Local fans of HBO’s Looking got up close and personal with the stars and creators of their favorite gay series last night when The Paley Center—L.A.’s home base for all things television—hosted a special evening dedicated to Patrick, Dom, Augustín, Doris and the rest of the San Francisco gang at its Beverly Hills headquarters.
In addition to screening this Sunday’s upcoming episode, the entire cast (save for our favorite Brit, Russell Tovey)—along with the show’s creator Michael Lannan and series director/EP Andrew Haigh—sat for a panel where the audience was free to ask what was on its collective mind. The result was a couple revelations, a few inklings substantiated and a whole lot of laughs. Here are 17 things we learned about the only predominantly LGBT series currently on TV.
1. You’ll Laugh (and Cry) During This Sunday’s Episode
Without giving too much away, we’ll just say that it involves a family funeral, a trip to gorgeous Modesto (sarcasm) and its sole gay bar and a whole lotta Doris, something most fans have been clamoring for. Leave it to Looking’s shrewd writing team to squeeze humor out of a funeral, though you’ll be chuckling through tears. Oh, and you’ll want to stick around for the final 45 seconds or so. Wow.
2. A Clean-Shaven Murray Bartlett and Frankie J. Alvarez Are Just as Sexy
For a split second it was weird to see Murray Bartlett (Dom) without that signature bushy mustache—we got over it—and for a long while it was strange to see a non-permascruff’d Frankie J. Alvarez (Augustín). We’re happy to report that both men are just as sexy, if not more so, post-razor.
3. There Are Absolutely No Challenges to a Love Scene with Russell Tovey
“He’s a horrible kisser,” said Jonathan Groff when asked the question, but we knew he was joking, because … well, just because. Groff of course took it back, saying, “He’s so hot, and his body is flawless.” What a shame he wasn’t there last night to join in the fun.
4. Ritchie Seems to Be Everyone’s Favorite
He may be in less of Season 2 than the last, but according to Lannan, “People are so hungry for Richie that when he does appear, it’s huge.” Take that as a sign that Raúl Castillo’s character isn’t leaving San Francisco anytime soon. Long live the love triangle!
5. Lauren Weedman is Just as Hilarious as ‘Doris’
A hugely popular character among fans, on the show Doris is always great at cracking us up during the most serious of moments. It turns out Lauren Weedman, who portrays her on the show, isn’t much different in real life; she had the audience in stitches throughout the entire panel. When asked about her highly emotional turn in the just-screened episode, she quipped, “I just popped an Adderall and went to work.” On the fact that her character has largely been positioned in the background of scenes thus far, she joked, “I don’t get to do anything. I walk in and go, ‘Hey, fags, let’s go to a movie.’” The audience ate it up.
6. Jonathan Groff is a Crybaby
This is according to, well, everyone that was on the panel. Apparently Jonathan Groff has made it a habit of crying at the table reads of some of the show’s more poignant episodes, though no one can really blame him. “It was really emotional—no acting requirement,” he said of the new episode. “We’re all plugged in and feel connected to each other.” Daniel Franzese then quipped, “I cried when I read [the last episode] because I’m not in it.”
7. The Cast Credits the the Show’s Wardrobe Guy with Some Big Things
Danny Glicker, the show’s costume designer, is apparently responsible for more than the cast’s SF street wear and those amazing Halloween costumes from last week. Glicker reportedly takes each cast member on a shopping spree at the start of the season, which entails six to eight hours of Bay Area shopping for the characters’ outfits. “The show would be completely different” without him, says Franzese, “and we learn from him.”
8. The Truth About Augustín’s Tatts
For those with eagle eyes, you may have noticed that Augustín’s tattoos have changed a bit since last season. Most notably, there’s now a line through a tattoo he had done while in a relationship with Season 1 love interest Frank. And Frankie J. Alvarez says he has no tattoos himself, so any ink you see is all Augustín.