Filmmaker Max Talisman discusses LGBTQ+ and plus size representation in groundbreaking new film
Feeling that there’s very little content for the LGBTQ community and plus size actors in the entertainment industry, actor and filmmaker Max Talisman is a trailblazer, fighting for diversity and putting all of his efforts into creating a shift in film, which he has spoken about in the media including HuffPost.
Max Talisman wants to be the creative force that creates change with his groundbreaking, GenZ/millennial gay romantic comedy, Things Like This, which is set to begin production this Fall. He will not only star in it, but Things Like This will mark his directorial and screenwriting debut!
Known for his roles in Netflix’s Orange is the New Black, The Orchard’s Super Dark Times, TBS’ Search Party, and NBC’s The Blacklist, Max Talisman is an openly gay millennial man in the entertainment industry, and he felt that there was a need to create a movie that didn’t tell a story about coming out nor a story about two men already established far in life, but rather a story of the in between.
We had a chat with Max Talisman about his upcoming film Things Like This, and what it’s like being a plus sized LGBTQ actor in the industry.
Kyle Jackson: Can you talk a bit about being a queer plus size person in Hollywood how it has inspired you to create projects for queer and plus size people?
Max Talisman: For me, being a gay man who is also plus sized, I never saw anyone like myself as a leading character in Hollywood. People who were once larger would lose weight, and get buff, and it was news. I would hear “look how amazing that this man slimmed down, so that he could actually be a leading man.”
So, the message I was receiving was that only thin people have their stories told in Hollywood. As a young person growing up and knowing that my body would never be super thin, I’m just not built that way, I craved to see someone like me on screen.
Now that I’m here, and I have the chance to create the content I needed when I was young, I’m seizing the opportunity. It wasn’t just about creating these projects for myself; it was about creating them for all the young people out there who need to see themselves represented.
KJ: What was it like to work on such a groundbreaking LGBTQ show such as Orange Is the New Black?
MT: Honestly, it was a dream come true. One of my favorite TV Shows of all time. Even just getting to be on the set where I had been watching my favorite characters for years was very special. I love that show and it had the most talented cast working at that time. That was my first television job, and I was just so grateful to be there.
The majesty of working on that show wasn’t lost on me. Orange opened the door for many shows that came after it. The show really paved the way for all the Netflix shows that followed. At the heart of it were these incredibly deep and complicated queer characters.
It was so beautiful, heart breaking, and these characters made you feel every range of emotion possible. I think years down the line we will finally understand the impact that show had on the television world and for queer television too.
KJ: Can you talk a little bit about Things Like This and how you believe the story will speak to the LGBTQ community?
MT: Things Like This is the story of two young men with the same name who fall in love. It appears that fate has brought them together, but is fate ever what it really seems? This is truly the first mainstream gay movie where coming out is not part of the picture. Our leading men have come out years in the past. This movie is about love.
And we have the most stacked cast to tell this love story. Our cast is absolutely phenomenal! One of the greatest casts a queer film has ever seen. Three Time Academy Award Nominee Dyan Cannon, Academy Award Nominee Eric Roberts, Grammy Award Winner T-Boz — I mean these names are iconic. Beyond iconic.
Then we have some incredible young talents that will blow everyone away, including my good friend Charlie Tahan who everyone has watched on Ozark, and Jasmin Savoy Brown who starred in Shonda Rhimes’ For the People and is the star of the new Scream — she’s a superstar!
Also, we have star drag queen Willam!! This cast is a dream. It’s beyond a dream.
What I’m hoping is that Things Like This speaks to everyone, not just members of our community. What I’ve created is a romantic comedy where the two leading men just happen to be gay. They fall in love and all of the fears and anxieties that we millennials and Gen Zer’s deal with when we allow ourselves to feel that way, are the most human feelings imaginable.
But everyone feels that way gay and straight alike. I’ve recently fallen in love with someone deeply, and it was terrifying! Giving in to it and letting myself was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, literally. I know I’m not alone. I know these feelings are human.
Here’s the thing: I’ve watched straight romantic comedies my entire life and I’ve had to find my ways to feel represented by it. So now we’re creating a movie with two gay leads, but where the message and the feelings are completely universal. I think the whole world will fall in love with it.
KJ: In what ways do you feel the entertainment industry could be more accepting for plus size people?
MT: We could start casting overweight people in all roles, not just the roles Hollywood deems fit for their size. We could stop breaking down roles by weight in the first place, and just let the best actor for the job get the role, regardless of their size. Can you imagine!? It’s groundbreaking!
I’ve said this a lot recently, but these boundaries have to be broken so in the future it becomes the norm, and someone won’t have to answer questions like this in an interview. I know right now that I have to pave the way for the future. I think it’s important to recognize the fact that the work we’re doing right now is important for those who come after us. We need to leave the entertainment industry much better than how we joined it.
KJ: Are there any other topics or things you’re passionate about that you would like to explore in your future work?
MT: I grew up in musical theater, and I would love to write, direct and act in a movie musical someday down the line. I’m not sure if the musical already exists or if it’s something I’ll build from scratch.
I would also love to tell more queer love stories, because I think we need them. I’ll continue to make them and tell our stories because that really excites me. I think I’ve only begun to scratch the surface of the LGBTQ stories I can tell.
KJ: I see you like to travel! What are your favorite places to travel to, and have they inspired any of your work?
MT: I’m definitely inspired by the places I travel to. A lot of my work tends to be love letters to a certain city or place. I like to imagine myself in those beautiful different places all the time — feeling the wind and the rain, hearing the noises of those cities.
I can transport myself, and feel inspired any time, and I do that quite often. My favorite place to travel to is simple. My parents have a lake house in the southeast and it’s my “happy place.” I transport myself there most of all.
KJ: What other work do you have lined up that you can speak about now?
MT: My next film is a queer horror comedy that takes place in a not-so-distant future. I hope to be able to say more about it soon!
I can say there will be a lot of hairy men, because I think your readers will like that, and it’s a good hint to what we’re making! So yes — Lots of hairy men! I can’t wait to make it!!
To keep up with the latest from Max Talisman, visit www.maxtalisman.com.
Follow Max Talisman on Instagram and Twitter!
