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Jonathan Groff on his Looking co-star Raúl Castillo
In New York, in the middle of July, if the fickle subway system allows it, you’d be wise to arrive at a destination 10 minutes early. You’ll need that time to let the sweat evaporate, to stamp out the damp spots that have betrayed your outfit.
Raúl Castillo forfeited his chance to cool down before shaking my hand at a Manhattan hotel restaurant on a sweltering Thursday morning. I didn’t mind. It was an honest mistake.
The “Looking” star was running slightly late and looking slightly frazzled when he bounded toward our table. He’d confused this hotel for another within walking distance where, the previous night, Castillo had attended a screening of the new Alexander McQueen documentary with his girlfriend, the costume designer Alexis Forte, who has the late fashion maverick’s biography at their Brooklyn apartment.
It’s cute to see celebrities frayed, even ones who are still building their marquee value. Castillo is the type who hasn’t yet abandoned public transportation when navigating the city, even though it’s becoming harder to do so without attracting strangers’ gazes. While trekking home from the “McQueen” event, a Latina teenager tapped him to say she loved “Atypical,” the Netflix series in which Castillo played a charismatic bartender sleeping with Jennifer Jason Leigh’s married character. The teenager’s mother loved “Seven Seconds,” the Netflix series in which Castillo played a narcotics detective tending to a racially charged investigation.
Raúl Castillo: a guy you can bring home to Mom, punctual or otherwise.
We the Animals is regarded as one of the best LGBT books to be released in recent years, but you already went into this film with a big fan base in the queer community because of Looking. While filming that series did you feel pressure because there were so few TV shows about gay people?
Absolutely. We talked about that a lot among the cast and crew. There were a lot of expectations on the show. I think if it had come out this year or last year it would be received completely different. A lot of people celebrate it, and continue to celebrate it. I love running into Looking fans because they always project onto me their feelings about Richie. That character I think represented autonomy, and self assuredness, and all of these qualities that LGBT people don’t get to see themselves as on screen enough. Richie in particularly was self assured and confident, and people needed to see that.
Did you see the Richie pin that was available at the HBO pop-up space in Provincetown this summer? Richie lives on!
[Laughs] Yeah! A friend sent a picture of it to me! My girlfriend texted our friend who was in Ptown asking if they could grab one for her.
So I’m assuming you were team Richie…
Oh yeah.
Do you think Richie and Patrick would have lasted?
At the end of the day I’m a complete romantic, and I would want to believe that Richie and Patrick continued to push each other to deeper levels of intimacy. I think they drove Richie’s barber truck to Texas and started a life there together. I remember [Looking executive producer] Andrew Haigh joking he wanted to do just a whole movie about Richie and Patrick in Mexico because we had such a good time shooting their date episode during the first season. Filming that was a really intimate and special experience.
What’s it like meeting your gay fans since Looking ended and now with We the Animals about to come out?
The thing that it has taught me is that we, I mean the LGBT community, because by proxy I associate myself with the community, are everywhere. So when I go to small towns, like San Antonio, and a young Latino kid says “I loved you on Looking” to me it speaks to the importance of these stories, and it’s so exciting to see that We the Animals is starting to play in all of these little cities. I hope the Looking fans learn to love We the Animals as much as I did. I hope they think we did justice to the book.
Looking came a little way into your career, and you’ve previously said that you “snuck in the back door” with that show. What did you mean by that?
It was a guest star, possible recurring character. They could have written [Richie] out in three episodes. But I think the chemistry just worked, between Jonathan [Groff] and myself, with Andrew [Haigh, showrunner], with everyone. And my friend Tanya Saracho, who now is a showrunner on Vida, was a writer. And speaking of representation and it mattering, we had a Latina in that writers’ room. So the Latino characters were taken care of. Someone was looking out for those characters. It matters not only on screen, but behind the screen, you know?
So how did it sit with you when people said that Looking was only about rich white gays?
