American actor Justice Smith opens up to Glass about queer representation on screen and his latest project, the erotic thriller The Voyeurs
IT WAS after a protest one Friday last summer that Justice Smith took to Instagram to announce his queer sexuality. “At the time, it was the height of the Black Lives Matter revolution,” recalls the 26-year-old actor from his hotel bed in Los Angeles. “Everyone would say Black Lives Matter. But when it came to queer lives and trans lives, all of a sudden there was some resistance. That kind of rubbed me the wrong way.”
He adds, “It got to a point where I was, like, ‘I don’t want to align myself to this activism, but then … this personally affects me too. I’m not just an ally, this is my truth as well.” I was hesitant to initially ask Smith about this now-deleted post because, at the end of the day, he is just an actor.
Having been able to adapt to a spectrum of genres, from John Green’s Paper Towns and the blockbuster Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom to the box-office breaking Pokémon Detective Pikachu, acting is clearly at the core of who he is.
Justice Smith. Photograph: Michael Schwartz
“I really can’t remember the specific instance,” responds Smith when I ask him what sparked his love for drama. “It was like I came out the womb and I knew what my purpose in life was. I was an incredibly observant kid. I didn’t really talk much, I kind of just watched everyone around me and I absorbed human behaviour from this weird, objective standpoint. I was so invested in the ways people comported themselves, when they laughed or when they cried, or when they were upset. But obviously, I didn’t have words for this at the time.”
Following a spurt of television and film roles, Smith was the star of Baz Luhrmann’s Netflix series The Get Down in 2016. The musical drama is set in the South Bronx during the 1970s and followed the development of hip-hop and disco music from the perspective of teenagers. “I was a fan of hip-hop just as much as anyone is, in that hip-hop is an incredibly pervasive genre in pop culture,” he reveals.
Justice Smith. Photograph: Michael Schwartz
For his audition he learned a Biggie Smalls song, thinking there was no way he was going to be offered a part but instead he got the lead role as Ezekiel Figuero. “I really started to delve in and study the history of hip-hop,” he explains. “This is a worldwide phenomenon and it started in New York, in the Bronx. I think that’s just such a beautiful thing. It really gave me respect for my own community, being black American, and that we were at the helms of this world shift.”
Though the rise of this genre of music may not be down to Smith, his new role in HBO’s Genera+tion presents a shift in modern media where real, unfiltered stories of the LGBTQIA+ community are portrayed. Playing an unapologetic, strong black queer character named Chester, Justice Smith is at the forefront of change. “We’ve never really seen content where people are this liberated,” he says proudly. “That doesn’t mean they don’t have problems and they’re not struggling with things, but they’re struggling with so much more than their queerness.”
Justice Smith. Photograph: Michael Schwartz
Set in an American high school, the plot follows a group of students who explore their sexuality and navigate all that comes with being that age. Take, for example, Smith’s part as Chester. “They took a character who normally would be the supporting role, who would be a two-dimensional best friend character, and gave him so much depth,” begins Smith. “I love the dichotomy of someone who is all about truth, who refuses to concede on matters of authenticity and who understands there’s consequences that come with that.”
As the season goes on you realise that there is a real struggle, queer-or-not, that many can relate to. “A lot of people are intimidated by his confidence, and he refuses to sacrifice that. But it creates a crippling loneliness I feel like a lot of people experience, especially queer people.”
Justice Smith. Photograph: Michael Schwartz
It is storylines like this that are vital to creating an accepting society and for people to feel seen, he says, but the overall narrative still needs to improve. “It’s one thing to show representation but it’s another thing to have people tell their own stories. When you try to tell other people’s stories because you see a market for it, there’s a lot of room for error. I’m not saying you can’t do it.
“I think white straight men should tell stories of marginalised people, but I think they should communicate with those communities. I think they should learn about those communities and not necessarily be a tourist in those stories. If they’re going to tell the story, they should adopt and respect it and give it due diligence.”
Justice Smith. Photograph: Michael Schwartz
Nothing should be off-limits, he declares. “I think that is the beauty of film. I don’t think anything should be off topic. I think everything should be available to be talked about in storytelling; it’s just about your lens on that story.”
His latest project is Amazon’s The Voyeurs. Though classed as an erotic thriller it is far more multifaceted than that, an evolving drama that delves into moments of comedy and horror – not forgetting plot-twists that leave you gasping out-loud. “I believe those are the best films, the ones that transcend genre,” he says.
Justice Smith. Photograph: Michael Schwartz
Not wanting to give away too much, the storyline follows a couple, Thomas (Smith) and Pippa, (Sydney Sweeney), who move into a loft apartment and are able to see directly into a well-lit apartment opposite theirs. The pair find themselves increasingly more interested in the sex lives of their neighbours, and what starts out as fairly innocent becomes an unhealthy obsession when their paths cross.
The film reflects important issues, such as abuse of power and concerns surrounding privacy. “It’s clearly labelling the behaviour that is problematic in the film, but the film itself is not problematic,” answers Smith when I ask what lens this story is angled at. “This idea of power, this idea of publicity versus privacy, this idea of ‘performativity’. It asks a bunch of questions, but it’s left to you to answer”.
When I end our call, the actor is still comfortably composed on his hotel bed. I ask him what the theme of this issue, dedication, means to him. “Being clear about what you want and then willing it,” is his direct and immediate response.
by Imogen Clark
Photographer MICHAEL SCHWARTZ
Stylist FERNANDO CARILLO
Groomer KAT THOMPSON at TMG-LA
Producer LITA MONCLUS
Photography assistants PAUL RAE and DANYA MORRISON
Digital tech MAXWELL TIGGAS
All clothing and accessories SAINT LAURENT BY ANTHONY VACCARELLO Fall Winter 21 Collection