Red, White & Royal Blue stars Nicholas Galitzine and Taylor Zakhar Perez, Emmy nomination predictions, and more in EW's The Awardist

Nicholas Galitzine and Taylor Zakhar Perez on their on-screen romance, that cake scene, and connecting with fans of Red, White & Royal Blue

Interview by Gerrad Hall
Illustration by Jaya Nicely

From the moment they both enter the virtual video chat to talk about their 2023 smash-hit rom-com Red, White & Royal Blue, Nicholas Galitzine and Taylor Zakhar Perez are roasting each other, throwing out playful jabs.

Their friendship and connection are undeniable, and it's immediately evident that the bond they share in Matthew López's movie, based on Casey McQuiston's enormously popular book of the same name, extends off camera as well.

Eight months after the release of the movie, which took social media by storm as fans shared their favorite scenes — some funny, some steamy — and swooned over Prince Henry and Alex, the president's son, the stars chat with Entertainment Weekly's The Awardist podcast to look back on the movie (which they didn't get to promote hardly at all given the double Hollywood strikes), its success, their attempt to deliver a fresh and funny queer romance, and more.

THE AWARDIST: The film debuted on August 11. At that point, we were about a month into the actors' strike, and I know you guys were able to do a few interviews prior to that starting, but you didn't really get to do the full promotional tour we usually see for a film, much less get to publicly celebrate its success and interact with fans who were really going crazy for it on Instagram and TikTok. But I have to assume, obviously you guys were seeing a lot of that. Were you talking and sharing all of that with each other privately?

NICHOLAS GALITZINE: Generally speaking, being online scares me quite a lot, so I feel like I remember us kind of dipping into it and then being like, "Oh it, it's good, it's good." And then going away. But to this day, it's pretty amazing to see the resonance it's been able to have.

TAYLOR ZAKHAR PEREZ: Yeah, it was a little scary because you are like, if a tree falls in the woods, does it make a sound? And that's kind of what it felt like when the movie came out because we're like, okay, it's out, but we can't do much about it. And so we just had to wait, like Nick was saying. The amount of text message links I got about reviews or interviews or fan responses were nonstop. And so I kind of, as Nick was saying, left it to my nearest and dearest to kind of inform me on the film's success. [Laughs]

I think what is so cool, special, however you two want to categorize it is that all these months later fans are catching up with each of you outside of events to autograph books or photos, and there's this whole thing going on right now on social media where we see you two are signing over each other's faces or drawing little mustaches...

I want to step in here because I did not know that this was happening until I saw this in person and someone told me they were doing it. This little f---er over here, he's disrespecting my body of work, disrespecting me as a human being. And so I retaliated. So I just want to make that very clear.

[Laughs] Someone had to strike first and then it's just a response.

PEREZ: I plead the fifth.

GALITZINE: Taylor, what possessed you, what have you got against me?

PEREZ: I honestly have nothing against you. I think the fans are always excited when a new piece of magazine or some new photograph comes out and I feel like it's indicative of who we are as people but who we are as characters in the project that we do just kind of mess with each other and one-up each other. And so when I saw our face in the GQ, I probably signed a hundred of them. And so by the hundred-and-first, I was like, you know what? This could be really fun.

GALITZINE: [Laughs] And now it feels rude to not sign on each other's faces. I feel like that's what people want when they show up with books and stuff now.

What does it mean to you guys that fans have supported and loved the two of you in the way they have as their Prince Henry and First Son Alex?

GALITZINE: It's very overwhelming. I feel very humbled by it. There are so many wonderfully talented people in this industry and there's so many wonderfully talented people who'd love to do the job that we do, and when you make something that has this sort of seismic shift in your career — I don't want to speak for Taylor here — but I just think we feel very, very humbled by it. And to be honest, more than the signings or the photos or anything, I just really love chatting to people on the street about this movie and oftentimes how positively it's affected their life.

PEREZ: Yeah, I will second that because the amount of folks that come up to me and tell me, "When I read the book, I was this close to taking my own life," or, "When I saw your film, it made me not want to kill myself anymore," and those are the moments that are really important to me because I do — and my friends will tell you, my family — I'll stop on the street with somebody and chat with them for five to 10 minutes. I'm completely en route to somewhere and have to be somewhere, but when somebody stops me, I'm like, this movie means so much to people — and to me and to everybody who made it hopefully — but I do want to lend an ear and hear their story because at the end of the day, it is a love story and I think that's why they're falling in love with it. I think it's also a testament to Casey's brilliance as a writer, and then they gave us the book and there was such a huge groundswell of support for it. And so Nick and I knew going into it that we had some tough shoes to fill.