It felt weird! [laughs] ‘Cause I was like, “didn’t you watch my scenes?” But at the same time I understand people’s frustrations. I get it, but I think that the show was a little bit ahead of its time. Like, if it came out right now, I don’t know that critics would beat us up as much. Because I think that the conversation is changing.
I think there’s more LGBTQ representation now, so people aren’t looking to one show to sum up every kind of queer experience.
Right, exactly.
Did being on Looking change the type of roles you were offered?
Honestly, it was more roles that were just not the typical thing. Richie was a romantic lead, in essence, and there’s not a lot of those roles for Latinos out there. It allowed people to view me as a person who happened to be Latino, but that was one part of it. He had all these facets, and it allowed people to view me as an everyman. People of color don’t get those opportunities a lot. Oftentimes we’re just compartmentalized into stereotypical roles.
Your character in Looking is the opposite of Paps, so stable and emotionally mature that he becomes the moral center of the story. When I interviewed Andrew Haigh earlier this year about Lean on Pete, he said he prefers passive characters to active ones because he thinks most of life is reacting to things, not making things happen. Were you conscious of playing a more passive character than usual when you played that role?
I don't think so. Andrew, like Jeremiah, has such a way of making you feel like a collaborator. Sometimes [as an actor] you come and you punch in, you punch out, you do your lines but nobody's getting personal. But Andrew was all about getting personal. He was all about us being vulnerable and ourselves. He didn't throw too much at me. He let me find the character in a beautiful way. He has a way of trusting his actors and making you feel like you have ownership of the character. And the writing was just so good. My character was always reacting to [laughs] Jonathan [Groff]'s character's sort of colorful personality. Jonathan was such a great scene partner, all I had to do was respond to him. I just had to listen and respond.
Which is actually just what Andrew was talking about in terms of passivity.
Yeah. Totally.
Is Richie [in Looking] still the role you're recognized for the most?
Oh yeah. Definitely. Sometimes people project their feelings of the role onto you. When my mom met Jonathan after the first season, she was angry at him. [laughs] She said, “You hurt my son!” I said, “Mom, that's Jonathan. That's not Patrick!” I got really lucky because my character draws such tender feelings out of people. I think a lot of people connected to that character because he does have a real strong backbone and he's really clear about what he wants. He symbolizes, for a lot of people, maybe what they want or what they want to be. I don't know what it is, but when I meet people who are fans of the show, I have such warmth and tenderness projected at me because of that character.
Do you feel like you're more of a sex symbol in the gay community than the straight world at this point?
[laughs] Yeah yeah yeah. I'm always surprised when I meet fans of the show, who are so loyal. We weren't Game of Thrones, but people really cared about the show and the characters. I think it had something to say about our culture. It was maybe perhaps a couple years ahead of the times. It got a lot of flak. It couldn't do everything, and I think there were a lot of expectations for the show, because it was representing a community that was underserved. I think if it came out today, it'd have a different kind of reception.
Do you feel like you're entering a new phase of your career? It seems like you have a lot of work coming out this year or next.
Looking helped to open a lot of doors for me. Richie, when all is said and done, is a romantic lead. There's not a lot of romantic leads out there for Latino actors, and it allowed the industry to sort of see me as an everyman. I did this film last fall called El Chicano, which is playing at the LA Film Festival next month. I'm El Chicano. It's the first Latino superhero film. It's my first time being number one on a call sheet. I texted Jonathan because I thought of him a lot while I was doing it. He taught me a lot about what it is to be number one on a call sheet, to lead a cast and to rally everyone around you, how you can do that through your grace and your warmth and your work.
I feel like a lot of fans are still upset at how abruptly Looking ended. Is that something you’ve reached closure with or would you revisit it if the opportunity ever arose?
