Actors on the Edge: Costars Chris Stafford and Lea DeLaria Trade Tales About Four Weeks Of Filming In Ohio and Making a Movie They Can Believe In

• Published in: The Advocate (Los Angeles, Calif.) Calif.), 1999-06, p.36
• Main Authors: Stafford, Chris, DeLaria, Lea
• Format: Magazinearticle
• Language: English
• Subjects: Entertainment; Human relations; Interpersonal communication; Motion pictures; Personal relationships
• ISSN: 0001-8996; 2158-2149

That's cool! I've never been on the cover of The Advocate, [Chris Stafford], and I've been an openly gay performer since 1982. Just thought I'd say that. [Laughs] So what was it like for you shooting this movie? Like I have to ask you. We were together all the time! You and Tina [Holmes, who plays [Eric]'s best friend, Maggie] are just amazing. You have that quality that you don't get to see much on film--you just sort of eat the screen up. Both of you! Which I find fascinating. I've been told I have it as well. It's like, when the three of us are working together, you don't know where to look, you know what I mean? There's so much happening. For me, it's very personal because this is where I grew up. This is my generation. These are the bars that I went to. Edge of Seventeen takes place in Sandusky, Ohio. I grew up in Belleville, Ill., a little town that's been surrounded by an information-proof shield since 1923 or something like that. It was very hard for me to come out at the time that I came out. I totally felt an affinity for [your] character. And I had Wilson Cruz weeping, weeping at your performance and what you were going through. Because you're so real; it's beautiful the way you do it. It's very heartfelt.