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AE: You referred to it earlier, but one of my favorite episodes from Season 1 was when Alex becomes a drag queen. First off, you were stunning.
RC: Thank you!

AE: Have you done drag before?
RC: I've done some theater, and then I did Punks with Patrik, where I played a drag character, but mostly theater. I did the revival of La Cage. It just so happens that I have the right face for it, I guess, the cheekbones.

AE: The episode addresses the subject somewhat, but there's a stigma with drag where some people don't view it as a legitimate art form. What are your thoughts on the subject?
RC: I definitely feel it's an art form. I grew up as a dancer and performing, and I remember in the beginning when I first did La Cage, I had to think about it. Do I really want to do this? But the experience was wonderful. It was a great show, and it was theater, so I just looked at it like it was something else under my belt. It took me to another place. Of course, you're going to have people who don't get it, don't understand, but when it's theater, it's another whole thing, I think.

AE: You mean that people view it differently when it's theater?
RC: I think so. People definitely view it differently if it's in theater or film or on a show.

AE: How did you move from dancing into acting?
RC: Actually, I still dance to this day, but back when I was dancing a lot, I hurt my knee while I was on tour. I tore my meniscus and I had to have arthroscopic surgery. Once it got better, I started back dancing again, but it didn't really feel the same. I was kind of like transitioning. I felt like I had done everything I really wanted to do on tours: dancing with all different artists, doing videos and all that stuff. I really felt like I was to a point in my life where I kind of wanted a change. I started working at the agency I was with and, long story short, became an agent.

This whole TV thing? I've done a lot of one-liners and stuff like that on TV shows, but it all had to do with dance. And I did commercials where I had to speak, but as far as acting, this is really my first lead in a show. When Patrik came to me, I said, “Yes, I'm definitely interested, as long as I have the help and I'm told what I need to do. I'm willing to learn and train.”

That's how it all came about. I know I need work. I think you grow as an actor. I run an agency and we represent commercial actors. A lot of them still take commercial workshops and go to acting class, so I think as long as you're willing to grow and experience those things, you can get better. That's where I'm at. I just hope I'm doing a good job! I know I'm not perfect. I think that Alex is a fun character and I want to do it well.

AE: Well, of everyone I know, you're one of their favorite characters.
RC: Really? Thank you so much! Make sure the network knows that! [laughs] Seriously, though, Patrik told me at the beginning, when there were some things where I was like “hmm,” you know? I knew that Alex was the most flamboyant character, and he put it to me like this: “Rodney, if you look at shows, people love to laugh and you're definitely going to one of the favorites.” He didn't say the favorite, but he said one of the favorites, and that's because people are attracted to the comedic stuff. It's just my job to deliver it.

AE: OK, fun question: You were in Disney's Cinderella with Whitney Houston, and you've performed with almost every diva in the business (Diana Ross, Chaka Khan, Toni Braxton, TLC, Deborah Cox). Who's the biggest diva?
RC: You know the funniest thing? When I worked with Diana Ross, she was at a high peak of her career, and she was, to me, the least diva-ish. She invited us to her house and stuff like that. I'm not just saying this trying to be politically correct, but seriously, everybody I worked with — they all had their own thing going on, but they were all pretty nice. Even with Jennifer Lopez, she has her thing and how she is, but once you get to a certain level, of course you're going to have that thing of being a diva, as Diana Ross has always had. My experience was that she has her way of running her business, and you can take that as her being a diva or you can take it as she's just running her business, but she was really nice. All of them were, to be really honest.

AE: So, let's ask the question I'm sure everyone is wondering. Are you single?
RC: Right now, yes.

AE: I'm sure that will make some folks very happy. Thanks so much for talking to us at AfterElton.com.
RC: Thank you! And tell everyone to look out for the [first] season on DVD, and don't forget about iTunes.

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