Advertisement

Billy Eichner reveals Liam Hemsworth almost starred in gay rom-com Bros

Billy Eichner, writer and star of gay rom-com Bros, has revealed Liam Hemsworth was keen on featuring in the film but was unable to make it work once the second Covid lockdown kicked off in Australia last year.

The film features Billy, 44, as Bobby and Luke Macfarlane, 42, as Aaron, two single gay men who struggle in relationships due to their commitment issues.

Bros celebrates the LGBTQI+ community and features very few straight actors, with some amazing cameos from stars such as Will & Grace's Debra Messing, Kristen Chenoweth and more – we don't want to spoil too much!

Bros' Billy Eichner and Luke Macfarlane at the Sydney premiere
Bros' Billy Eichner and Luke Macfarlane tell Yahoo Lifestyle that Liam Hemsworth almost starred in the gay rom-com. Photo: Getty

During a chat with Yahoo Lifestyle, Billy and Luke shared that Liam was "supposed" to star in the gay rom-com, but it just didn't work out.

"Liam Hemsworth wanted to do a cameo in the movie and he was supposed to, and we had a whole Zoom meeting with him, and he was lovely and charming and funny, but then Covid hit again and he couldn't travel from Australia just to do one scene in Bros unfortunately but that would have been fun!" Billy told us.

RELATED

"Australia, you kept Liam from being in Bros!" Luke lamented.

"Maybe Bros 2," Billy jokingly added.

When asked what kind of role Liam would have played, Billy revealed Liam was going to star alongside Nick Jonas in a fictional movie that Bobby and Aaron watch in the film.

Liam Hemsworth and Nick Jonas
At one point Liam Hemsworth and Nick Jonas were meant to make cameos in the film as stars in a fictional movie the characters go see. Photo: Getty

"In the movie, Luke and I go see a movie called The Treasure Inside, which is a fictional movie about, you know, two closeted frontiersmen during the California gold rush of 1812 – sort of indicative of the many movies about tragic, closeted men that we get and in Hollywood real straight actors play them – Brokeback [Mountain] and a million other ones," the star told us.

"And we were going to shoot scenes from that movie, and Liam was going to be one of the tragic closeted frontiersmen. We never ended up shooting those scenes, but at one point we were going to with Liam and Nick Jonas."

Speaking about Debra Messing's cameo Billy jokingly added, "She said it was the only time she's been able to curse on camera, so she had a blast doing it and she's so funny in the movie."

Billy on the film's 'importance'

Bros still with Luke Macfarlane and Billy Eichner
Billy and Luke shared that the film was really important for them and they hope it has an impact on audiences. Photo: Universal

When asked how Billy and Luke's 18-year-old selves would have felt watching a movie like Bros on the big screen, Billy shared why the film is so important to him, "I think it would have been so impactful to see when I was a kid, a lot of the stories that we got were about gay men suffering and you know, being in the closet and sort of about the challenges of being gay, which are all very important stories to tell.

"But we didn't get many comedies, many joyful movies about being gay and about being single and gay. Navigating dating and relationships and love and I think it's really important."

Luke agreed, adding, "I mean, so much of seeing a film kind of says to the world like this is normal, this is okay, this is cool.

Bros' Billy Eichner and Luke Macfarlane
Billy and Luke shared that the reaction from the LGBTQI+ community has been "powerful". Photo: Universal

"And you know, I think about like, my mum and dad going on a date night and maybe taking in Bros and like what that would mean for them and how maybe faster they could have come to understand their gay son."

Speaking about some of the more emotional responses from members of the LGBTQI+ community after watching the film, Billy shared, "It's really powerful. You know, it's humbling and it's very profound, really, I mean you don't often get to make things that inspire that type of reaction, especially a comedy.

"But that, you know, it speaks to how rare of a movie this is. We just don't have many movies like this to play on the big screen. And it's very powerful. I mean, it's really moving to hear those stories."

Luke agreed, adding, "Yeah, without sounding too highfalutin. It's kind of exactly what you hope when you make a movie, that it does touch somebody."

Bros is in Australian cinemas October 27!

Never miss a thing. Sign up to Yahoo Lifestyle’s daily newsletter.

Or if you have a story idea, email us at lifestyle.tips@yahooinc.com.