Feature

Q&A With the Stars of The Tempermentals

Michael Urie and Thomas Jay Ryan answer a few burning (and silly) questions

by Helen Cooper   |   Jul 3, 2009

Q&A With the Stars of The Tempermentals

From left: Thomas Jay Ryan plays Harry Hay and Michael Urie (TV’s Ugly Betty) is Rudi Gernreich (Photo: Michael Portantiere/Follow Spot)

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After viewing The Tempermentals, it’s hard not to be struck by how the show manages to be both touching and laugh-out-loud hilarious. The play, which follows the lives of two real life early gay activists is gut wrenching—both from laughing at the riotous script and feeling for the affable characters. In real life, actors Michael Urie and Thomas Jay Ryan who play the charismatic couple are just as delightful, as we found out when they answered an Encore Q&A about everything from celebrity crushes to upcoming projects.

Michael Urie
  • Full Name: Michael Lorenzo Urie.
  • Hometown: Plano, Texas.
  • Favorite Television Show(s): Lost, Wipeout, Cash Cab, The Office, Family Guy.
  • Show You’ve Laughed Hardest At: Urinetown on Broadway. And Noises Off when I was 14 and saw it at Theatre Arlington in Arlington, TX.
  • Biggest Celebrity Crush: Regis.
  • Reality Show You’d Most Like to Compete On: Wipeout! Bring on the big balls.
  • If You Weren’t An Actor, What You Would Most Like To Do: Teach.
  • Oddest Job You’ve Held: Actor.
  • Best Vacation Destination: Amsterdam.
  • Song You Can’t Help Dancing To: “Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough.”
  • Best Thing a Fan Has Said to You: “You look like Justin Timberlake.”
  • Comedy or Drama: Dramedy! As Rudi says in The Temperamentals, “Who says a stone can only have one true color, why not two?”
  • Worst Celebrity President: Regis.
  • Upcoming Projects: My long-suffering documentary project on high school speech and debate. It’s going to be fantastic, I’m lucky to be working as an actor and unable to devote all of my time, but it’s coming! Also, back to Betty, while doing double duty with Temp, playing Marc and Rudi at the same time. Which will make me Mudi.
  • Favorite One-liner: To the cast right before the show starts: “I would rather work with this group of actors…than the finest in the business.” (credit to Michael Newcomer, Old Globe 06)
Thomas Jay Ryan
  • Full Name: Thomas Jay Ryan.
  • Hometown: Pittsburgh.
  • Favorite Television Show(s): Mad Men, The Comeback.
  • Show You’ve Laughed Hardest At: What’s That Smell?
  • Biggest Celebrity Crush: Valerie Cherish.
  • Reality Show You’d Most Like to Compete On: Amazing Race.
  • If You Weren’t An Actor, What Would You Most Like to Do: Political aide.
  • Oddest Job You’ve Held: Being in The Legend of Bagger Vance.
  • Best Vacation Destination: Budapest, Palm Springs.
  • Song You Can’t Help Dancing To: “Love Hangover,” Diana Ross (I’m old).
  • Best Thing a Fan Has Said to You: “WHAT HAPPENED?!”
  • Comedy or Drama: A combo, please.
  • Worst Celebrity President: Ne Ne from Real Housewives of Atlanta.
  • Upcoming Projects: In the Next Room, Broadway this fall.
  • Favorite One-liner: I’m not funny.