Out actor Jonathan Groff reveals in an
upcoming picture book that Looking changed his life.
The HBO drama about three gay friends
living in San Francisco ended earlier this year with a feature film
after two seasons.
(Related: Jonathan
Groff: Sex on Looking
feels political, essential to storyline.)
Groff's character of Patrick came to
the city in search of love and became involved with two men, barber
Richie (played by Raul Castillo) and boss Kevin (Russell Tovey).
Groff said that the conflict between
Kevin and Patrick was inspired by his own experience with a former
boyfriend.
“This job has changed my life in so
many ways,” Groff
said. “I've never played a character that hit so close to the
bone. It felt like an extension of myself taking place in the
present. Trying to figure out what it means to be gay. Patrick and
I are from the same generation of gay men so it has been so real for
me. I had told [writer/producer Andrew Haigh] of a break up I had
where the other guy wanted to be in an open relationship – so he
wrote that situation for Patrick and Kevin.”
The upcoming picture book, simply
titled Looking, is
available for pre-order now.