Yea, I was actually with Jonathan Groff and Murray Bartlett last night, and we were talking about it. I love all those guys so much. It was such a fantastic experience making that show, and I’m so close to so many people who were involved in the Looking world, even on a basic level of making something with gay people. So much of the crew was gay. So many of the actors were gay. It was a really incredible experience for me. I’ve never experienced that on any other film set I’ve been on or even my own films. I’m usually the only gay person on 45 Years or Lean On Pete. But Looking was such an amazing experience for that, and if there ever was a chance for it to come back in 10 years or even less than that, then I would be more than happy to do it again. Whether that will ever happen is another thing. What I love about it is that I think people are actually starting to rediscover Looking who maybe didn’t watch it when it was first around or maybe didn’t watch it when it was on HBO or decided that it wasn’t for them at the time. And I think people are now reengaging with it. And that makes me happy, that people are still talking about it and maybe watching it for the first time.
I can't sit down with you and not ask about Looking. The show got a version of closure [with the finale film] but do you ever imagine what those guys are up to now?
Look, if someone decided to give us some money to make something in however long, I would certainly be really happy to do it. Because it was quite stressful at the time, to be honest, that experience. It was stressful about whether we were going to stay on air, whether we were going to be canceled, trying to work out what the show is, what did HBO want, what did we want, what did I want, what is it supposed to be, what did people expect. So much stuff around it, as you know. So much thought about it and talk about it. And then I look back and think, God, you know, it was so great to make. The guys are amazing. There were so many gay people on it -- actors, crew, all of the heads of department. I'd never experienced that on anything I'd worked on before, and I probably never will again, the amount of gay people working in high positions. That was such a fascinating environment to work, and it was so much fun. And I still see all the guys all the time, all of the actors and stuff. I'm still good friends with them all.
The characters themselves, do you ever find yourself sitting at home and catching up with them?
I'd like to think about what Patrick and Richie are doing. I like to think what they're up to, you know? Are they still together? Are they happy?
Do you think they're still together?
I'm not saying. [Laughs] In my heart, I am a romantic, even if I may be a realistic romantic, so I think that yes, they are.
Love stories are often hard to execute on TV, because ongoing shows will try to manipulate romances for plot purposes — yet at the same time, it’s so easy to get hooked on a tale of two people finding each other. The couples featured below have undergone no shortage of strife as they forged their own unique paths, but one thing these narratives all have in common is that they illustrate the ways in which romance can be found in the most unexpected of circumstances, and how it can become the foundation of something so much bigger and profound.
Patrick and Richie, “Looking”
The rise-and-fall romance between Patrick (Jonathan Groff) and Richie (Raúl Castillo) provided the strongest emotional backbone in HBO’s short-lived gem “Looking.” Groff and Castillo’s remarkable chemistry and natural rapport turned episodes like “Looking for the Future” and “Looking for Truth” into intimate romantic epics on par with “Before Sunrise.” Their connection was universally felt, allowing “Looking” to create an emotional anchor for every viewer, no matter their gender or sexual orientation. Groff and Castillo were so good at falling in love in Season 1 that their eventual breakup forced Season 2 to become a waiting game for when they would get back together, or at least reconcile their differences. Patrick went off and had a passionate fling with Kevin (Russell Tovey), but every fan was simply waiting to see how his path would end up back at Richie’s door (or barbershop). It was a series-defining romance that we hope is revisited again sometime in the future.
Both on the awards circuit and in the public consciousness, HBO is a network that was one of the first to recognize that television, as a medium, had the power to deliver large scale stories on a smaller screen. From its ascent in the late 1990s through its continued dragon-aided rise, HBO original series have tackled global stories, stretching across continents and through time.
HBO hasn’t been without controversy, though. The network has faced questions about its lack of diversity in the network’s largest series. And, unshackled from the restrictions of broadcast TV, the various steps the network has taken to push the limit of what’s allowed on screen has earned HBO its share of headlines.
