Role of a Lifetime
By: Kenneth Kirk
(© 2021 by the author)

The author retains all rights. No reproductions are allowed without the author's consent. Comments are appreciated at...

kkirk@tickiestories.us

Chapter 3

The next month was full publicity for Royal Sex Wars, so Brant was very busy. For our production, we were in the lull between casting and filming, so there was nothing for us to do there.  The sum total of our interactions was through texting and email, which frustrated me a bit because I was completely enamored by him.  Fortunately, he was all over TV, the internet, and print media promoting Royal Sex Wars, so I did get to see him several times, including this still from a visit the prince makes to the beach near Malaga.  Why is he always so delectable?  Every few days I would search YouTube and find some new interview he had given.  Stalking him electronically was great fun.

But rather suddenly in March, the whole world changed.  COVID hit hard and was obviously not going away any time soon.  Along with restaurants, bars, sports arenas, and schools, cinemas closed almost overnight world-wide.  It was far more impactful to businesses than the beginning of an all-out war.  Royal Sex Wars was at the height of its theatrical run when revenue went from around $35M one weekend to under $600K the next.  By the following weekend the movie’s revenue didn’t even break $100K.

In the film industry COVID restrictions meant any movies or television shows in production had to shut down immediately, since filming was deemed a high-risk activity for the transmission of the virus.

Suddenly, Mom and Dad were furloughed and at home all the time.  UCLA had suspended in-person classes and gone to an online platform, so I was at home all the time, too.  Our maid Katrina and our cook Violet moved into the house full-time.  Katrina lived alone, so it was no big deal for her.  Violet was a widow living with her two adult daughters, so they decided it was better for her to keep her job and stay with us than lose the job and stay with them.  We were glad they decided that way.

Brant was at home full-time now, too, since the movie he was scheduled to begin shooting in late March was put on indefinite hold.  He lived alone in a swanky apartment in Brentwood, just off Santa Monica Boulevard.  He began giving his interviews over Skype, then Zoom from his dining room.  He even got a guest spot on Jimmy Kimmel Live!  With his travel and appearances curtailed and the movie he should have been filming delayed, he took to calling me every few days for a chat.  I welcomed his calls because I was pretty bored with no companions except the staff and the ‘rents and also because I was so taken by him.  At first the calls were not long, but were warm and friendly.  Slowly they got longer and we talked more about who we are and about our lives. 

Brant wanted to know every detail about my sexuality. 

When did I know I’m gay?  At 8. 

How?  I realized I was loving the Olympic swimming, diving, and gymnastics competitions because I liked to look at the male contestants’ bodies, not because I was inherently interested in the sports. 

When did I lose my virginity?  I had to explain there were several times: first mutual masturbation (at 12), first blowjob (received—at 14; given—at 15), first intercourse (as top—16; as bottom—16½). 

Who with?  Cousin Ned, Cousin Ned, Garret (an older kid at acting camp), Cousin Ned, Garret again. 

Had I had a relationship?  Sort of – dated Oliver, a guy from my English class, during most of freshman year at UCLA, but broke up in the spring. 

Why?  Found out he was cheating. 

Who am I seeing now?  No one, just concentrating on school and work until someone good comes along.

Turnabout is fair play, someone said.

So, I bombarded Brant with questions. 

When did you know you are straight?  Don’t know.  Just assumed maybe? 

When did you lose your virginity?  At 15. 

Who with?  Darla, Dad’s 25-year-old nurse. 

Have you had a relationship?  Three.  Milly, girl in my class, sophomore and junior years in high school.  Broke up because I started liking Jennifer more.  Jennifer, part of junior year and all of senior year.  Broke up when I moved to LA.  Kathy DeBussey, my co-star in Jock City High for a couple of years.  Broke up after show ended and she went to Europe to film a movie. 

Seeing anyone now?  Just dating around casually before lockdown; now no one.

A couple of weeks after film production shut down, I received a call from David Dawson, the director of Laying Low.  He told me the producers still plan to make the movie, but the time line for production might change as a result of the effects of the pandemic.  He just wanted me to know that I still had a job and that he or someone from his office would stay in touch with me.

Brant told me a few days later that the producers were actually very upbeat about our movie since it has such a small cast and is primarily to be filmed in an isolated location.  While everything with large casts and complicated productions or public locations was probably going to be on hold for a long time, there were beginning to be a few projects filmed under special circumstances where the cast and staff were in less risky conditions.

As promised, we received our scripts by messenger on April 28.  I immediately barricaded myself in my room and devoured the script.  There were a couple of scenes of Marty and Aaron in their Hollywood apartment, a couple of scenes of them driving in their car, a couple of scenes at the lake, and dozens of scenes in or outside the cabin in the woods.  I had a scene of taking a call from Marty in my office and he had an important scene of witnessing a gangland execution in a rough area in the mountains around LA and a couple of scenes of being interrogated by a homicide detective.  Harold Gillespie (the author) had obviously taken the pandemic into consideration as he finalized the script because there were no scenes with a bunch of extras and the cast was held to a bare minimum.

