“On the one hand, it is called acting. On the other hand, there are deep truths that need to be explored. When I was in Angels In America, I was Prior and Adam Driver played opposite me as Louis. And he’s not remotely gay — he’s painfully straight. But he’s such a good actor, and approached the role from within himself. I think when you’re doing true naturalism roles like Louis or Prior or Arnold, that are so human and demand so much of yourself, you start with yourself, and as opposed to putting on the character, you find what is the same about the two of you and go from there.
What Adam did, I think so beautifully, is that he didn’t say to himself, “Okay, I’m not gay. What do I need to put on in order to seem gay?” He just accepted that the way he seems could be gay. He didn’t need to add a limp wrist or a “sibilant s” or a swish in the walk or anything like that in order to be gay, because gay people come in all shapes and sizes, and even Adam Driver — hulking, giant, massive man that he is — could be a gay person, and could be called “sniveling little” like he is in the play, and we would just buy it. We would just go with it, as long as he tells the truth.”
Michael Urie reminisces about working with Adam Driver in Angels in America - Acting Out: An Interview with Michael Urie, via metroweekly July 11, 2019.
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