As you said, it's a love story. There's romantic comedy elements even here — there are some very funny scenes, perhaps a little cheese, but the right amount of cheese, a really good cheese. But like you're saying, it does deal with some very real things as it relates to the impact of coming out and labels and perceptions. What were the conversations like behind the scenes about how you guys could bring a new point of view and something unique to the table? Because there are a lot of movies that are coming out stories, but this one, it felt different.

PEREZ: We had tons of conversations surrounding this, and I feel like with queer cinema itself, some of the major themes are personal identity and exploration, empathy and understanding, and definitely challenging stereotypes. And going into this film, we were really all in this major agreement — obviously, the book also speaks for itself, but the book is celebrated for its positive and nuanced representation of the queer community and characters and relationships — and so we just knew that going into this we're like, this is going to be contributing to its popularity and impact, that positive representation. So it was kind of nonstop conversations and discussions about this, right, Nick?

GALITZINE: Yeah, definitely. And I think we just wanted to create something that felt just very new and fresh and wholesome and funny and that had a heart to it. Everyone felt very, very aligned in terms of the creative [approach], top to bottom, whether it be Taylor and I or Matthew and Casey and the amazing producers, the music on the film. I mean, there was just a really great sense of community established on this job, which was very fulfilling.

In the midst of all of that, there is of course intimacy because it's a love story. Trust, of course, is vital between costars, but I'd imagine a bit more when that kind of stuff is involved. So did you guys make a point of hanging out, having dinner, whatever that might mean to develop and build that between you, or was it just inherently there already?

GALITZINE: I remember the first few minutes of rehearsal I was like, oh, this guy's my friend. This guy is going to be a buddy. We have the same sense of humor. It's very "yes, and..." and we just really, really got on. And I think that just this inherent sense of trust came with that and a sense of responsibility of wanting to make something great. But that's not to say we didn't have great people like Robbie Taylor Hunt, who was our intimacy coordinator, who funnily enough, I've worked with twice now. He's like my guy now [laughs] seeing as that's basically my thing, is doing intimate work on camera. But no, but I think he very much helped us refine the choreography of all the intimacy in way. We really just had to care for each other and a trust with each other. And it's so fun now seeing my mate at all these awards and stuff, and a closeness in a project like this, I think is required.

PEREZ: Matthew comes from the theater, so we had a solid week of rehearsals together, going over scene by scene with the different characters. Usually on set you'll get one or two days to maybe just read through it with the director, and with us, Amazon really allowed Matthew to have time with us — because of the subject matter and because how important this book is and how beloved it is, I know that he wanted to get it right. And Nick and I knew that going into it we're like, okay, we're in this. No messing around — having fun, of course, because the best part of acting is the fun and the work — but we just knew that we were representing something way bigger than ourselves.

Filming in London's Victoria and Albert Museum, I can't imagine how incredible that was. I know something that fans were so excited about, too, was when you both say here in person versus an email [in the book], "History, huh?" All these little touches, at what point did you discover what the things were that fans were most excited to see play out in the film?

GALITZINE: Well, the cake was the big one, right? That's just such a visceral scene. And Matthew, coming from a theater background, obviously wanted it sort of completely planned like...

PEREZ: Abbott and Costello.

GALITZINE: Yeah, exactly. And so a lot of choreography and timing and everything went into that. A lot of it that relies on camera movement and everything. And that was pretty early on in the filming process as well. Tthat's the one that jumps to mind for me. I dunno about you, Taylor?

PEREZ: The cake is, I think, the cover of the book. And that was a particularly tough one for me because, well, I mean the comedy and stuff was so much fun — we rehearsed that — but my dog passed away the night of the first day of filming, and then we had the second day of filming that scene. And so I come back, I find out my dog passes away, and then I text Matthew and Nick, I'm like, "Hey guys, I'm going to be strictly professional tomorrow. I'm going to be fine, but I'm just going to probably be a little different," a 10-hour flight from the dog that's passed away. And then I get there, everybody's looking at me with these sad eyes, I'm like, what's wrong? And then they're like, "We're so sorry, we're so sorry." I'm like, did you guys send a companywide email telling everybody about this? [Laughs] Everyone's like, "Would you like some tea?" I'm like, "I'm okay, thank you." And I was like, well, now I have to be good. I have to be okay. But the cake scene was major. It was just so much fun.

