LOS ANGELES (AP) 鈥� When debuted last summer, it did so without fanfare or spectacle, landing squarely amid historic that precluded its stars from lending their press-friendly faces to promote the movie.
But the lack of publicity surrounding the Amazon Studios rom-com鈥檚 premiere didn鈥檛 deter it from becoming a hit with audiences. The streaming service said it was the top watched film on its platform for weeks, and that it brought in a surge of subscribers.
As a further testament to the movie鈥檚 success, the studio recently announced 鈥� amid a determined Emmy campaign 鈥� that a sequel was in the works, which is no small feat given the slowed production that has followed the resolution of the strikes.
For stars and watching the film gain that kind of organic fanbase was particularly meaningful because of the role 鈥淩ed, White & Royal Blue鈥� plays in queer storytelling.
鈥淎fter filming and kind of getting some space from it is when I really realized what this was going to do for the community. And people outside of the community,鈥� Perez said. 鈥淚t just provides empathy, you know?鈥�
The film is reminiscent of the kind of fairytale flick that was seemingly ubiquitous two decades ago, familiar in every way except for the fact that its lovers are both men.
The movie, directed by Matthew Lo虂pez, the Tony-winning playwright of 鈥淭he Inheritance鈥� who co-wrote the script with Ted Malawer, is based on the bestselling novel by Casey McQuiston. It's a hate-turns-to-love story about a British prince who begins a secret romantic affair with the son of the American president (played in the movie by a drawling Uma Thurman).
Galitzine is fresh off a press tour for another Amazon rom-com 鈥� 鈥� where he plays a 24-year-old pop star who begins a relationship with a single 40-year-old mom
While its backdrops of Los Angeles and Coachella are miles and worlds away from the scenes of Washington and Buckingham Palace that adorn 鈥淩ed, White & Royal Blue,鈥� Galitzine says both films contain similar themes to which the actor is often drawn.
鈥淚 find people who are trapped by circumstance really interesting,鈥� he said. 鈥淧eople may be thinking they鈥檙e one way, but not really sort of knowing their inner qualities and thoughts. I think that鈥檚 kind of been a recurring thing I鈥檝e found quite interesting over the years.鈥�
鈥淩ed, White & Royal Blue鈥� contains fewer sex scenes than the novel upon which it is based, but that didn鈥檛 stop the film from getting an R rating from the Motion Picture Association, frustrating some fans following its release.
Both Galitzine and Perez said they were surprised when they found out about the rating and agreed with critics who said it wasn鈥檛 warranted.
鈥淵ou Americans are very sensitive,鈥� Galitzine observed before his co-star interjected, musing about what he perceives to be a double standard.
鈥淵ou can point-blank shoot someone and it鈥檚 PG-13,鈥� Perez said. 鈥淚f you have queer romance on screen, it鈥檚 rated R.鈥�
Krysta Fauria, The Associated Press