Overall, the network’s commitment to collaborating with talented filmmakers and inventive creators has earned them creative success that few of their rivals have been able to equal. Even as the age of prestige TV has blanketed the marketplace with plenty of other options, HBO’s newest shows have been able to stand out as well, as current shows like “Insecure,” “Silicon Valley,” and “The Night Of” carry on the tradition across genre and time period.
On the heels of another batch of new seasons, here’s an overview of decades’ worth of original programming across the scripted and unscripted spectrums, a collection of the best that HBO has had to offer.
13. “Looking”
HBO has had its share of bombast over the past few decades, but “Looking” is an example of the network doing quieter stories with even more profound impact. Seeing the world of San Francisco through the eyes of three friends, all navigating their respective professional and personal challenges, the show was able to intertwine these individual expriences with the city it was set in. Under the watchful eyes of Andrew Haigh, Michael Lannan and a revolving door of talented independent filmmakers, this small group showed a diversity of ambition and desires from life, but never lost sight of the friendship that kept these men together. Over two seasons and a feature-length coda, “Looking” made drag clubs, bathhouses, Halloween parties, and tech offices each come alive with the specificity and care that comes with documenting the search for love, acceptance and companionship.
Richie, played by Raul Castillo, is is a flirty, humble, charming stranger when we meet him. He’s someone you don’t know, but you want to know. He is fine example of the queer crisis: do I want to be him or be with him? For me, a seventeen year old when the show was airing who came out only four years prior, Richie was someone I ― and many like me ― latched onto and never wanted to let go of.
How does Richie become a central character to the viewers? How does he become so important? Why is he so important? Richie is a rarity on a network with shows historically about white stories. Contrarily, he is among the main cast, and he influences the story throughout the two seasons. Second to the plot, that influence is done in a wishful way. The Latinx viewer who doesn’t often see themselves on TV sees Richie and they want the life that he’s living: the life of an unapologetically out and queer Latinx man. You’re inspired to meet people in a way that doesn’t involve an app, you want to have a large circle of diverse and queer friends, you want to live in a big city doing what you do best, and this all seems a lot more possible since meeting Richie. His presence in the main cast is not just a fixed plot device ― like his on-and-off relationship with Groff ― he’s also a figure to us viewers. He’s a character so rarely seen that because he is seen, he’s become someone to tune in for, someone to root for, someone to write for.
Queer Latinx people have found an authentic reflection of ourselves in Richie. We see ourselves in his insecurities, in his self-doubt, in his identity and even in his slight accent. It’s with this that the character has stayed among viewers, and with this that the character is remembered long after the series closed. The more queer Latinx characters are welcomed to television, the more queer Latinx people will continue to hold onto them.
O-T Fagbenle on how a show like Looking compares and contrasts with The Handmaid's Tale
Every year when Valentine’s Day rolls around you can’t help but think about your favorite TV show romances. From Joey and Pacey on “Dawson’s Creek” to Oliver and Felicity on “Arrow,” when love is on the air on TV, it’s very potent.
Not all of the best relationships lead to romance, though. In fact, some of the very best ones are entirely platonic — and that’s exactly why we love them so much. So while you dig through your stash of chocolate hearts, take a look at Screener’s favorite platonic couplings.
Patrick and Dom on “Looking”
Patrick Murray (Jonathan Groff) depended on his friends for a lot, but none more so than Dom Basaluzzo (Murray Bartlett). Ten years his senior and more apparently stable than anybody either of them knew, Dom was a confidante, big brother, and moral compass over the course of the show’s two seasons, never blinking no matter how outrageous Patrick’s behavior could be. After a year away, Patrick returns to San Francisco in the series’ followup movie — and demonstrates his newfound maturity with an honest and sweet conversation about their relationship, capped off with a poignant, failed first-and-last attempt at hooking up. Watching Dom and Patrick crack up in bed together was the perfect bookend to a stable relationship, and one of the show’s all-time best moments, reminding us of what we loved best about its frankness and compassion, and the emotional intelligence that “Looking” always offered — even if its characters were still learning to grow up.
