Greg In Hollywood chats up some of the creative folks who will have movies showing at Outfest 2010

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The next group I chatted up included three of my favorite out actors in the business: Matthew Montgomery, Steve Callahan and David Pevsner who star in the drama Role/Play written and directed by Rob Williams (pictured standing to the right of the three actors).

The movie is highly-anticipated because it is the first time Montgomery and Callahan, a real-life couple for more than two years now, star opposite each other in a film.

Matthew has starred in such well-regarded art house films as Back Soon, Long-Term Relationship, Redwoods, Socket and Gone, But Not Forgotten while Steve starred in the memorable East Side Story and Nine Lives.

I’ll feature my joint interview with Steve and Matthew as part of the countdown but share with you some of what Rob Williams had to say about directing this talented duo: “It was so easy directing them because they are so comfortable with each other and their performances are so natural and their chemistry is so natural,” Rob said. “They just gave these incredible performances.”

This marks the second-straight year Rob has a movie playing Outfest. Last year, his delightful comedy Make the Yuletide Gay was screened.

Rob said that since he so rarely ever saw gay-themed films growing up, he’s grateful for the opportunity to make them now: “To make the decision a little later in life that that’s what I wanted to do and to be doing it is pretty amazing. I hope to keep doing it for a very long time.” **************

Here I am with the adorable Heath Daniels who was excited to chat about his short film Go-Go Rejects which will as part of a comedy program called From Uranus to Titicaca on July 11.

Heath wrote and produced and acted in the 20-minute film which comes at the end of the program.

“I always wanted to have a film in Outfest so I’m honored to be playing at Outfest,” he said. “[The film] sort of based on my real-life tragedy of trying to be a go-go dancer here in Hollywood combined with my childhood obsession with Jennifer Beals and the movie Flashdance. It’s about the rejection that ensues.”

I wondered if Heath was self-conscious about having to wear next to nothing: “At the end of it, we were doing 15-16 hour days and by that time I was just standing around virtually naked and no one was batting an eye.”

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It was good to bump into Todd Kubrak, Liz Osborne, Emily Teck before I left the party because I wanted to know about their movie The Four-Face Liar.

I could not figure out what the movie was about from the poster and Todd – an actor and producer on the film – to explain in a nutshell: “We have men that want men, women who want women, women who want men, we got everything.”

Added Emily, also a producer and star: “It’s a coming of age love story about four college kids falling in love and learning about themselves. With our generation, I don’t think labels are as appropriate as they used to be, it’s about figuring out who you are and what does it for you. It’s a universal story about love.”

Liz told me the movie was shot it just over 28 days in NY and LA on soundstages in the streets, in the winter and the fall.
“You name it, we shot it,” she said. “It was an amazing experience, just the best collaborative effort, a lot of people who really wanted to make a good movie. A lot of people who had a lot of heart.”

The film will have its screening at Ford Ampitheatre on July 17.

************ And finally, it was nice meeting actress Paris Picard, one of the stars of the drama A Marine Story screening July 14.

The movie is about a tough marine officer named Alexandra who is discharged under Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell and returns to her conservative hometown with a mysterious personal life.

Paris and I were going to talk but got pulled in different directions as the party got crowded. But Jd is a producer on this and I will feature my chat with her about this movie as part of the Countdown to Outfest.

Stay tuned!

************ Okay, I’ll just confess that this last guy is not an actor or a producer in any Outfest movies but he sure is cute!

His name is Justin Rabalais and not only is he an actor, he’s also my favorite bartender at O Bar. Handsome, friendly and attentive, Justin is always a nice addition to any event at this swanky eatery.