The Advocate Interview: David Walton

David Walton, the impossibly handsome star of NBC’s About A Boy, first came to our attention in the 2010 film Burlesque in which his gay character spends the night with Stanley Tucci.

David has just done an interview with Brandon Voss for The Advocate which I quite enjoyed. Here are some excerpts:

Did you notice more gay fans after Burlesque became an instant camp cult classic?
I’ll sometimes get that look from guys, but I don’t necessarily know if they’re fans. To be perfectly honest, I’ve gotten attention from gay men for a long time.

Oh, really? What’s up with that?
I don’t know, but it’s flattering. I love being around cool, fun guys, so I’ve always enjoyed talking to gay men. Maybe it’s because I’m an inherent flirt, but it just feels very natural. There’s this club I like in L.A. where a lot of gay guys go. I’ve always gone there with girls, but sometimes you get carried away by the ’80s music and lose your way on the dance floor. Look, I’ve got a wife and two kids. I never want to give a guy the wrong impression or hurt his feelings, but a little mild flirtation is harmless.

Were you ever hesitant about taking gay roles?
Public perception is obviously important to an actor’s career. When you play a character, especially for a long run on TV, people do think that you are that person, so I get why it’s something an actor might consider. But I’ve taken each gay role that I’ve been offered. I’m two for two and waiting for the third.

Was there a gay scene at your boarding school?
Well, there was a lot of hazing way back when I was there, and a lot of hazing tends to be sexual. You’d be a freshman and a senior would jump into your bed buck-naked and start spooning you. You’d be like, “Dude, you’re the captain of the football team. What the fuck is going on?” [Laughs] There were kids I thought might be gay, but no one was out. A good friend of mine, one of my best friends from grades 7 through 12, actually came out much later. We had lost touch, and I just saw him recently. That was interesting. It wasn’t a shock, but I didn’t really see that coming.

Is it such a stretch that one of Will’s poker buddies would be gay? The show’s set in San Francisco.
I know, right? Let’s spitball some ideas. Let’s say I meet an awesome guy, we’re hanging out all the time, and then he turns out to be in love with me. Hilarity ensues? Obviously we’ll have to flesh it out.

Would Will be into it?
Maybe. I believe that sexuality is on a continuum. I’m never surprised to hear that a straight man has dabbled or that a gay man used to sleep with women, because sexuality’s the most powerful force on earth. With 1 being the strictest hetero and 10 being a gay person who’d vomit thinking about sleeping with the opposite sex, I feel like the vast majority of people lie between 3 and 7.

Where are you?
Right at 20. [Laughs] No, maybe 3.

Does anybody raise your number?
It used to be Tom Cruise, but now my wife and I are both obsessed with Ryan Gosling. He just does cool stuff and seems incredibly curious about the world, and I want to be like that. No, nevermind, scratch Gosling. Tom Brady. The guy’s such a stud. I met him once playing golf and couldn’t stop shaking his hand. I’m like, “Hey, it’s really nice to meet you,” but I made it this weird moment where I wouldn’t look away. He’s a guy who really locks eyes, too, so we had five good seconds of eye lock. Seriously, I’ll never forget it.