Drew Starkey Says New Film Queer Taught Him ‘How Much Has Changed And How Much Hasn’t’

Actor Drew Starkey is opening about his new film Queer, and what the film has taught him about “how much has changed and how much hasn’t" in regards to gay rights.

via: Attitude

The actor stars alongside James Bond icon Daniel Craig in the critically-acclaimed new movie from Call My By Your Name director Luca Guadagnino.

In the film, he and Craig play US expats who strike up an intense relationship in the tolerant, bohemian hotspot of Mexico City in the 1950s.

“A place like Mexico City was a place of freedom for people,” Starkey told Attitude on the red carpet at the film’s London Film Festival screening at the Royal Festival Hall last night (Thursday 17 October 2024).

“It was beautiful,” he continued. “People were running away, but they were also finding a sense of freedom within themselves, and within a culture. It was a beautiful world to explore.”

Mexico decriminalised same-sex sexual acts in 1871, and achieved marriage equality in 2009. The US, meanwhile, only began decriminalising same-sex sexual activity in 1962, and it wasn’t until 2003, through Lawrence v. Texas, that all such state-level laws were invalidated.

Starkey’s comments follow recent news of queer people fleeing countries with draconian laws and seeking safer havens.

Queer, also starring 2024 Attitude cover star Omar Apollo, is based on the William S. Burroughs novella of the same name.

Asked who his queer icon is, Starkey replied: “I mean, I love RuPaul. Or Gaga. She has such a special place in my heart.”

“Gaga was a huge part of my teenage formative years,” the 30-year-old furthermore told Attitude. “Why RuPaul? Because I wish I had that much swagger. I try to epitomise that. I wish I was that cool!”

Asked if Timothée Chalamet has given him any tips on how to play a young queer man in a Guadagnino film (Chalamet famously played Elio in Call Me By Your Name), Starkey replied: “I haven’t met Timothée. Maybe one day we’ll share tips with each other!”

Queer, which currently has a 78% ‘Fresh’ rating on Rotten Tomatoes, hits UK cinemas on 15 December 2024.