With Luca Guadagnino’s Queer hitting theaters later this month, Daniel Craig and Drew Starkey are grabbing headlines and stirring up some fabulous buzz.
Starring as a gritty, complex couple in this steamy adaptation of William S. Burroughs’ novella, the two actors are diving into uncharted waters in a way that feels both intimate and refreshingly honest.
For Craig, this isn’t his first tango with queer themes.
After hinting at his character Benoit Blanc’s queerness in Glass Onion, he’s now taking on William Lee, a weary American expat who finds himself entangled with Starkey’s Eugene Allerton, a young ex-sailor with a rebellious streak.
As Craig said to Variety, “You kind of have to leave your ego at the door.”
And for someone who once personified the dashing James Bond, leaving behind that swaggering persona for the vulnerable intensity of Lee is as compelling as it gets.
Starkey, at 31, comes into Queer as a relative newcomer to such deeply nuanced roles, but his dedication shines.
+Related: Drew Starkey Says Queer Costar Daniel Craig Was a Dream
When asked about the process, Starkey emphasized that there were no “rules” about their characters’ sexuality discussed during auditions.
Instead, Guadagnino trusted them to bring their authentic selves to the roles, letting the story’s intense emotions guide their performances.
“That’s what I learned from you,” Starkey playfully told Craig, nodding to the veteran actor’s no-nonsense approach on set.
The film’s trailer, which premiered at the Venice Film Festival, opens on a haunting night scene in 1950s Mexico City, with Craig’s William Lee stepping into a smoky cafe where he locks eyes with Allerton.
The romantic tension in that first look is immediate—and electric. Guadagnino, known for his visceral style in films like Call Me by Your Name, has fashioned Queer as a visual and emotional tapestry.
His directorial choices are unmistakable, layering sensuality with gritty realism in a way that doesn’t shy away from the film’s sexual elements.
But what truly makes this project stand out is the chemistry between Craig and Starkey.
While both are straight in real life—Craig happily married to Rachel Weisz and Starkey linked with Hellraiser star Odessa A’Zion—their commitment to telling an authentic love story is clear.
As Craig mentioned, “We just wanted to make it as touching and as real as we could.”
Starkey echoed this, acknowledging how Craig’s openness on set helped them both lean into the intensity of their scenes, particularly those that required vulnerability and trust .
With Queer arriving on November 27, fans are eagerly awaiting the chance to see these two embody a romance that’s raw, complex, and refreshingly authentic.
Craig and Starkey’s willingness to step into these roles without fanfare about their personal orientations speaks to an evolving Hollywood where storytelling takes precedence, and actors are celebrated for their ability to convey diverse narratives.
Cheers to that!
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