Tell me, how many cups of coffee do you have a day?

Four! I have three in the morning because I need all three cups to wake up. My husband wakes up before I do, and he will go and make some coffee and bring it to me before he goes to the gym. Then I need a second and then I need third and then I wait for my fourth, which is usually in the afternoon, because I am very European in that way, where I need an espresso in the afternoon.

You have three coffees before you walk out the door?

Oh yeah. In order for me to be cheery and bright and effervescent, I need three cups of coffee. It doesn’t come easy. Maybe when I was younger, I woke up, like, just bright eyed and just ready for the world.

You look incredibly dapper at this hour. Tell me, what are you wearing?

Oh darling, I’m wearing Ralph Lauren right here. It’s beautiful. It’s Purple Label, and it’s gorgeous. And I feel good. It’s chic. It’s linen. Very classic.

What’s your approach to a pop of color? We have some nice pink going on and some green happening too!

You know what? I love a pop of color. I love to look, I guess, effortlessly chic or effortlessly luxurious. I don’t want to look too fussy. I want to look like I’m ready to have a party. I’m feeling relaxed because I want people to feel relaxed. I think you dress the way you want people to see you and the way you want people to be with you. I actually love it when people say, “Oh that color makes me happy, you made me smile, oh that looks good on you.” It brings something out in people. So, I think I dress towards that.

Your Instagram handle is @KingofBingo. What’s behind the name?

It comes from a little film that I did in 1999, one of my first films called King of the Bingo Game. When I was looking for monikers, I didn’t know what to use and I thought, king of bingo, that’s the king of luck. I like that. So, I’ve always been king of bingo.

Do you consider yourself lucky?

Yes. I consider myself to be very lucky, but I also consider myself to be someone who I think has a lot of faith. I believe in magic. I believe in magical moments. And they’re always available. So, I think I am lucky because I sort of believe that there’s luck to be found.

When you think of timeless style, what does it mean to you?

I think when something goes into the sort of lexicon of timeless style, you can always wear it, always pull it out. Denim is timeless. Neckties, timeless. Ties, timeless. You know? Penny loafers. And literally, I realize my style goes all over the map, but where I feel my best usually is like some denim jeans, some white clean, nice, beautiful, pristine white socks, and some penny loafers, and maybe this interesting cool jacket that just fits well, and maybe a necktie. You always feel like you’re ready to go. And I think timeless style, you can always go from day to night and feel polished. You can walk into any room, any business meeting, any, you know, meeting as an artist, you know, and then go out for dinner and still look like you’re together. I think that’s timeless.

When I say the word pride or when we talk about pride, what three words come to mind?

Self, joy, and resilience.

Big or small, how do you celebrate or recognize LGBTQIA+ pride?

I celebrate and recognize pride I think, actually, just by being as full in my life as possible. I think I’ve built a life for myself that’s filled with many different people who love me exactly the way I am. I’m not someone who I used to, you know, when I was in my twenties, I would go to the parades and all that. And I think those are so necessary because our communities need those to gather and come together. I tend to celebrate pride by doing something quieter these days. I may just, you know, recognize that the day is happening, and I'll just spend my day in the garden. I think that’s also part of pride by actually, you know, I don’t know, being in your garden, letting things bloom, getting your hands in the dirt and saying, I exist, and I can grow things. And that’s also part of being proud.

Who inspires you?

Who inspires me? I think artists inspire me. I think people who feel that it’s their calling, like a true artist who says I want to put some beauty into the world or something to make people think, they truly inspire me.

Are there any moments in LGBTQIA+ history that really stand out to you or resonate with you or have had a big impact on you?

I have been very blessed to portray Bayard Rustin, who was an unsung civil rights hero, and you know, the film Rustin meant the world to me because it really sort of uncovered and unpacked this phenomenal thinker, organizer who organized the March on Washington. He actually organized the March on Washington with, you know, a lot of young people. He kept inspiring young people to take part in our democracy. And so, he was moving the needle in such an extraordinary way. And really, it was truly his idea. So, I think that’s one of the most profound things for me is that it wasn’t just about, you know, there was this, you know, queer man at the head of it, but he was fighting for all civil and human rights for all of us.

That must have been amazing. Was that an incredible experience?

Yeah, playing by Rustin was truly probably one of the most profound experiences of my entire career because I actually was able to craft, I don’t know, something that I knew would be a part of my legacy, but also, you know, pulling him out of the shadows of history. And this was one of my personal heroes. And so, I think it’s rare when you’re able to play one of your personal heroes. And if you have that opportunity, you want to give it as much complexity as possible and as much heart, because you never know. You know, stories like his are not told often, and he’s in the center of his own story and in a very complex, meaningful way.

Are you proud of yourself?

You know what I’ve been doing my work as an artist for, what, 33 years? And I think I have earned the right to say I am proud of myself. I am proud of the work that I have. I can look back now and look at how I’ve been doing it. I’ve been conscious of it and mindful of the work that I’ve been doing and how it exists in the world. So, I’m very proud. Very proud.