I know a lot of people are asking you about the potential for a sequel. Of course, there's got to be a story, but do you even know, is anyone thinking about or working on a potential story?

GALITZINE: Go on, Taylor. [Laughs]

PEREZ: Go on. Go on. I'm over here glazed over because this is the question I get every day in my life, Gerrad. I'm just kidding.... I am not sure yet. On previous projects that I did when there was already a film in the can and then you hear about the announcement of a sequel or something, that's when we become privy to it. But personally, no. I'm waiting for Casey to announce the second book. I'm assuming that that's what the film would be based off of — kind of like a Francis Ford Coppola and Mario Puzo [with The Godfather books]. That would be the way that I would love it for it to happen... Matthew got the opportunity to adapt it, but Casey is the brain behind this world and these characters. And you would want Casey's touch in there because they're so smart and kind and just sees — this world is such a what-if world, and to have another one of those films like this that had such a great response, and in countries where it's quite literally illegal to be queer in these countries, it was No. 1 on Amazon. So you know that throughout the world, where there's eight billion people, there's eight percent of them identify as LGBTQIA+, that's 640 million people that are watching this. Hopefully. You would love to affect that many people. And then the community around them, I think it's just as important for those a part of the community and those that are not part of the community to watch this project and just learn something, enjoy it, laugh.

This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Listen to more of our in-depth interview with Nicholas Galitzine and Taylor Zakhar Perez, including why Perez was paranoid about filming one particular skin-baring scene, how their social media followings grew because of the film, and more, in the podcast below.

Get the latest awards season analysis and hear from the actors, creators, and more who are contenders this season on EW's The Awardist podcast, hosted by Gerrad Hall. Be sure to listen/subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts, or via your own voice-controlled smart speaker (Alexa, Google Home).

2024 Emmy nomination predictions: Outstanding Drama, Comedy, and Limited Series

Entertainment Weekly predicts the top contenders in the big three Emmy categories — from The Crown and The Bear to Fargo and True Detective: Night Country. By Kristen Baldwin

Sure, we just did this in January — but television never sleeps, people! Welcome to the 2024 Emmy season, where everything that aired between June 1, 2023 and May 31, 2024 has a shot at taking home a shiny gold statue this fall.

Okay, maybe not everything. Allow us to kick off the prognostication parade with the big three categories: Drama, Comedy, and Limited Series. With nominations-round voting starting on June 13, voters don't have much time to consume a lot of contenders. Their to-do list begins below.

Drama Series

The Crown (Netflix)
The Gilded Age (HBO)
Slow Horses (Apple TV+)
The Morning Show (Apple TV+)
The Curse (Showtime)
Mr. & Mrs. Smith (Prime Video)
Fallout (Prime Video)
3 Body Problem (Netflix)

It’s an exciting time to be an Emmy voter… at least, for those who are willing to watch a whole bunch of new dramas. With Succession and Better Call Saul over, and so many other frequent nominees — House of the Dragon, The White Lotus, The Last of Us, and Yellowjackets — not airing in the eligibility window this go-around, the field is wide open. The Crown is the only real lock, but The Morning Show — which has racked up multiple Emmy acting nominations in past seasons — is likely to graduate to the drama ballot. The recent SAG nomination for The Gilded Age and the Globe nod for Slow Horses star Gary Oldman indicate that they’ll be on voters’ radar. The rest of the category will be a mix of starry, critically acclaimed series (Mr. & Mrs. Smith, The Curse) and high-profile adaptations (3 Body Problem, Fallout).

Comedy Series

The Bear (FX on Hulu)
Abbott Elementary (ABC)
Only Murders in the Building (Hulu)
Hacks (Max)
Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO)
Reservation Dogs (FX on Hulu)
What We Do in the Shadows (FX)
I’m A Virgo (Prime Video)

Now that The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Ted Lasso, and Barry have left the building for good, the comedy ballot has room for some new tenants. What We Do in the Shadows, overlooked for season 4, should be back along with returning nominees The Bear, Abbott Elementary, Only Murders, Hacks, and Curb Your Enthusiasm. (Curb, it should be noted, is having a woefully unfunny final season, but it’ll somehow earn an 11th nomination in this category anyway.) As for the fresh blood, our bet is on Boots Riley’s bold social satire I’m a Virgo, and the sublime sendoff season of Reservation Dogs. The voting body should know that there will be a mass TV critic uprising if the latter does not receive its long-overdue recognition.  