16. “Looking: The Movie” (HBO): Okay, so it’s not exactly an episode. But this feature-length finale to “Looking,” Andrew Haigh’s series about queer coming of age in San Francisco, is a gorgeous installment of television and a fitting ending to the show. Jonathan Groff is at his very best as Patrick, and though the arc of the episode might be predictable, watching it unfold so sweetly is still a joy to behold.
The story of three best friends living in San Francisco and tackling the hopes, fears, and challenges of modern gay men captured the hearts of fans for two seasons.
Though the series was given the axe at the end of its sophomore season, HBO thankfully greenlit a film version, giving the creators a rare chance to wrap up loose ends – and the fans a chance to see more of the cast stripped down and sexed up.
Now the entire saga will be available as a single box set when Looking: The Complete Series Debuts on Blu-ray and DVD November 15.
To remember the series in all its queer glory, we sat down with Looking creator Michael Lannan to chat about the show’s impact, legacy, and the need to support LGBTQ shows and programs of all sorts.
Looking, HBO’s series that people either loved or loved to hate was canceled after two seasons—but now the entire series and the finale movie are being released in a new set available on Blu-ray and DVD.
In a recent chat with NewNowNext, Looking creator Michael Lannan dropped some hints about what was in store for the characters if the series had continued—specifically who was about to become a parent.
“There was something interesting that people kept saying to me about Dom (played by Murray Bartlett)—about how fatherly he was—how manly and virile he was,” said Lannan.
“I always thought it would be interesting to see him become a father in some way because he was also obsessed with youth at the beginning of the series,” he explained. “I was curious how he would handle someone else’s actual youth, and how he would deal with being a father in some way.”
Instead of a third season, what if Looking were to return ten years from now à la Netflix’s Gilmore Girls revival? Where does Lannan envision the characters to be in 2026?
“I don’t know, but I’m sure it will be complicated and messy,” Lannan responded with a laugh.
That is almost a guarantee.
Looking: The Complete Series and Movie is available now on Blu-ray and DVD.
Russell Tovey on Looking: The Movie (via jgroffdaily)
I can't let you go without talking about Looking. That scene in the movie after Kevin and Patrick (Jonathan Groff) leave the coffee shop is just... heartbreaking. Were you disappointed they didn't end up together?
From what I understand, I think from the beginning, the writers and creators always felt like Patrick would end up with Richie. Because we finished so early, I mean, it could have been Big and Aiden over many more seasons. Is he going to be with Mr. Big, which would be me? Is he going to be with Aiden, which would be Richie? I think because it got cut short and we had the movie, they had to get there quickly. I was prepared for that. Also, I was so fortunate that I got to do that, because I was doing A View From the Bridge on Broadway while that was happening, and I literally flew there after my Sunday matinee, flew to San Francisco, got there at like 4 in the morning, shot all day and then flew back because we didn't have a show Monday night, and then did the play Tuesday. I feel like if they'd wanted my character to be more present in Patrick's life, it was very doubtful that I'd have been able to do it. So, for me, it all kind of felt serendipitous that that was where it went.
But also when I first heard they needed me for one scene, I was really upset, like, "Oh god, they don't care about Kevin!" I imagined it would just be a scene where Patrick would get up and leave and I'd be like, "Don't go!" And he'd be like, "Bye, Kevin." And that'd be it. But the buildup to him seeing Kevin and the scenes with us, as actors, were so incredible to film, due to our history as characters and also because I adore Jonathan Groff. I adore that man with all my heart. And reading those scenes, I was like, "This really feels like the heart of the movie." You've got the wedding and that's all lovely and everything, but this feels like a big lump of raw fleshy meat that's just slammed down on the sidewalk. That, for me, was really amazing to be in there for that.
