New Movies 2022: ‘Bros’ Actors Billy Eichner and Luke Macfarlane Talk an LGBTQ+ Romantic Comedy

CHICAGO (WLS) — “Bros” is a romantic comedy about two men trying to fall in love.

It opens on Thursday evening. Billy Eichner wrote the story and starred in the film with Luke Macfarlane. ABC7’s Hosea Sanders talked to them about innovating with the film.

“Bros” tells the story of Bobby and Aaron trying to become a couple, but the courtship is chaotic.

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“The entire cast of the film is openly LGBTQ, even in the straight roles, which you really never see,” Eichner said. “I’ve been an openly gay actor my whole life, my whole career. There are certain challenges that come with that. Sometimes you get shut out of mainstream comedies like this, or mainstream projects in general. So, I wanted to use whatever power I had in this scenario to uplift other people in the community with me and give them the opportunity to shine too.”

It’s the first time a major studio has backed a film with this kind of plot, with inclusive talent on camera and behind the scenes.

“Certainly in the years leading up to ‘Bros’, all the criticism was thrown at me and all these fears came over me about being gay in Hollywood and what you can and can’t do.” Bros “is my answer to all of that, really,” Eichner said.

Macfarlane, who plays “Aaron,” also weighed in.

“All my life I’ve been to watch two straight guys fall in love and figure it out, and I got a lot out of it, and I cried and laughed. So I think straight guys can do the exact same thing, watch a gay couple fall in love. They may cry and laugh. But I think it’s going to be the start of others,” Macfarlane said.

Eichner graduated from Northwestern University and showed the film to his most inspiring teacher, Mary Poole.

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“It was very emotional. We both cried. She loved the movie and she said, ‘You’re such a good actor in this movie.’ And I said, ‘Yeah, because of you,'” Eichner said.

Eichner also spoke about how his studies at Northwestern University and his presence in the Chicago area shaped the artist he is.

“It was truly a formative experience. It was truly one of the best experiences of my life. I love Chicago because of it,” Eichner said.