viplounge
ROBERT GANT
by Lawrence Ferber
Published: December, 2007
Robert Gant is one of those actorswho makes a difference through his work.
Openly gay, he proudly played the role of Hal Spark's hunky, HIV-positive boyfriend, Ben, on Showtime's Queer as Folk between 2001–2005. Once the series wrapped, he co-founded Mythgarden, a production company devoted to projects that depict and are relevant to the LGBT community. Their first feature film is Save Me, in which Gant plays Scott, a broken gay man who falls in love with Mark, a recovering drug/sex addict, at an ex-gay ministry. Fellow Mythgarden co-founder Chad Allen plays Mark, while Judith Light portrays Gayle, the ministry's leader. The film made its debut at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival and is being distributed by Roadside Attractions. Meanwhile, Mythgarden is next working with David Duchovny and here! Regent on a film about an elderly gay man who finds both homophobia and love at a nursing home in The Way Out. Speaking of the elderly, Gant is passionate about the issue of aging in the gay community and he supports the organizations Senior Advocacy for GLBT Elders (SAGE), and Gay and Lesbian Elder Housing (GLEH).
Born Robert Gonzalez in Tampa, Florida, Gant lived a previous life as a lawyer before becoming an actor. He has appeared on TV's Popular, Caroline in the City, and Friends, and in films including Marie and Bruce, and the raucous 2004 Power Up!-produced short, Billy's Dad is a Fudge-Packer. In between his promotional duties for Save Me, and happily chatting about his new dog, Gant sat down in the VIP Lounge.
What place in the world is on the top of your list to visit?
[Italy's] Amalfi Coast, most likely Positano. I'm a bit of a workaholic and often vacation in a way that doesn't really entail rest. What I really want to do is rest, relax, restore, and renew. So I'm going to bring books, and I want a little villa where they have a chef who makes all your meals and friends can come and just chill.
What city in the USA most resembles the decadent gay Pittsburgh wonderland depicted in Queer as Folk?
West Hollywood! One of the things the show's producers decided to do was create a super-real environment in that Pittsburgh setting. That working class, middle of America sort of place, but with an almost fantastical, wish-fulfillment element. So I think you'd really have to go to New York or L.A. to experience that, and that whole holding hands walking down the street thing is very West Hollywood. What is the first foreign country you ever visited? I had always wanted to do the backpacking thing through Europe, and it was right after law school, so I did a two-week trip to Rome, Florence, Venice, and Nice. We were going to Paris next when someone told us we had to go to San Tropez, so we decided to take a train and ferry and…wow. We found the gay beach and it was all these wealthy, crazy, European vacationers. We met locals who had a vineyard and we stayed there and it was an extraordinary adventure.
Save Me takes place in a conservative part of the country. Is there a conservative-minded destination gays should visit and interact with the locals so they can have a positive, mind-opening impact on the area?
Gosh, there are so many places that need help in that regard, to have hearts and minds opened around the issue of homosexuality. To understand who we really are instead of preconceived notions. Unfortunately, with the places that come to mind, I wouldn't want people to put their lives in danger. So it's an interesting question. Being a guy who came from the south-I'm from Florida-that is definitely a region that could most benefit from more open minds.
When choosing a hotel, what are some of the amenities you consider absolutely essential?
I like hotels that are a little hipper. I love a big fluffy robe. I'm a big L'Occitane [brand toiletries] fan. I love all their verbena stuff, anything verbena. My favorite scent in the world.
If you could meet with anyone from the past, who would it be, where would you meet, and why?
I'd like to meet Ghandi. My favorite quote in the world is one of his: "Be the change you wish to see in the world." I'd love to speak to him, and better understand the notion of nonviolent existence and the thoughts behind it. I'd like to meet him in my home. People say it feels like a little bit of Tuscany. One of the things important to me is to create a vacation-like setting where I live.
What is the best or most unique souvenir you ever brought home, and where is it right now?
I have a painting from Queer As Folk that was in Ben's apartment. It's a long, thin painting of an elongated man, and he's holding a red flower and written over and over is "I will stand strong." That was a great source for my creation of the character and brings a lot of power and spiritual energy to my home.
If you were stranded on a desert island what three things would you hope to find there?
A virtually ceaseless feast of wonderful foods buried in a cave, most in cans, and all of the things necessary to prepare and open the cans; a deserted little abode; and a beautiful man with whom to spend time--the thing I'm most interested in finding today.