Even with some constraints to make filming during the pandemic possible, the script was good.  I was frequently moved by the plot, especially by the relationship between the two stars (Brant and me) as they deal with a very traumatic situation.  I was also excited by the large number of sex scenes, kisses, and other times where we would be intimate.  There was no possibility of doing this without giving up any lingering vestiges of modesty I might have retained.  I realized I needed to increase my workout program in the family gym so I would be at my absolute physical peak in a few months.

Mom and Dad, whose projects were on indefinite hiatus, were very curious about how this movie could be filmed under pandemic lockdown.  I shared the script with them and they eagerly went through it one afternoon.  That evening over dinner, the three of us had a very detailed discussion about the script.  We agreed it would be an unusual project but that with a bit of quarantining it seemed quite feasible to do, especially given the locations already found for the actual filming. 

“You’re very lucky to have the opportunity to make this movie right now, son,” Dad said.  “I don’t know of any movie or TV shows still being filmed at this time.”

“It’s so weird that I have a job coming up and both of you are temporarily side-lined, isn’t it?”

“Yes,” Dad nodded.  “It’s the luck of the draw and the fact this is an intimate indie rather than some ensemble or blockbuster.”

“It certainly is intimate,” Mom said, a hint of disapproval in her voice.  “You said there would be nudity, but it seems like you and Brant will be au naturel for most of the scenes.  Are you sure you’re okay with that?”

“It’s a little daunting,” I admitted, “but I guess I don’t have much choice as I’ve already signed the contract.”

“It certainly will be a challenge during filming, son, and also when the movie is released and the public and the media react to it.”

“I know, Dad.  Brant and I have talked about that a little.  We decided we’ll have to keep our senses of humor sharp and make light of any off-color remarks about our anatomy or what our characters might do.”

“An excellent plan,” Dad said.

“I’m afraid neither of us can help you much there, Sky,” Mom said, “since our careers have not been as invasive to our privacy.”

“You’ll just have to deal maturely with whatever happens,” Dad said.  “I think this movie will do a lot for your career.  Look at Timothée Chalamet, for example.  He was an unknown who played a very gay, very sexy role with a hot hetero actor and his career has taken off like a rocket ever since.”

“I’m hoping for a similar result,” I said.

“We are, too,” Mom smiled.

“I think the greater amount of sex in Laying Low and the fact that it will come out when few new films are being released will definitely work in your favor,” Dad said.  “And Brant’s popularity from Royal Sex Wars and Conquering Heaven will assure the movie of a good audience.  It becomes your job to be sure viewers remember you as much as they remember Brant.” 

“Woo,” I chuckled, “that’s a tough order.”

“Don’t underestimate yourself, Sky,” Dad chided me.  “You have a big advantage over Brant.”

“I do?” I asked incredulously.

“Yes.  You know deep in your soul what it feels like to be gay, to have to hide your affections, to feel other people’s negative reaction to you because of that fact over which you have no control.  You know how men relate to each other physically, affectionately, passionately, sexually.”

“Brodie!” Mom interrupted him.

“Rachel, our son is a sexually active gay man.  He knows these things.”

“I guess, but we don’t have to discuss his sexual experiences at the dinner table.”

“Thank God!” I said with a laugh.

“Of course not,” Dad agreed.  “But, Sky, you can use your deeper experience with what makes these characters tick in order to enhance your own performance, to make it touch your gay audience deeply, and to provide that undefinable aspect of your character that makes him live vividly in the minds of the viewers.  You do realize Aaron is the emotional heart of this movie, don’t you?”

“I hadn’t really thought of it that way.”

“That’s the case.  It’s Marty who has the dramatic and traumatic event of the execution and his flight from the scene of the crime.  It’s him who falls apart, but it’s Aaron who figures out how to save Marty and himself.  It’s Aaron who is the really strong one in the relationship.  You need to figure out how to say more in your performance than the writer has put into the script.  You have to show Aaron’s doubts, fears, vulnerabilities, insecurities, and such in the looks on your face, the inflections in your voice, the movement of your body.  And you need to mix into those emotions the strength and determination and deep love for your partner that Aaron would have.  If you do that, this role could get you stellar reviews and some awards.  It’s a really good role.”

We all sat silently for a moment as I processed this amazing pep-talk and challenge.  “Thanks, Dad,” I finally said.  “You can’t imagine how good that makes me feel.”

“It’s a golden opportunity.  You just have to be sure you take full advantage of it.”

“I’ll do all I can, Dad.”

“Great!” he said and then chuckled.  “And you have to do all that while ignoring the fact that everyone is actually looking at your willie instead of your face.”

“Brodie!” Mom scolded and then broke out laughing.

To be continued...

Posted: 08/13/2021