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Spoilers follow forThe Inspection.
The role of Rosales was written for Castillo.
He realized that the authors name rang a bell then pulled up Brattons text messages from years earlier.
(I felt a little sheepish, Castillo admits.)
After auditioning and securing the role, Castillo reported to Jackson, Mississippi, for eight weeks of filming.
In the film, Rosaless sexuality is slightly ambiguous.
The film raises the question of whether hes gay or queer, then doesnt explicitly answer it.
How did you help build that ambiguity?Thats all in the writing as a testament to Elegance.
This is a story thats not told in primary colors.
Its told in very nuanced shades.
Im drawn to characters and stories that challenge traditional notions of masculinity.
I was a really sensitive kid in a really macho environment.
I always got teased.
I think I bring that now to the characters that I play.
I like stories about underdogs.
I hate hierarchies, like, with a passion.
Mando wrote onVida, which I was in.
Through doing that play, I connected with an organization called Vets for Vets.
I was a little intimidated.
Im an actor playing a part, and these are people who are actually living the life.
The director of the organization at first was like, Hes an actor.
He can be in the group sessions, but hes not going to be in the smaller sessions.
And the attendees were like, Why not?
Hes willing to listen.
Most people arent willing to listen.
I was really moved by that.
They brought me into the fold.
We went out one night in Miami.
We went to the bars, and it was all these guys who had just come home from service.
This camaraderie comes up when you have a group of, especially, young men.
This family dynamic starts to develop, and they were so funny.
Just to be invited into that space was an honor.
That was almost 15 years ago when we did that play and I was invited to that process.
I cherish those moments.
Theres a certain sense of gallows humor in the film too.
I forget if that wink was something he gave me to try on the day.
To your point about the humor of it, my brother watched the film.
Its really, really funny.
He found a way into the story through the humor.
Its a raw moment.
Did you and Jeremy prepare that exchange before filming?We kept it to that day.
We were shooting in Jackson, Mississippi.
It was brutally hot, its a very physical film, and were shooting outside.
I really cherish those scenes when it was just Jeremy and me, because it felt really intimate.
That scene is based not specifically on something that happened to Elegance.
He found real value as a human.
That scene was tough, because it was late.
Did you and Jeremy work with an intimacy coordinator?We didnt have an intimacy coordinator.
Ive had my fair share of sex scenes with men and women.
If I have a scene with a woman, I like to let the woman lead.
Is it okay if I do this?
Is it okay if I do that?
Dialogue and communication is paramount.
OnLooking, I had quite a few intimate scenes, and we were always cracking up.
The way thatJonathan Groffand I would just crack up youre in these, what do you call them?
We would just laugh, because they could be so silly and ridiculous.
Jeremy and I had a really similar approach.
We were able to have a good laugh, then tell the story.
And they are so sexy!
The uniting theme in all those scenes is that the focus is on you.
Youre gazing into the camera in one, surrounded by bisexual lighting.
In the scene in the bathroom stall, the camera stays on your face.
Is there additional pressure when a scene is very focused on your reactions?I dont think so.
I think theyre pretty straightforward.
I love sex scenes if theyre moving the story forward.
Thats when theyre the best.
If anything, theyre easy, because I dont have any lines to memorize.
Your character confronts him about bullying and abusing the cadets.
Its not a big blow-up moment, but Rosales is very frank in the confrontation.
What was it like working with Bokeem?Im a hugeBokeem Woodbinefan.
I was in high school whenDead Presidentscame out, andJasons Lyric, which is a Houston movie.
He was the veteran of this entire team, and he led with such grace and professionalism.
Its interesting too that the character of Laws wasnt written as Black initially.
We dont get characters that are this nuanced all the time.
When the work is intersectional without being showy, thats the best.
Youve done action before, but this performance is defined by how you carry yourself.
I have horrible posture.
I hunch a lot.
My mom always got after me about that when I was a kid.
These guys and girls are at their physical peak.
Getting into that mindset and physicality was challenging.
But Elegance brought along Octaya Jones, who was our military consultant.
She and Elegance served together, and shes currently an active-duty drill instructor.
She whipped us into shape, and we had access to her the entire time.
Was your mom excited about your improved posture?[Laughs.]
She still hasnt seen the film yet, but Im sure she will.
Shes gonna love this character.
This interview was conducted at the 2022 Virginia Film Festival and has been edited and condensed for clarity.
