This month marks the 30th anniversary of the U.S. release of The Birdcage, Mike Nichols’ laugh-out-loud remake of the farcical French film La Cage aux Folles, starring Nathan Lane and Robin Williams as longtime partners who own a gay cabaret club in Miami. And to celebrate, beloved character actor Hank Azaria delivered a rendition of his Birdcage character Agador Spartacus, the couple’s over-the-top houseboy, for the internet.
In a video posted to Instagram Wednesday, Azaria appeared in a copy of his character’s favorite muscle tank, a cropped white number printed with “Straight Looking,” which was paired with white trousers, a bouffant, and a smattering of jewelry in the film.
In Agador’s unforgettable tone, the actor nodded to his “special shirt” before reminding audiences that his Guatemalan character’s once-mystifying accent was inspired by his maternal grandmother, Esther. (Azaria, who is of Greek descent, grew up in what he’s described as a “Spanish-English bilingual household” among a family of Sephardic Jews in Queens.) He then paid tribute to other late loved ones, namely Nichols, Williams, and the recently deceased Gene Hackman, who also starred in the film.
Azaria, who has been voicing Simpsons characters since the animated series’ debut season, concluded his ode to The Birdcage with a bit of physical comedy inspired by Agador’s near-debilitating relationship with shoes. Falling out of the frame, Azaria muttered the same “Oh, no!” that accompanied his character’s slapstick stunts in the 1996 cult classic.
Despite the relatively conservative era in which it was made, The Birdcage and the eccentric found family at its center has continued to be held up by the queer community as a reminder of what even imperfect representation can do for an industry.
In the comedy of errors, Lane and Williams' opposites-attract Albert and Armand are asked to host their son's conservative future in-laws, Senator and Mrs. Keeley (Hackman and Dianne Wiest), for dinner. The catch is that their son, Val (Dan Futterman), doesn't want his fiancée's (Calista Flockhart) parents knowing that he has two dads, which requires bringing in his absent birth mom (Christine Baranski) for show. But by the end of the film, and after several flamboyant outbursts from Albert and Agador, Val is reminded that having heterosexual parents isn't all it's cracked up to be — and that, actually, growing up above a drag club in a household filled with love is much more than most people get. Along with the comedy styling of its brilliant cast, that message gave LGBTQ+ audiences an all-too-rare reason to celebrate.
Underscoring the film’s impact on his own life, Lane — who came out publicly in a 1999 cover story for The Advocate — has spoken over the years about the nurturing relationships he formed on the set of The Birdcage. His bond with Williams, who tragically died in 2014, was further solidified after the two appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show to promote the film, and Lane was asked about his ease with playing a “girly” character. According to Lane’s account, Williams, aware that his costar wasn’t “prepared to discuss” certain subjects, swooped in and diverted the host’s attention — quietly modeling true allyship for his friend.
