Love, friendship, and heartbreak are universal, no matter a persons sexuality.
I felt like at the time there was no gayDiner.
He said, Look.
Billy Porter (left) in The Broken Hearts Club.Credit: Everett Collection
Ill make it, but I want you to direct it.
DEAN CAIN (COLE):I had to fight with my agents.
I had tremendous pushback.
Everett Collection
I was very clear.
He helped build the cast that we did.
We had no money when we were even going to cast it.
Everett Collection
I remember at my audition we talked about Northwestern.
I think we had the same acting teacher.
My audition just went really, really well.
I remember thinking, Oh my God.
I think I have a shot at this.
So Greg Berlanti really gave me my very first big break.
It was just kismet, I guess.
Theyre all fascinating and lived to go on to do great things.
The Prep
BRAFF:Some of us were gay and some werent.
When we were in rehearsals, Greg said, I want you to act like gay men would act.
We kiss each other goodbye.
I want you guys to just start adopting more of the traits of this community.
I dont want to disappoint Greg, but were both straight.
CAIN:We were free to ask and discuss anything in our gay school.
The place went manic.
It was such a perfect Cole question to ask.
BEN WEBER (PATRICK):We went to Rage is that still there?
[Note:Yes, it is.]
It was just so immediate.
It was amazing to experience that.
Greg was my wingman, and it was amazing.
I almost enjoyed that part as much as the film.
The Shoot
BILLY PORTER (TAYLOR):It was pretty much a guerrilla shoot.
We were driving ourselves.
We were all in the trenches together.
And I think that bonds people, because we knew we were doing something special.
It wasnt about money it was history.
So I think we all hung out and had a lot of laughter.
Billy Porter is just hilarious, I remember he was sort of the class clown.
I was so excited to just be there, and let alone have a challenging part.
BERLANTI:Every day someone would get to the set with a new necklace or bracelet to wear.
I was like, Guys, this cant be the movie about necklaces.
Can we lose some of the necklaces?
CAIN:I will raise my hand and say, Guilty party here.
PORTER:[Laughs] Well, it worked so well because my character couldnt really play.
So there was no real acting going on there!
I was the funny one, so it actually worked!
It really worked because it was everything I was supposed to be.
So I used it!
[Laughs]
BERLANTI:I would ask [John Mahoney] about Steppenwolf Theatre.
He was such a gentleman, and you could tell such a kind soul and warmhearted.
WEBER:[Mahoney was] just the best.
While youre waiting for lights, theres nobody youd rather sit around.
So I was running the show for the first time and editing the movie.
I edited like 60 minutes of it by November, and it got into Sundance.
[Clubwas shot in October 1999.]
It was kind of a whole wild ride up until that moment.
The Legacy
MCGRATH:So many people still watch it and say, That movie saved my life.
That just brings me to tears.
When a young person says that to me, it will stop me in my tracks.
I am so proud of the movie because of the people that its touched.
BRAFF:I get a lot of stuff that makes you want to hold your heart.
It was so like me and my friend group.
Im glad Im doing this because I feel like its fallen into the background.
When I do run into gay men that havent seen it Im like, What?
You gotta see this movie.
Im still doing PR for it.