Limited/Anthology Series

Shōgun (FX)
Fargo (FX)
True Detective: Night Country (HBO)
Fellow Travelers (Showtime)
Lessons in Chemistry (Apple TV+)

Yes, it’s early in the season, but once again the slots are already filling up in this always-competitive category. FX will gobble up two with Shōgun and Fargo, and the fourth season of HBO’s True Detective is a heavy favorite as well. (Apologies to Nic Pizzolatto.) One important thing to note: Plenty of contenders have yet to premiere (The Sympathizer, Eric, Under the Bridge, Franklin, The Veil, etc.) while others are just starting their run. (See the deserving dark horse below.) 

See which other shows Kristen thinks are in the mix, as well as her deserving dark horse in each category.

Emmys Flashback

EW covers this year's contenders

Colin Farrell and Kirby break down their soft-boiled noir series Sugar

Nicholas Galitzine shot 4 sex scenes with different partners in 1 day on Mary & George

True Detective: Night Country boss answers our burning questions after those major season finale reveals

Best of 2023 (Behind the Scenes): How The Bear cooked up that impressive cast for 'Fishes'

Donald Glover says he and Maya Erskine 'became like a married couple' filming Mr. & Mrs. Smith

Super early 2025 Oscar contenders to watch, from Zendaya to Lady Gaga and Dune: Part 2

Angelina Jolie, Regina King, and a movie about Donald Trump could be major Academy Awards contenders next year. By Joey Nolfi

With the "Barbenheimer" duel and the Best Actress Battle of the Stones finally laid to rest, it's time to look ahead to who might take the podium next year with our super early preview of top 2025 Oscars contenders.

Before Oppenheimer triumphed as this year's big Best Picture winner, high-profile Oscar hopefuls had already aligned in January at Sundance, with all eyes on several mid-to-late-year blockbuster sequels (Dune: Part Two, Joker: Folie à Deux) to potentially repeat the Academy Awards success of their respective predecessors.

Though we're still just under a year out from the 2025 Oscars — and with the awards-positioning Cannes film festival just around the corner — stoke your thirst for golden glory in Hollywood with Entertainment Weekly's top contenders to watch out for in the months ahead.

Zendaya in Challengers

Between Zendaya's strong supporting role in Dune: Part Two (more on that later) to her leading part in Luca Guadagnino's buzzy love triangle drama/tennis epic Challengers, the former child star could finally step into the Oscars spotlight not because of her status as a bankable A-list star, but because she's a respectable actress who can front both blockbusters and — pardon the pun — challenging parts fit for a performer of her caliber.

Lady Gaga and Joaquin Phoenix in Joker: Folie á Deux

With a buzzy new album in the works adding to her celebrity profile, Lady Gaga heads into the current Oscar race standing on more solid ground than she did in 2021 as she joins Joaquin Phoenix for Joker: Folie à Deux, a sequel to the Best Picture-nominated 2019 blockbuster (the first R-rated movie to gross over $1 billion globally) that landed Phoenix him a Best Actor win. With Gaga taking center stage as villainess Harley Quinn in the 2024 continuation, all bets are on her to rise through the season doing what she does best: tapping into her wild-child eccentricities, belting her brains out (Folie á Deux is rumored to be a musical), and making this year's Best Actress race a wickedly good (and weird) time.

Dune: Part Two in multiple categories

Director Denis Villeneuve's follow-up to his 2021 masterpiece has a big spice rack to fill, as the first film won six Oscars for technical elements — in addition to scoring a huge Best Picture nomination in the process. Part Two is off to a stellar start, as it has earned just under $600 million globally to date, and is likely to push well past that number by the time it hits VOD services. With critical raves and golden dollar signs on its side, expect Dune: Part Two to ride off into the desert on a sandworm with multiple Oscars in tow.

See the rest of Joey's early contender predictions — including Angelina Jolie, Regina King, Kingsley Ben-Adir, and Sebastian Stan.

Check out more from EW's The Awardist, featuring exclusive interviews, analysis, and our podcast diving into all the highlights from the year's best in TV.

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