Dylan O'Brien says permission helped him play gay role in Twinless

Dylan O'Brien credited writer-director James Sweeney with giving him "permission" to explore the gay twin Rocky in Twinless, and the film is now streaming on Hulu.

Dylan O'Brien said he received "permission" from writer-director James Sweeney to lean into the queer aspects of Rocky, one of two twins he plays in the film Twinless. O'Brien and Sweeney discussed how a straight actor can approach a gay role, and O'Brien described Sweeney's perspective as supportive and trusting. Sweeney told Dazed he encouraged fluidity with masculinity and femininity for Rocky. The film premiered at Sundance last year and is now available to stream on Hulu. Key details: - Dylan O'Brien plays twins Roman and Rocky and said Sweeney's permission helped him embrace Rocky's sexuality. - James Sweeney, who wrote and directed Twinless, told Dazed he pushed for a portrayal that was fluid in masculinity and femininity and contrasted that with some straight actors' approaches. - In the film, Dennis (played by Sweeney) and Roman (played by O'Brien) meet in a bereavement support group for twins and form a bond that is later tested by dark secrets. - After Sundance, Sweeney told Deadline he aims to normalize queer characters by showing their universal struggles, like loneliness and rejection. - Twinless is currently streaming on Hulu. Summary: The article reports that O'Brien credited Sweeney's guidance with allowing a more textured portrayal of Rocky, and Sweeney has described intentional choices to portray queer characters with specificity. The film is available on Hulu; further release or reception details are undetermined at this time.