Hellter Interviews Rhys Howells (Vampires: Brighter in Darkness and Lucas Rising)!!
In honor of Grue’s Gay Pride Month, we have the sexy amazing actor Rhys Howells. He is the main star Lucas in both Gay Vampire Horror films called Vampires: Brighter in Darkness and Lucas Rising. Rhys also starred in a episode of the popular tv series Game of Thrones, where he played Unsullied. He then went out to a gay tv series called Hollyoaks where he played Daryl. Grue-Lings, in honor for Grue’s Gay Pride Month, let’s welcome the sexy Gay Vampire Lucas himself, Rhys Howells:
.
.
.
.
HELLTER: Thank you for doing the interview for my horror site gruemonkey for Gay Pride Month. First off, your character Lucas in both Vampire films has drawn alot of attention from Gay men. Do gay men always try to hit on you out in public?
RHYS: First of all it is my absolute pleasure to chat to you guys. Being involved in the LGBTQ
community for many years I know the ongoing importance and relevance of Gay Pride
Month to millions of people all over the world, and any chance I can get to support it is an
honour. So to the questions. I don’t really get a huge amount of attention from guys in
public if i’m honest. I think its probably a case of i’m just not as alluring in real life as
Lucas, he’s a tough immortal act to follow day to day. I think more guys showed interest in
me in West Hollywood because they had no idea who I was but they heard the British
accent.
.
.
.
.
HELLTER: British accents do drive people wild. Every guy straight or guy has a man crush. Who is your man crush?
RHYS: That is a super easy one for me and I think everyone who knows me could tell you also, its
Johnny Depp.
.
.
.
.
HELLTER: Good choice. Mine is Tom Holland. You play a gay vampire and even had a few episodes on the very popular Gay tv series Hollyoaks. Has Rhys even been curious to make out or hookup with a guy outside of acting?
RHYS: I’ve been very lucky to play some great characters already in my career, and my time on
Hollyoaks was fantastic. Ive always been somebody who has been completely at ease
with my sexuality, I often talk about beautiful men or stylish men, probably more than I do
women, but for me that is as far as it goes. There are men in my life who I love, but that
has never shifted to desire or lust.
.
.
.
.
HELLTER: How comfortable are you when filming your many shirtless and nude scenes in both
Vampire films and kissing guys on screen? Must be awkward to be naked and kiss a guy
in front of a crew taping you.
RHYS: Honestly, it was just another day at the office. I seem to strangely have auditioned or cast
for a lot of things which require me to be shirtless so I don’t even think about that side of it
anymore. Also Dan and I are great friends there was never any nerves or awkwardness,
we just wanted to make the most honest film possible. Our director Jason was really
helpful at explaining and guiding us, as it was not only our first gay scenes but it was our
first professional acting credits also. It was also a closed set so the crew was at an
absolute minimum, and the environment was perfect to allow two young actors to get their
work done without any pressure.
.
.
.
.
HELLTER: How did it feel to star as Lucas in both Vampire Films?
RHYS: It was very early in my career as I mentioned, so I think on reflection there were things I
liked and I didn’t like about my performance in the first movie. So to have some more
experience under my belt and also have the incredible feedback that we did for the first
film, to be able to return to a character, and really give him some extra layers and depth
was incredibly gratifying for me.
.
.
.
.
HELLTER: You did an amazing job as Lucas. How was it like working with Dan the on the screen chemistry you both had for Vampires:Brighter in Darkness?
RHYS: Dan and I became great friends over the course of the films. I think we
were both in similar positions, young hungry actors who were taking up the challenge of
carrying a movie head on really. We didn’t have time to think about how much pressure
that was, we just did it, and It was nice that we both dove right in and also that we kind of
had each other to lean on. In regards to the chemistry I think that was an instant thing, its
one of those strange things that just happens, whatever we had between us just worked
and it wasn’t something we really had to act on it was there. This is one of the main points
of feedback we get from fans, is how believable we are and how great the chemistry is,
which is amazing.
.
.
.
HELLTER: You two really had amazing chemistry. Who is your favorite Vampire?
RHYS: There have been lots of amazing performances over the years, I love Gary Oldman in
anything, his Dracula was mesmerising. I also really like the show True Blood and I
thought Eric Northman was a really cool character.
.
.
.
.
HELLTER: I love True Blood!! Why do you think people are so drawn to Vampires gay or straight?
RHYS: I think it is a lot to do with the mystique that surrounds them, and the porcelain immortal
features definitely helps. I also think that the allure of Vampires to everyone is that this
awesome creature can dominate you in every way and you are powerless to stop it.
.
.
.
.
HELLTER: Yeah I agree. What is your favorite of the two, Brighter in Darkness or Lucas Rising?
RHYS: Lucas Rising is my favourite, just because I was a lot more comfortable in my abilities on a
professional level, but also that I was able to show different sides to Lucas, who he is and
why, which I think is really important to the story, especially if you want audiences to
embrace him.
.
.
.
.
HELLTER: How did you mentally prepare yourself being a straight male, that you would be kissing
and having sex with men on a Vampire film when you auditioned for the role as Lucas?
RHYS: My preparations were the same as if it were any other film. Honestly to me love is love and
I have really always felt that way, the line that Jason wanted to impress upon us is that
these films were a love story. That really spoke to me, that a gay man wanted to make a
film about love, but didn’t want it to be the gay vampire movie, he wanted it to be a love
story where the leads happen to be gay.
.
.
.
HELLTER: How did you get involved with Hollyoaks as Daryl?
RHYS: Hollyoaks came about, as many jobs do, after a few rounds of auditons. I was very
blessed to get the role, and it is a brilliantly vibrant place where everyone works incredibly
hard, I loved every minute of it.
.
.
.
HELLTER: Hollyoaks is a very good show. Game of Thrones is such a popular series. Are you a Game of Thrones fans?
RHYS: I am, like 90% of the world I think, a huge GOT fan. Getting the role actually forced me to
watched it in preparation, and after Ep1 I was hooked. The wait for the Finale is painful.
.
.
.
HELLTER: The most popular show in my opinion. How did it feel to work on set for Game of Thrones?
RHYS: It was incredible to fly out on Location in Morocco, it was a whirlwind trip, but everyone
was incredibly welcoming. Emilia, Nathalie and Iain were already huge stars, but they were
incredibly down to earth, and offered me really kind words when I wrapped. It really
showed me what hard work and professionalism looks like, and what it takes to stay at the
top. It was a real game changer for me.
.
.
.
.
HELLTER: That’s so cool. Do you believe in Vampires and what would you do if a vampire was trying to attack you?
RHYS: I think that there are so many things that we cannot definitively prove that it would be
foolish to say no they don’t exist. If one was to attack me, I think I would kindly ask that
they only drank a bit and if it wouldn’t be too much trouble could they turn me while they
were at it.
.
.
.
.
HELLTER: Anything else you want to discuss or promote?
RHYS: For fans of the Lucas there is very serious talks about finally completing the Trilogy. That
was always the plan, so watch this space.
.
.
.
.
IMDB
TWITTER
.
.
.
.
.
.
