Omar Apollo is rolling through a lot of firsts in his life.
The singer, who rode the wave of a critically acclaimed debut album Ivory all the way to the Grammys with a best new artist nomination, offered an immediate yes when asked to make his acting debut in Luca Guadagnino‘s Queer opposite Daniel Craig. The A24 film finds him playing a hustler who has a steamy one-night stand with Craig’s William Lee in Mexico City complete with a sex scene and full frontal nudity — more firsts for the 27-year-old Indiana native. His foray into Hollywood has since taken him to the Venice Film Festival and the recent LACMA Art + Film Gala, all new experiences for the rising star.
“It’s cool to be invited. It’s sweet,” Apollo told The Hollywood Reporter on Wednesday night at the L.A. premiere at DGA Theater Complex. “I don’t really think about how I’m perceived, so I kind of just am existing and the fact that people like my music and who I am as a person is beautiful. I don’t take it for granted.”
He’s also not letting it slide that the queer-themed film based on the William S. Burroughs novel (adapted by Justin Kuritzkes) is coming out after a highly divisive election. Set in 1950s Mexico City, Queer follows an outcast American expat (Craig) who becomes infatuated with a younger man (Drew Starkey) as he battles substance abuse, which takes them on a surprising expedition. Lesley Manville, Jason Schwartzman, Henry Zaga, Colin Bates, Drew Droege, Ariel Schulman and Simon Rizzoni round out the cast.
“See, I’m from Indiana. That’s a very conservative state but I hope I open somebody’s mind out there,” he said. “Especially now, I’m even more proud to be in a film like this. I already was proud but now, I’m like, yeah. I feel like it’s punk. This film coming out at this time, specifically, I think it’s going to help a lot. There’s a story about love and loss that transcends sexuality and people. It’s humanity.”
Apollo turns up in the beginning, which means there’s a lot of story to come after he exits the 135-minute film. “I thought it was incredible,” he said of seeing the full movie. “I was like, wow, I can’t believe I’m a part of it. I saw it as if I wasn’t playing the character, so it was really beautiful to see the finished product. I love my scene — it’s like a little eerie, and I like that. I like that energy.”
As for his full-frontal shot, the singer said he kept both his role and the nudity under wraps save for his inner circle. “I told my really good friends. I didn’t really want too many opinions. It was cool. I didn’t think too much about it. I really trusted Luca and the cast and the story. William Burroughs is an amazing writer, so I just trusted everything about it,” he said, though he did admit to taking a look in the mirror and snapping a nude selfie to send to a friend just for some reassurance.
“I did that. I took a picture and sent it to a friend. I was like, ‘You think I’m good?’ [The photo] is on my phone. Probably in a group chat.”
As for what the future holds in Hollywood, Apollo was optimistic there’s more screen work to come and more firsts, whatever those may be.
“I love film and I love TV. I love everything about it. It’s something I really want to get into and I’m just letting it [unfold]. Obviously, music is my drive and my first love and I’m obsessed with it, so that’ll never stop. But the other stuff is a blessing. I’m very fortunate to be here with all these very talented people.”
Luca Guadagnino, Daniel Craig, Drew Starkey, Drew Droege and Omar Apollo at the Queer premiere.
Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
Daniel Craig and Drew Starkey in Queer.
Credit: Yannis Drakoulidis/Courtesy of A24
