Piping hot take: I don't give a shit if straight actors play queer characters as long as they do so with empathy and authenticity. When you say shit like "only queer actors should play queer characters" what you're actually saying is only OUT queer actors should play queer characters. If you're assuming an actor (or anyone else, for that matter) who hasn't declared their sexuality is straight, you are participating in heteronormativity.

In 2026, the chicest thing a gay actor can do is never explicitly come out as gay but also make it abundantly clear that he is. Coming out is too modern. Staying closeted is too old fashioned. But this method merges contemporary freedom with Old Hollywood glamour and allure, and it weeds out the dumbest people who truly don’t get it. I call it the Pascal Method.

genuinely what was jamie bell on about when he said niall is worse than ruben lol. are you homophobic?

the thing about ruben reacting shockingly well to niall being gay and doing a uno card reversal with "you're the real homophobe in your life" is that it's bullshit he was a walking time bomb niall's whole teen and adult life casting a big shadow of impending sexual violence over him that niall was rightfully terrified would escalate if ruben knew for sure that niall liked men. i loved the scene between them where they finally aired everything out and the final episode was really good at humanizing ruben considering what he ends up doing but he was absolutely full of shit there was never any telling what was going to set him off at any given time and there was no guarantee he wouldn't have groped niall (or done worse) if they were in a different place in their lives or if he was in a slightly different mood that day or simply even right then and there if there wasn't a literal prison wall separating them