Interview with Bryan Batt

Batt with Elizabeth Moss ("Peggy") at the Mad Men season 1 wrap party

Photo credit: AMC

AE: I would never ask for names because that’s not what I do, but do you think there are still closeted actors out here who fear . . .
BB: Oh, yeah. A producer – I said this in some article - who isn’t out, a long time ago said that he didn’t believe an out gay actor, especially a male, could play a romantic lead in television or film, and in the back of my head I said, “Well, then screw it! I’ll play some other kind of part. It doesn’t have to be the romantic lead.”

AE: From your experience, why do you think it’s so much easier in New York and on Broadway than it is out here?
BB: Because there’s such a – in a play there’s such a space between the audience and the actor. In film and TV, they’re right there. Especially in leading men and leading women, there’s this, you know, people think, “Oh, well I could have them.”

You know, if they know too much about their personal life, it kind of spoils some kind of allure or some kind of, I don’t know. But on stage, you just see a stage show and you leave after two hours. Now [for television and movies] you can have the DVD in your house, the tape in your house and look at them all the time. I wish it didn’t matter, and I think it’s beginning not to, but unfortunately I think it does exist. I mean, name one leading gay man in film. Or female, for that matter. There’s Ellen, another wonderful New Orleanian.

AE: You don’t think that closeted actors are an issue in New York or on the Broadway stage?
BB: Not really. I think, but I hope things are changing out here in L.A., too. I think they will as more and more and more people come at it. As an actor, I see it as just playing a part, but there’s also a huge business aspect to it. These [movie] people are investing millions and millions of dollars and if they think – I don’t know, name one big star . . . who could it be? Not Tom Cruise. Who else?

AE: Will Smith.
BB: Yeah, Will Smith. Would people buy him as that [kind of big star if he were gay]? So I think people’s preconceived notions and people’s prejudices have to change first. We have to have across the board legal marriage and equal rights like everyone else in this country, and then I think things will change.

Photo credit: Michael Helms

AE: When the new generation grows up.
BB: Yeah, so many young kids have no issue. I didn’t know any gay kids when I was growing up, I mean I thought there were, but we didn’t talk about it. It was just like the show.

AE: Do you hear from a lot of younger gay people?
BB: I do. There was especially, years ago when I was doing Broadway, a young boy was really having trouble. He found my website and started to e-mail me and I kind of helped him through.

AE: Even back in your early days on Broadway, was it ever an issue back then?
BB: You know, funny you should say that. I was hired to be in the ensemble of Sunset Boulevard and be the understudy to Joe Gillis, opposite Glenn Close and then Betty Buckley, and –

AE: Wow.
BB: Oh, I did it with Betty a lot. We’re still great friends. She was amazing. They all were amazing!

AE: I have to try not to hate you.
BB: She was amazing. Literally – she really is. She and Glenn, they all are amazing. But Trevor Nunn and I think some of the other assistants had not seen me and you know, when I’m not acting, I’m going to be myself. And they were like, they went up to the choreographer and they were like, “Is this gonna work?” And he goes, “Don’t worry. He’s really good. I’ve seen him.” And they were very happy it went well, but there is a preconceived notion that if you are gay, your whole personality is going to come through.

AE: They forget you’re an actor.
BB: Exactly. And I had just done Jeffrey and maybe I was a little more out and proud at that moment.