Harvey Guillén kicked off his Pride weekend this year with a personal FaceTime from Kathy Griffin. “She called me and woke me up to ask “How the f*ck do you do this? Eight shows a week for six months?” and it’s no joke, the hardest working people in show business are on Broadway.”
The call feels fitting for this particular point in Guillén’s life. After decades of work that too often flew under the radar or was unrecognized by mainstream audiences, it seems like people are finally waking up to his full potential and talent. And like Kathy Griffin, everyone seems to be asking “How the f*ck do you do this?”
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Over the last decade or so, Guillén has built a reliable career of scene-stealing supporting performances in beloved projects across film, television, and beyond. For six years, he portrayed the vampire-obsessed familiar Guillermo in FX’s hit comedy What We Do In The Shadows—who memorably came out in Season 4—and last year he was in the ensemble of sci-fi thriller Companion, playing one half of a couple with Lukas Gage.
“I don’t want to be a cliché”, he responds when asked what he looks for in his roles as a queer, Mexican-American actor. “[I want to play people that are] thriving, living wonderful lives,” and even if they don’t always get their happy ending (like in Companion, for example) it’s not because of their identity.
Growing up, he recalls being surrounded by the “machismo” of Mexican culture where, often times, flamboyant characters were tertiary—and the butt of the joke—leaving him wanting for positive representation. “That never felt comfortable, watching other people laugh at someone’s interpretation of what a queer person was.”
Like many of us, it wasn’t until Will & Grace that he felt like he finally saw fully realized gay lives on-screen, though of course they were almost exclusively white gays live: “Even then, they weren’t Latino. There was never representation for me.”
Blazing his own trails as an out Latino performer, one way he’s avoided being boxed into cliché roles is through a robust and varied range of voiceover work. Whether it’s as caked-up superhero Nightwing in Harley Quinn, or the anxiety-ridden emotional support dog Perrito in Puss In Boots: The Last Wish, it’s likely that you’ve heard Guillén just as often as you’ve seen him.
“I didn’t start doing voiceover until the pandemic out of necessity, but it had been trying for years because [I] don’t have to worry about if I’m tall enough, or slim enough, or if I wore the right outfit. I get to play characters where it would be more challenging to convince a producer otherwise.”
Not that this makes the process any easier. “You only have your voice to rely on. You have to be able to tell the story and everything has to be in the inflection, or enunciation, or quiver at the right moment.”
And it’s this particular chameleonic ability to step into the shoes of whatever the character requires that has landed Guillén perhaps his most prominent and demanding role yet. He’s currently among the eclectic cast of the Tony-nominated revival of The Rocky Horror Show on Broadway, where he takes on the double role of Dr. Scott and Eddie—six nights a week!
A show that’s long been adored for its radical approach to performance, Tony-winning director San Pinkleton has gone the extra mile in this production with even bolder casting choices that blur the lines of gender and ethnicity, letting every performer leave their individual mark on the beloved characters.
“I was actually the first person cast. I met Sam after I watched Oh, Mary! years ago, and he was like “Do you want to do Broadway?” So I thought he was gonna give me an offer for Oh, Mary! Then months went by and he called me saying they were gonna make an offer, and it was Rocky Horror. Everything led to where it’s supposed to. [It’s] such an iconic thing that hasn’t been done in over a quarter of a century here in Broadway.”
So while Guillén’s turn as first lady Mary Todd Lincoln in Cole Escola’s already legendary show will have to wait (we personally can’t wait to see his take on it), his acting chops are on full display every night on stage. “I think Sam needed to find someone who could be believable and versatile in two different characters, and I take great pride when [people] will come see the show, and it’s not even halfway through the second act and they’re like ‘Wait, that’s the same guy!’ That’s a great compliment to get, even from your friends and family who know you, because I made the choice to make these characters so different. Even their voices when they sing are different.”
But Guillén is not taking on this endeavor alone. The Rocky Horror cast is made up equally of stage and screen legends from the likes of Amber Gray, Tony-nominated Rachel Dratch, and Sherie Renee Scott (who took over the role of Magenta from Michaela Jaé Rodriguez a few weeks ago), to newcomers to the stage like Luke Evans, Juliette Lewis and Guillén himself. “We share this experience together, and we knew it was special from day one. We’re part of something really special that we’re going to look back and say we were the original cast that came back to do this. We’re going to be bonded forever.”
One of the most endearing things to come out of this production is Guillén’s bromance with fellow Latino star Josh Rivera, who takes on the hunky role of Rocky. The pair continuously cause a stir on social media with their viral videos, displaying a surprising intimacy in their friendship: “Josh calls me his work wife. I’m sure everyone thinks we’re dating, but I feel I’m close and more intimate with my friends than with the person I’m dating. You are in love with your friends, and Josh has slowly joined that rank. We’re both Tauruses, and we celebrate each other’s birthday, so it’s become a nice icebreaker to see eye-to-eye and have the same kind of humor.”
Beyond the friendships and the challenges to his personal craft, the weight of this particular show in today’s landscape is not lost on him. After all, Rocky Horror is quite literally a show about queer aliens. “The script is exactly the same way it was done 53 years ago. These words being said and lyrics being sung are still pushing the envelope. Can you imagine the risk and fear of saying the words “Sweet transvestite from Transsexual, Transylvania” 53 years ago? But people on stage said we’re doing it, we’re not backing away. And it’s become a beacon of hope every time someone discovers it.”
And Guillén shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. There are still many roles, genres, and types of projects that he feels he has yet to conquer. “I really want to do more rom-coms. I want to see myself in that position of a lead as a romantic interest. You don’t see a lot of queer people, people of size, Latinos in that genre. I want to re-frame how people tend to see actors and put them in a box. I want to do stuff that you wouldn’t traditionally see me in. I did all my stunts for What We Do In The Shadows, so I want to do more action stuff. If you give me a chance, I’ll put in the work.”
And if his career so far is any evidence, he has shown that he will put in the work, and go beyond what’s asked of him. He understands the importance of being an out, Latino actor and the difference that can make with future generations. “I’m proud that any kid would come up to me and be like, ‘I saw your character when I was in high school and I felt seen.’ That’s something that resonates with me because I didn’t see that growing up. I didn’t see characters I could idolize or see myself in.”
Harvey Guillén is undoubtedly seeing his own dreams come true, but at the same time making sure that others are able to pursue theirs as well. In the bio inside the Rocky Horror Playbill, Guillén’s reads at the end: Proud son of immigrants. Viva Mexico!
“If I have a platform, why wouldn’t I use it to express the dream and possibilities are available for anyone? I’m living proof that my parents could sacrifice everything to come to this country. The dream is for everyone.”
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