to joke it off."
On what to expect next on Quantico:
"I love getting information if I can, but it doesn't necessarily destroy me if I don't have it. You don't necessarily know what the outcome of it is so you just play the scene for what it is. Later you go, 'Oh, I got it right' or 'Oh, I was terribly wrong.' "
Quantico is on Sundays, 10|9c on ABC. Watch a clip below:
