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Fil-Am actor Conrad Ricamora on playing Mr. Darcy in 'Fire Island'

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Yong Chavez | TFC News Hollywood

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Conrad Ricamora and Joel Kim Booster in Fire Island. Courtesy: Hulu/Searchlight " Fire="" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/tfc/06/03/20220603_conrad-ricamora-and-joel-kim-booster-courtesy-hulu-searchlight-fire-island.jpg"/><figcaption>Conrad Ricamora and Joel Kim Booster in Fire Island. <em>Courtesy: Hulu/Searchlight &quot;Fire Island&quot;</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>&#x27;Fire Island&#x27; is a romantic comedy inspired by the Jane Austen classic &#x27;Pride and Prejudice.&#x27;</p><p>It is written by and stars Joel Kim Booster in the central role. Playing the film’s equivalent of the aloof romantic hero Mr. Darcy is Conrad Ricamora.</p><p>A stage and tv veteran, one of the Filipino American actor’s most memorable performances was playing Ninoy Aquino in the stage musical &#x27;Here Lies Love.&#x27; He admits playing Mr. Darcy was something he didn&#x27;t think was possible for him.</p><p>&quot;I feel like things are changing because of people like Joel writing the script that he wrote. Honestly, it wasn&#x27;t on my list because I thought after six years of being on &#x27;How to Get Away with Murder&#x27; playing this iconic gay couple, it wasn&#x27;t even on my radar,&quot; Ricamora said.</p><p>&quot;I love the character. I loved the character from the Keira Knightley &#x27;Pride and Prejudice&#x27; movie, and so when it came along, I was so excited and so thrilled to be given the opportunity just to audition for it.&quot;</p><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Fire Island. Courtesy: Hulu/Searchlight " Fire="" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/tfc/06/03/20220603_fire-island-courtesy-hulu-searchlight-fire-island.jpg"/><figcaption><em>Courtesy: Hulu/Searchlight &quot;Fire Island&quot;</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>&#x27;Fire Island&#x27; showcases talents and characters that are finally getting their much-deserved spotlight in the rom-com genre. It centers diverse characters and the friendships, joy and romance of queer people - themes that have been largely absent in Hollywood films. Directed by Andrew Ahn, the movie employed queer talents on- and off-screen, adding a layer of authenticity to the storytelling.</p><p>Booster thought of writing the story ten years ago when he first visited New York&#x27;s Fire Island, a place frequented by LGBTQIA+ community members.</p><p>&quot;Not only is it a gay story, but it is very specifically a story about the gay Asian American experience. And I think that there is a lot of question when you&#x27;re trying to get something like that sold of, whether or not there is something that straight white the broader audience, can engage with. And I think what the industry is starting to realize is that when you tell specific stories, when you tell hyper-specific stories especially, there is a universality to the themes. This story is about friendship. It&#x27;s about chosen family,&quot; Booster noted.</p><p>The film also stars Booster&#x27;s best friend, &#x27;Saturday Night Live&#x27; cast member Bowen Yang, who credits Booster for writing a part that challenged him as an actor.</p><p>&quot;It meant everything. As a performer, an artist, I think what you always wanna do is present something that resembles your complete self and I feel like Joel just gave me that opportunity,&quot; Yang said.</p><p>The cast, which includes veteran comedienne Margaret Cho, also consists of real-life friends.</p><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Fire Island poster. Courtesy: Hulu/Searchlight " Fire="" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/tfc/06/03/20220603_poster-fire-island.jpg"/><figcaption><em>Courtesy: Hulu/Searchlight &quot;Fire Island&quot;</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>&quot;These really are my best friends and so I don&#x27;t take that for granted at all,&quot; actor Matt Rogers said. &quot;This is just an incredible experience that I don&#x27;t think will be easily replicated.&quot;</p><p>&#x27;Fire Island&#x27; is now streaming on Hulu.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4RsHxbWt81s?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

Just in time for Pride Month, a new film on Hulu revolves around a group of friends who flock to a gay vacation destination for fun while looking for love.