Wilson Cruz
"The People I've Slept With"
By Troy Maillis
 Wilson
Cruz stars in “The People I’ve Slept With,” one of the premiere
films at The
2nd Annual Fort Lauderdale Gay and Lesbian Film Festival at
The Manor in
Fort Lauderdale. The film is directed by
Quentin Lee.Cruz, who gained popularity and a strong
following playing Rickie Vazquez on “My So-Called Life” in the
90s, talked with Mark Magazine about his current film and the
effect he has had on the GLBT community.
MARK: Can you talk a little about your character in “The People
I’ve Slept With”?
WILSON: My character in "People", Gabriel, is a young man having
the time of his life with his best girlfriend, until she finds
out she's pregnant and decides, much to his dismay, she's going
to keep it! To Gabriel, this is the end of the good times and
he's forced to take a look at his own life and where he's going.
We've all been there. Angela and Gabriel decide it's time to
grow up and face love and life together—come what may!
What was your experience like working with Director Quentin Lee
and your other cast mates?
My experience on set, while grueling in the hot summer sun of
LA, was fantastic! I loved working with a cast and crew
primarily made up of people of color and GLBT people. We were in
the trenches and enjoying the process. We were telling our own
stories; what's not to love about that?
While in South Florida you hosted the NGLTF Miami Recognition
Dinner. Is this the first time you’ve hosted an event for the
Task Force?
 This
is the first time I've hosted an event, but not the first time
I've worked with NGLTF. I have a long history with the
organization. At one point I was even a field organizer working
on anti- gay ballot measures across the country. NGLTF is very
special to me. They are the people doing the hard work in the
grassroots.
You have gained a strong fan base since your time on “My
So-Called Life”. Have your fans stayed loyal to you throughout
your career?
It's really unbelievable to me that after 15 years people still
hold a special place in their hearts for “My So-Called Life” and
Rickie Vasquez. I've watched as the teens who watched the show
have grown up and changed the way the nation deals with GLBTQ
issues! I miss Rickie, too, so I know how they feel when they
tell me so. I'm grateful to have been apart of seminal piece of
TV history.
You work a lot with the GLBT youth. How important is it to you
to inspire them and show that you can be successful in Hollywood
as an openly gay actor?
In light of recent suicides by teens being bullied for being gay
or suspected of being gay, I take quite seriously the role I can
play in getting the word out to them that they have nothing to
be ashamed of. I urge them to look at the long history of GLBT
people who overcame the same adversity in their youths to become
people who have changed the world in everything from the arts to
politics to everyday people; whose strength to live out loud
inspires everyone around them. I want them to know we need them
in our community and that we love them. These are our kids and I
will always stand up for them. ALWAYS!
What are some of the new projects you are working on currently
or in the near future?
I'm not working on anything specific at the moment. I'm actively
pursuing my next opportunity. I am making a change by going to
NY to pursue more work in the theater. I'm being called—it’s
been way too long.
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