Jonathan Bailey, a gay actor in a world of dinosaurs
It's been 7 years since Chris Pratt headed the cast of Jurassic World , the Colin Trevorrow film that breathed new life into the franchise created by Steven Spielberg in 1993. Although he was hired long before fans discovered that the likeable actor from Parks and Recreation could carry a blockbuster on his shoulders, like when they first saw him embody Peter Quill in Guardians of the Galaxy , it was his role as the ethologist and ex-marine who trains velociraptors, Owen Grady, that established him as one of the great figures of Hollywood of the time. Pratt was subsequently able to complete two more installments of Jurassic World and two of Guardians , which added to his time at the height of The Avengers have left him today in a solid position as a figure of action cinema with a personal fortune estimated at 80 million euros.
Everything seems to indicate that something similar could happen with Jonathan Bailey and Jurassic World : Rebirth when it hits screens around the world this week. Accustomed to becoming the new sensation since he was a child when he debuted with the Royal Shakespeare Company at age 7, the Briton, now 37, surprised audiences with his film debut last year in Wicked , the adaptation of the Broadway musical that he joined at the end of the casting process to play the college-aged prince with whom Cynthia Erivo falls in love.
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When Universal executives saw him in Dancing Through Life , the musical number that impresses Bailey in the film and which was one of the reasons he was nominated by the Screen Actors Guild, they suggested that Rebirth director Gareth Edwards meet with him. The director, a visual effects specialist who has been demonstrating his skills with blockbusters since his opportunity to helm Godzilla in 2014, and who has already directed a Star Wars film, Rogue One , and an original science-fiction proposal that did not do much at the box office, The Creator , hadn't heard of him. However, when he mentioned his name to his girlfriend, she showed an interest that made him think he might be the ideal candidate.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter , Edwards recalled: “I told her I was hearing about Jonathan Bailey. Her eyes opened wide in shock and she asked me if it was true and if it was going to happen.” Like so many women around the world, his girlfriend was a huge fan of Bridgerton , the Netflix series that is one of the platform’s biggest hits and in which Jonathan plays the viscount who heads the family in the title, and which has undoubtedly been one of the most important steps on his ladder to success.
His first film role was last year in 'Wicked', but audiences were already following him after his time in the series 'Bridgerton'.In Jurassic World: Rebirth , Bailey plays the role that in a way continues the tradition of the scientists played by Pratt and Sam Neill, that of paleontologist Henry Loomis. He is summoned by the reckless undercover agent played by Scarlett Johansson to accompany her on a mission to a remote site where the most dangerous dinosaurs from the ill-fated investor venture once played by Sir Richard Attenborough have survived. To make the final decision, Bailey was invited to a meeting attended by about 20 executives and producers, who voted for him, understanding that there was a great difference with their predecessors. The actor has never hidden the fact that he is gay, revolutionizing the industry with every step he has taken, playing both characters that are gay, such as the one in the miniseries Fellow Travelers , another great step at the time for which he was nominated for an Emmy, and those that are not, particularly that of Wicked .
In the interview with the Hollywood Reporter , Jonathan explained why it's no small matter: "There are times when you have to be excellent to prove you can do it. And it's not that I haven't felt that. But on the other hand, there's the weight of history. And there are a lot of brilliant people who came before me and changed the way a lot of people view sexuality. Any kind of prejudice on that subject is something we have to fight against, and the best way to do that is to play all kinds of characters." Perhaps that's why Bailey hasn't come out to deny the rumors that consider him the most likely candidate to replace Daniel Craig in the new James Bond film, which Denis Villeneuve will direct.
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