Nick May

It’s Life

The Houseboy is a sexy, shocking and moving portrayal of one gay boy’s quest to find happiness. The film’s cute young 22 year-old star is Nick May and Bent went on a quest to find out more about the chap.

How did you get into the business?

I’ve always been very interested in entertainment/performance as a kid, at family parties I was always the one doing outlandish things like re-enacting commercials and movie scenes. When high school came around I was deeply involved in all of the schools productions, and I started to venture outward to community theatre as well. Once that was done, I naturally looked for the next step in my career, which turned out to be training at a conservatory acting school in New York City. I finished that and then started auditioning my face off!

Was Houseboy your first movie?

It was my first feature length film. Previously, I had done a lot of shorts and bit parts on various TV programmes.

What were the auditions like?

The auditions were very professional, and definitely very daunting. After initial auditions and call backs, I think it was down to me and one other person, and they kept on calling us in and out of the room to read for the role of Ricky; while the other guy was in the room it felt like hours were passing while I was waiting for my turn, I was convinced that I didn’t get it, low and behold I did!

Did you identify with the role of Ricky on a certain level?

Definitely, and I’m sure that every young person can as well, whether gay or straight, everyone has a time in their life where they try to find where exactly they fit in.

It’s a pretty upsetting movie at times… were there occasions when you thought perhaps this wasn’t the way you wanted to portray a gay character?

I had some reservations when initially reading the script, because it strays away from many conventions that people look for in gay movies. It doesn’t sugar-coat things and I wasn’t sure if I or the people watching would be able to appreciate how real it was. While searching for jobs in New York, I supplemented my income by serving tables (like many other actors), and I found myself working in one of the gayest restaurants in Chelsea. And I saw people like this every day. I overheard conversations of meth orgies, gang bangs, and hookers, and it blew my mind, but I came to realize that it’s a part of gay culture that isn’t seen in movies. So, the opportunity to show it as bluntly as we do in The Houseboy became something I was really excited about.

Did the intimate scenes bother you at all?

It was a small crew, literally it was only the Director and the Director of Photography, and they were great and supportive, so they made me feel really comfortable. I was a little scared about the logistics of doing them initially, but soon learned that there was nothing scary/sexual about them at all. After doing many takes of the same scene, the acting has to take over because there’s nothing remotely sexual going on.

Do you have a partner and who would be your ideal bed mate?

No partner for me, I’ve been on the lone and single route for quite some time. James McAvoy I think would be my ideal bed mate, he’s so dreamy.

How did you friends react to your performance?

My friends were all very supportive, some of them weirded out about seeing a friend on screen, but no one was bothered by my ass on the screen, they’ve all seen it before.

Is there a role you’d kill to have?

I’d like to play any character from a Chuck Palahniuk novel. His characters are so well written.

Are we going to see you in the UK anytime soon?

As soon as someone invites me!

What is next on the cards for you?

I’m currently reading through a few different scripts and trying to decide which project is going to be the perfect next one.