Gus Kenworthy says Gay Kiss Removed from “80 for Brady”
Olympian-turned-actor says he believes the on-screen same-sex kiss was cut from the film "for Middle America."
Olympian-turned-actor Gus Kenworthy says that a scene he filmed involving an on-screen kiss with another man was removed from the film 80 for Brady, which opened last week in theaters nationwide.
The film is inspired by a true story of four octogenarian female football fans who travel to Houston for the 2017 Super Bowl to watch the New England Patriots play against the Atlanta Falcons.
Since the film’s release, some critics have argued the film should have distinct appeal for LGBTQ viewers, primarily due to its quartet of leading ladies who are much beloved by the queer community — Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, Rita Moreno, and Sally Field — and the inclusion of Billy Porter, who plays a halftime show choreographer.
Gus Kenworthy, who makes a cameo in the 98-minute film, says that initially the script called for a shot of him “making out” with his on-screen boyfriend, portrayed by M3GAN actor Brian Jordan Alvarez.
The kiss was subsequently cut from the film.
The 31-year-old actor said he and Alvarez performed several takes of the kiss, which occur after the pair engage in a back-and-forth lover’s spat.
“They used the script for one take, but then we did it like four or five times where we would just ad-lib insults at each other and then make out,” Kenworthy told Variety. “Some of them got raunchy.”
He said he hopes at least one of the deleted kisses makes it into the director’s cut.
“Release the tapes!” he joked. “See if you can get that trending.”
The openly gay former Olympic skier added, “They said they had to cut [the scene] for time, but I think they cut it for Middle America.”
Paramount Pictures has declined to comment on the decision to excise the same-sex kiss from the film.
A representative for production company Fifth Season said in a statement that 20 minutes was “cut from the film for pacing reasons, including key scenes with cast members, along with cameo appearances such as Gus and Brian’s kissing scene.”
“We value and celebrate the contributions of the filmmakers and all of the incredible talent involved with the movie, including those members of the LGBTQ community,” the production company said in a statement to CNN. “We are deeply committed to meeting the needs of each individual film while maintaining our values as an inclusive studio.”
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