Bryan James and the Illusion of Control

At the Los Angeles premiere of Gigolo, BELLO Magazine sat down with the film’s star, Bryan James, an actor quietly shaping a career defined by complexity and restraint. With previous turns in Apple TV+’s Palm Royale, the psychological thriller Reckless, and Youthful Daze, James has emerged as a performer drawn to characters who resist simplicity. There’s a deliberateness to his trajectory, roles that explore power, desire, and the fragile architecture beneath confidence.

In Gigolo, a sleek, Los Angeles-set drama tracing the rise and unraveling of a young man drawn into the world of male escorting, James anchors the story with a performance that feels both controlled and volatile. The film situates ambition against illusion – a fitting backdrop for an actor increasingly interested in the tension between surface and substance. “I wouldn’t say there’s an intentionality by me,” he says when asked about gravitating toward darker roles. “I’m actually craving something traditional, standard, and modern.”

Below, James reflects on agency, emotional extremity, and the craft behind bringing morally complex characters to life.

You’re starring in Gigolo, a story about ambition, excess, and consequence. What initially drew you to this character?

BRYAN: I’ve always wanted to play characters that have agency, and I feel like this one kind of has more gumption and fortitude than anyone I’ve ever played before, and I find that interesting. So, I was kind of drawn to his desire to get what he wants.

Your character in Gigolo navigates success in a morally gray world. How did you approach understanding his choices and mindset?

BRYAN: It’s really about finding the truth in anything as an actor, stripping away any of the taboo circumstances or the things that people might judge and trying to find the compelling emotional truth was kind of my guiding point with how to do all of this.

The friendships in Gigolo play a major role in the story’s rise and fall. What was it like building that chemistry with castmates? 

BRYAN: The cast here is really amazing. Everyone was so kind and generous and really supportive of the process. And we all got along very well. We were lucky that we all came together. Everyone got along so well.

Los Angeles feels like its own character in the film. How did the setting influence your performance? 

BRYAN: Well, Los Angeles, like you said, is its own character. It’s kind of its own separate lead in the movie, just aesthetically and visually, we wanted to capture the city in ways that people might find familiar and new and kind of have an edge that would go with the material. 

You’ve stepped into two very different worlds with Gigolo and Reckless. How did these two characters differ in terms of psychology and emotional motivation?

BRYAN: I was very lucky to do both roles back-to-back, and like I was saying about Gigolo, how I liked his agency, with Reckless I really liked the emotional extremity that my character went to. So, they’re similar in a way, where they were forward moving as people, but they were also very different with how they viewed the world and how they identify, like making my voice register different depending on which character I’m playing, different cadences. I’m hoping to show people that I’m an actor that has different kinds of character traits and that I like to bring complexity to roles.

Reckless dives deep into psychological intensity and obsession. What was the biggest challenge in portraying that kind of emotional complexity? 

BRYAN: I would say that it’s letting go at the end of the day. You bring all these emotions that are really raw and you conjure up this whole character that’s having a huge meltdown, and then to just separate yourself from it isn’t impossible but can be something that you have to put a lot of intention towards.

Both films explore morally layered characters. What attracts you to the roles that live in that kind of gray space?

BRYAN: I’ve always found that there’s complexity in the nuance of people. As an actor, I’m not supporting or condoning behavior, but I’m also not judging. I’m just trying to look at things that would be a showcase to have raw emotions and, like I was saying, a kind of agency. So, these characters are multi-layered and not a hero in what some people’s purview is, but that’s also what makes them more interesting.

How do you personally decompress after playing characters who experience such extreme emotional highs? 

BRYAN: Like a lot of Epsom salt baths, very much just kind of chilling. Other people’s work, watching other movies, being inspired by other artists I love, tapping into the community.

Do you feel you’ve intentionally drawn towards darker and complex leading characters?

BRYAN: I wouldn’t say there’s an intentionality by me, but it would maybe look like that from the outside, and it’s just wanting to find compelling roles. I’m actually craving something traditional and standard and modern, in a way, because these characters have this kind of edge to them, and I want to just always be doing things that are multifaceted and different. So, it’s kind of funny, but I’m almost wanting to circle back to simplicity and square, because it’s like needing a breather.

Gigolo is available now to watch exclusively on https://gigolo2026.com/.