I Am Syd Stone (2021–…): Season 1, Episode 6 - Tell-all - full transcript

Syd Stone
first burst onto the scene

in the film adaptation of
the wildly popular

Dino-Danger teen-lit books.

Since then, his career,

well, it's left much
to be desired;

his projects primarily
consisting of TV movies,

rarely-seen indies
and failed TV pilots.

But if you're paying attention
to early industry chatter,

that's all about to change,

thanks to his virtuoso
performance

as Mikey Starling in Wildboy,



a searing exploration of
the underground rent boy scene

of Las Vegas.

I'm good with that one.

Is he ready?

There he is.

How are you doing?

Good.

Yeah, no, I'm fine.

Don't bullshit me.

I'm fine.
You know, it's just...

jet lag.

I told them no rehab
or personal stuff.

If she deviates,
we'll cut it short. Okay?

Okay.



You're sure?

Okay, yes.

Okay. I'll be
right by the monitors.

Okay. Thank you.

Hey, you know,
it's not my first rodeo.

So, this is quite
the departure for you.

You think?

But clearly, it's paying off.

People's Choice at TIFF,
a SAG Award nomination,

and some critics are even
saying a potential Oscar nod?

I'm not sure
about that last one,

but we'll see.

What exactly
drew you to the project?

I actually wanted
nothing to do it with it.

I don't suppose
that was due to the fact

that you'd be playing
a past-his-prime,

sexually fluid rent boy, was it?

Yeah, that sounds about right.

Did the explicit nature
of the material scare you?

At first.

But at the end of the day,
it's all part of the gig.

Absolutely.

But I'm sure
you had to know that

some people might
speculate on a few things.

Like what?

Well, I mean...

you identify as straight.

But does any part of Mikey
live within you?

Well, Mikey's also

a drug addict and a prostitute.

Why aren't you asking
if I'm either one of those?

I only ask because
that's what happens

to actors that play gay.

Jake Gyllenhaal from
Brokeback comes to mind.

Can I ask you something?

Sure.

Are you a lesbian?

Happily married for eight years.

To my husband, Ron.

Has being straight

affected the quality
of your work in any way?

I get the point
you're trying to make,

but you and I both know

that's not how the world works.

Especially not in Hollywood.

And why not?

If I can may you believe
that I'm somebody else

for two hours,
then I'm doing my job.

Everything else,
it doesn't matter.

So, visibility
is irrelevant to you?

You're forgetting that
being a public figure

is a big part of your job.

You've got 3.7 million
Instagram followers,

most of them young teenagers.

They dissect your every action.

And those actions carry

a huge amount of
influence with them.

Syd?

What the fuck is wrong with you?

Excuse me?

You were given a list

of approved questions
by the studio.

For a film featuring
a gay protagonist.

I'd be crucified if
I didn't ask the question

on everyone's mind.

This interview is over.

Are you telling me
that some scared,

lonely, closeted kid

couldn't benefit
from seeing a movie star

come out on national TV?

You know something?

You might be right,

but that's for him to
decide. Not you.

Wait...

Well, I just tore her
a new asshole.

Grab your things and we'll go.

When's the press junket again?

Tuesday.

How many times do you think

that question will come up?

People are already
saying stuff online

since the breakup.

Look, people are going to talk.

We can't control that.

This is all that I have.

This is the only thing
that I'm good at.

You listen to me,

after this movie comes out,

you will be refusing work.

Forget about her.

Forget about the lights
and the cameras

and the millions of
people watching.

You were being given
an opportunity in there.

And you can either take it
or you can leave it.

They dissect your every action.

Those actions carry a huge
amount of influence with them.

Syd?

After this question,

Stone asks us to
turn the cameras off,

fleeing the room.

A few minutes later, he returns,

and has more than a few things
to get off his chest.

You know, when we're kids,

we're told that being different
is a good thing, right?

You get made fun of at school.

You got picked last in gym.

If a girl you like,
she isn't interested,

but it's okay, because
you're different.

JAKE Mom! Hurry!

And eventually, someone's
gonna recognize that,

even love you for it.

And then you...

you eventually find the courage

in yourself to admit
that you are different.

But then you're told,

if you don't change the thing
that makes you different,

no one will love you.

So, you do it.

You change.

So what are you saying exactly?

What I'm saying is...

that I've spent
the last 14 years

pretending to be
somebody that I'm not,

and that I've
hurt a lot of people.

And that I've made
a lot of mistakes.

And just because
I belong to something,

or a group of people...

Do you mean the LGBTQ community?

...it doesn't
mean that I...

immediately feel like
I fit in, you know?

I'm still trying
to figure all this out.

There's still a lot of
red tape to cut through.

Red tape?

Yeah, maybe we'll save that one

for a different interview.

Fair enough.

And you know what?

That's just about all the time
we've got left anyway.

Syd, on behalf of
everyone watching at home,

I want to thank you
for your honesty.

I know this wasn't easy.

Thank you.

Hey.

I've got a medium latte for...

Yeah. Thank you.

No problem.

Hey.

Hi.

Are you done with that?

Yeah.

Do you need anything else?

No.
No, I'm good. Thanks.

Look, I don't wanna be that guy,

but I saw that interview
you did last month.

Yeah?

I've never seen someone

just come out on TV like that.

Yeah, that wasn't
exactly supposed to happen.

I didn't think so but,

you handled it like a pro.

Thanks.

Anyway, I'll
let you do your thing.

Yeah.
Thanks.

Hey.

It's a great latte.

Thanks.