Some say that Jesus is the rock, or the anchor. I say that your friends and family are your anchor. And you can REALLY hold their hands, not just sing about it. No disrespect to George Jones.

I'm straight, but the character was too important to me to muddle his world with my private life. As a nobody, I got away with that deflection. I think it may have helped to introduce Brian as a believable gay man. Maybe not. However it played, it's been out of my hands for a long time.

I started studying at 26. Before that, I never thought of acting as something that I would ever try.

For a while, the gay thing seemed like such a big deal. But now, I don't think it is. It's just a comedy-drama about people who live in the United States. It's a slice-of-life. I play a character-that's it. But I was well aware of the gay lifestyle before the show. I've been hit on in a really strong way by gay men who've tried to convert me, and a lot of my heroes are gay. William Burroughs, Lou Reed. Well, I guess Lou Reed is bi. The point is, it's 2002, gay life is no longer that shocking.

After I began to explore what an actor actually is, I studied for three years before I had the guts to go on an audition.

If someone doesn't want to work with me because I'm playing a gay character, I don't want to work with them. They can fck off.

You have to like your character, because if you don't, no one else will either.