When it comes to rom-com feels, this one takes the cake.
The idea that someone else might make this movie filled me with unbearable jealousy."
Lopez won the 2020 Tony Award for Best Play forThe Inheritance,a gay epic inspired byHowards End.
Taylor Zakhar Perez and Nicholas Galitzine in ‘Red, White & Royal Blue’.Jonathan Prime/Prime Video
He received praise for its examination of the gay community in New York and inter-generational conflict and legacy.
But now Lopez gets to turn his eye to a happier gay love story.
That was a clear reference point for Galitzine, maybe too much so.
‘Red, White & Royal Blue’ by Casey McQuiston.St. Martin’s Griffin
“Inevitably, a lot of people drew comparisons with Prince Harry.
I tried to stay away from that because it’s entirely its own thing.
Henry is complicated in a different way and dealing with different issues.
Nicholas Galitzine and Taylor Zakhar Perez star as Prince Henry and Alex Claremont-Diaz in ‘Red, White & Royal Blue’.Prime Video
This isn’t Galitzine’s first time playing a prince.
He also portrayed a charming royal, Prince Robert, in 2021’sCinderellastarringCamila Cabello.
But he notes that Henry was a lot more down-to-earth and grounded than Robert.
“Robert is much more happy-go-lucky.
He’s much more playful,” he explains.
But Henry is definitely more emotional and internalized with how he expresses himself.
Much more in line with how people see royals.”
Galitzine relished the challenge of portraying Henry’s vulnerabilities and his own struggles in sharing them with Alex.
“As men, we find it hard to express ourselves and express our feelings,” he says.
“But that was a fun thing to explore from an acting perspective.
[I was] trying to understand that this person is entirely trapped by his upbringing and his family.
That was probably the most challenging, trying to make that authentic and real.”
What wasn’t hard?
Finding chemistry with Perez.
“We have the same sense of humor,” says Galitzine.
“We’re both idiots in some way.
We speak the same language as people.
It was a different chemistry.
Finding the levity and the light in each other, finding a sense of play in the scenes.
Because you want them to have that banter that back and forth, that zippy dialogue.”
Lopez says the actors' easy chemistry and charm are part of why he chose them for the roles.
“Nick brings a tremendous amount of vulnerability and dignity to Henry,” he says.
“Taylor turned himself into a human cannonball for bring Alex to life.”
Fans can find out what those tough decisions were when the film hits theaters on Aug. 11.
Watch the exclusive trailer above for more.
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