Catching up w/Peter Paige...

It was awfully nice to see Peter Paige last night at the Outfest Legacy Awards. Best known as Emmett from his five seasons on "Queer As Folk," anyone familiar with his other work knows just how talented this guy is. He directed and starred in the indie film "Say Uncle" which screened at Outfest a few summers ago and is available on DVD, and my favorite thing he did was an episode of "Grey's Anatomy" as a patient who has some kind of disorder where he must tell the truth. It waa a brilliant performance.
What most impresses me about Peter is that he makes his own opportunities and is something of a triple threat as an actor-writer-director and he is just as adept on stage as he is on screen.
Anyway, here is some of our conversation last night:
Greg: Hi Peter. Whatcha up to?
Peter: I'm working my ass off. I just directed a movie that I'm cutting right now, it's called "Leaving Barstow.' Michelle Clooney is one of the leads, a kid named Kevin Sheridan who wrote the film stars in it, Steven Culp is in it and Ryan Carnes. It's good stuff. It's very charming and I'm very excited about it.'
Peter tells me there is "no gay" in the film and there is also no Peter except for the voiceover.
Peter: "It's my second feature. I like mixing it up a lot. I also sold a pilot as a writer so my writing partner and I are doing rewrites on that right now and I start rehearsals [today] for "The History Boys" at the Ahmanson."
Greg: You're in 'History Boys"? That's great! Which part?
Peter. I play Erwin, the new teacher.
Greg: Oh, the teacher who gets all that attention from that hot little boy?
Peter: [laughs] You're just right down to sex! Yes, I get seduced in the last scene but in the three-and-a-half hours before that, I'm teaching the boys other things. It's such a monster of a play and an incredible monster of a role too. I'm a little overwhelmed but so it goes. It's good to feel scared.
Greg: Do you feel like you still have to break free of Emmett?
Peter: You know, I certainly have felt that way. I quite honestly feel it breaking up as we speak. I feel it happening, i feel a shift happening. It takes a couple of years, you take jobs here and there and people go, "Wait a second, that guy's really an actor. And then the stink starts to wear off of you. People remember you from [a certain role] but they are ready to see you in something else. It takes awhile."
Greg: Well, great. I'm really excited about seeing you in "History Boys."
Peter: You're the best. Look forward to seeing you there!