Most Irish audiences probably recognise actor Russell Tovey from his role in cult Irish horror-comedy Grabbers, but truth be told, he has actually made a fantastic name for himself as a massive source of representation for the LGBTQ+ community on the big (and small) screen.
Tovey, as an out actor, has played gay/queer characters in the likes of Years And Years, Quantico, The Pass, Looking, Pride and loads more through the years, but in his new project, The Good Liar, he plays the grandson of a rich older lady (Helen Mirren) who is the target of an aging con-man (Ian McKellen).
McKellen is also an out-and-proud actor, while the movie is directed by Bill Condon (Chicago, Beauty & The Beast), an out director.
While we chatted at length about what it is like working on a set with two legends such as Mirren and McKellen, we wanted to know if the amount and type of roles being offered to out LGBTQ+ actors had increased even in the amount of time that Russell has been working in the industry.
"Yeah, totally!" Tovey tells us. "It feels like visibility has gone up, like, 1,000%. And that is incredibly exciting, because that is how it should be. It still has a long way to go, on every level, on all diversity.
"Everything needs to be blown up and everybody needs to be able to see themselves represented and have the opportuinity to represent themselves and other people.
"That is definitely - I feel like we're in a world now where people are way more conscious of making sure that we are showing diversity, whatever it is, on the screen."
Listen to our conversation in full, as well as our chat with The Good Liar's director Bill Condon, right here:
Or you can listen to the interview on your preferred podcast by clicking here.
Meanwhile, check out the trailer for Condon's new movie The Good Liar below ahead of its release in Irish cinemas on Friday 8 November:
Clip via Warner Bros. UK
