Billy Eichner needed Bros to be ‘authentic’

Billy Eichner wouldn’t have signed up for ‘Bros’ if it wasn’t “authentic to gay audiences”.

The 43-year-old comedian was first approached about the movie by producer Judd Apatow and director and co-writer Nicholas Stoller and insisted he was “not interested” in taking a typical romance tale and making it about two men.

He told Britain’s Esquire magazine: “When Nick told me he wanted to do a gay romcom, I said to him, ‘If you think we can just do ‘When Harry Met Sally’ and swap out the man and woman for two men, then I’m not interested.’

“While I wanted the story to be accessible to everyone, it also had to be authentic to gay audiences.

“To his credit, Nick immediately said,’Whatever is honest will be best.’ “

In the movie, Billy plays podcaster Bobby, whose anti-relationship stance changes when he meets Luke Macfarlane’s Aaron.

And the ‘Billy on the Street’ star – who also co-wrote the film – insisted it was “important” to incorporate their sex lives into the film.

He said: “For so many years, the world turned a blind eye to LGBTQ people and the way we live our lives.

“And, as offensive and traumatising as that it, it can also be liberating.

“If you didn’t consider us part of ‘normal society’, then we didn’t have to operate by your old-fashioned, heteronormative rules.

“We made up our own rules. Our friendships, sex lives and relationships are different.

“I thought it was important to show these two men being physical with each other.

“I think sex is hilarious, absurd and awkward.

“I understand there is a shock value to it, because people have been so scared to go there in the past.”

Billy admitted it was daunting trying to get the movie off the ground.

He said: “Nick and Judd, as straight white men, I guess, have a certain confidence.

“But although I’ve had success, I’ve never been able to make something at this level.

“I’ve never even starred in an indie movie.

“A lot of that is because, up until very recently, Hollywood did not embrace openly gay actors and comedians.”