‘The Idea of You’ actor Nicholas Galitzine reveals he sometimes feels ‘guilty’ for playing queer characters as a straight man

Nicholas Galitzine is publicly opening up about his sexuality and portraying queer characters on screen for the first time. 

Galitzine, 29, who recently charmed fans by playing a boy band singer in the film “The Idea of You,” is currently one of the most in-demand actors in Hollywood. In April, Galitzine starred in the period drama “Mary & George” where his character freely explores his sexuality. In 2023, Galitzine portrayed Prince Henry in the gay rom-com, “Red, White & Royal Blue.”

Galitzine discussed the sexuality of his previous characters in a recent interview with British GQ. The actor said he has had to deal with fans struggling to separate him from his characters. 

“I am Nick, and I’m not my role,” he said. 

He continued, “I identify as a straight man, but I have been a part of some incredible queer stories. I felt a sense of uncertainty sometimes about whether I’m taking up someone’s space, and perhaps guilt. At the same time, I see those characters as not solely their sexuality.”

In the interview, he told GQ that he finds it interesting that some men feel “trapped” by their masculinity because he used to feel the same way. 

“I was a very scared young man,” he recalled. “And I think a lot of men are really scared. I think they’re scared of their own mortality. I think they’re scared of being found out. There’s this notion in masculinity that you have to be in control and certain of everything.” 

After landing roles in other major films over the last few years, like “Bottoms” and “Purple Hearts,” Galitzine has seemingly become an overnight success. His interest in acting was just as unexpected. 

He told the British magazine that a group of friends asked him to act in their play one summer and he instantly fell in love. 

“I did this production, and I just loved it. It superseded any feeling I had when I was a sportsman. It was community; it was the adrenaline rush. It felt like pure life,” he shared. 

But with his recent success, he has had to deal with scrutiny and being sexualized. He revealed that he found it difficult to be compared to actor Taylor Zakhar Perez, his “Red, White & Royal Blue” co-star and love interest.

He praised Perez, calling him an “Adonis” figure. “It was difficult in some aspects, being so closely compared to him,” Galitzine said. 

The actor then mentioned some of his insecurities, sharing that he was at one point “disgusted in some ways” by his appearance. 

Although he has played multiple characters that are admired for their charisma and good looks, that doesn’t appear to affect him.  

“I think the most important thing to me is that I’m taken seriously as a performer,” he said. “I’m not gonna ask you to cry me a river here, but it’s been difficult being part of a conversation that feels very much like I am a cut of beef at a meat market.” 

He said he has felt this way during auditions and while seeing the public’s reactions to his projects. 

“I think that being my defining feature is something I’m constantly terrified of,” he shared. 

Coincidentally, that is a trait he shares with his “Idea of You” character, Hayes Campbell. In the film, which was released on Amazon Prime on May 2, Hayes falls for 40-year-old art gallery owner Soléne Marchand, played by Anne Hathaway. Fans gawk at Hayes throughout the movie and in one vulnerable scene, he worries about people never getting to know the real him. 

Ariana Brockington, TODAY

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