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Billy Eichner Clarifies Comments About LGBTQ+ Movies Following Backlash

Billy Eichner Clarifies Comments About LGBTQ+ Movies Following Backlash

Billy Eichner is addressing some comments he recently made in a new interview.

While promoting his new movie Bros, the 43-year-old actor addressed the significance of the movie, which features an all-LGBTQ cast and is the first romantic comedy from a major studio about two gay men.

“I told myself to look around and appreciate how rare and magical this moment is because you are making a movie that looks and feels like all the romantic comedies you grew up loving, but you’re doing it as a gay man,” Billy told Variety.

“And this is not an indie movie,” Billy continued. “This is not some streaming thing which feels disposable, or which is like one of a million Netflix shows. I needed to appreciate that ‘This is a historic moment, and somehow, you’re at the center of it. You helped create it.’”

After the interview was published, many people slammed Billy for seemingly throwing shade at Fire Island, which was a gay rom-com that came out on Hulu earlier this year.

Following the backlash, Billy took to social media to clarify his comments.

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“I want to clarify what I said about streaming content in Variety,” Billy tweeted. “I was not at ALL referring to the quality or monumental impact of streaming films, I was referring to the way that, historically, LGBTQ+ content has often been considered niche and disregarded by Hollywood.”

He continued, “I have been openly gay since the beginning of my career over 20 years ago, at a time when that was very challenging. And I am very proud Bros is one of many projects – theatrical, streaming, online, etc – where so many of us are finally getting to tell our own LGBTQ+ stories.”

Billy concluded his Twitter thread by apologizing for his comments.

“Being an openly gay man and a loud and proud part of the LGBTQ+ community is one of the things I am most proud of in my whole damn life,” Billy wrote. “And from the bottom of my heart I truly am so sorry if I inadvertently offended or insulted anyone. I really am. Thank you.”

Bros will be out in theaters on September 30. You can check out the latest trailer here.

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Posted to: Billy Eichner