Omar Apollohas star power. The singer-songwriter earned his first Grammy nomination for his debut album in 2022 and is already a musical breakout artist. In addition to collaborating withTrent ReznorandAtticus Rossfor a track in the film, the heartbreaking serenade, “Te Maldigo,” Apollo makes his feature film debut inLuca Guadagnino’s A24 dramaQueer.
In the film, Apollo plays a young man pulled into William Lee’s (played byDaniel Craig) alluring orbit. Lee himself is an older gentleman and an expatriate wandering the streets of Mexico City, spending his days drinking, giving into his addictions, and having romantic trysts with the college boys around town. Apollo’s character is one of the many Lee can’t quite find connection with, spurring the haunting number that translates roughly to “I Curse You.” In poetic fashion, however, Lee finds an unrequited love in the elusive Eugene Allerton, played byDrew Starkey.
In this interview with Collider’sSteve Weintraub, Apollo talks about his time on the road as Omar Apollo the performer, and where to start with his two studio albums,IvoryandGod Said No. He discusses taking on this first-ever on-screen role in a Guadagnino film, his favorite works from the director’s filmography, and what it was like making the transition from on-stage performances to working on a movie set opposite Craig.
Here’s the First Track for Your Omar Apollo Playlist
From Apollo himself.
COLLIDER: If someone has never heard any of your music, what is the first thing you’d like them to listen to and why?
OMAR APOLLO: I don’t think I’ve been asked that question. I guess probably the newer stuff, like “Less of You.” It’s a very electronic kind of Giorgio Moroder kind of sound that I think is really sweet to listen to first if you’re listening to me. Then you get into all the sad stuff after that.
Anytime someone mentions Giorgio, I am obviously enthralled because fucking great musician.
APOLLO: Yeah, there’s that Daft Punk song where he’s like, “My name is Giovanni Giorgio, but everybody calls me Giorgio.”
That’s fantastic. And if you do some research into the making of that song, he didn’t understand what they wanted, and he just kept talking, and then they crafted the song based on his just talking.
APOLLO: I could tell that’s how it went down. [Laughs]
So, one of the things I’m fascinated by is how artists maintain their voice when they’re on tour. I know this is not about the movie, but you just got off tour, I believe, and I’m just curious, how do you actually maintain it and make sure it can hit every night when you’re back to back to back?
APOLLO: That’s probably one of the most stressful things on tour. Somebody told me to drink 2 liters of water every day, just as much water as you’re able to to stay hydrated, and then sleep with a humidifier — two humidifiers if you want. But also vocal warmups. I had a few tricks that I did. I’d get a towel and pour really hot water on it and just put it around my neck to warm up the area because it’s a muscle and it’s developing, and it just has to stay warm for it to work. Just things like that.
I don’t know how you do it, or any musicians.
But Really, ‘Call Me by Your Name’ Is a Great Movie
“Because I’m gay, bro?”
So, I believe this is your first movie role.
APOLLO: First one, yeah.
Was it something you had been looking to do?
APOLLO: No, I don’t think I was looking, but I mean, as soon as he said it, as soon as someone reached out, I was like, “For sure, I would love to.” I didn’t even know what the script was or what I was doing. I was just like, “It’s Luca. Of course, I’m doing it.”
I am a huge fan of Luca’s work. Do you have a favorite Luca film, and I’m assuming it’sCall Me by Your Name. I’m joking.
APOLLO: Because I’m gay, bro? That’s fucked up, man.
No, no, no, no!
APOLLO: [Laughs] That’s fucked up, man.
[Laughs] No,myfavorite isCall Me by Your Name.
APOLLO: I’m kidding! ProbablyWe Are Who We Areis one of my favorite ones.
I just got so embarrassed. I’m like, “Oh fuck, what did I say?” [Laughs] I’m a huge fan of his work.
APOLLO:We Are Who We Areis probably my favorite, even though it’s not a film, it’s like a show. I just love the pace of it. It’s something Luca does really well is pace and rhythm, like that slow dopamine release that has you hooked. You just can’t stop watching it. You can’t take your eyes off it. That, and I really lovedCall Me by Your Name, obviously.
We got back to it finally.
APOLLO: Amazing film. I loveBones and All, I loveChallengers.I Am Loveis great. Everything.
Like I said, I’m a huge fan.
Every Luca Guadagnino Movie, Ranked by Rewatchability
Luca has cunning ways to find our weakest spot.
I would imagine, though, being on set watching Luca and Daniel work, you really learned a lot about making movies. Were there any one or two lessons that you took away that you would apply if you were to act again in something else?
APOLLO: Yeah. There’s not much affirmation on set. No one’s like, “Oh, good job.” It is like, “Alright, next one.” I was like, “Oh, they feel like they got it, so let’s move on. Let me not overthink my performance or overthink anything really. Just keep it going.” I think just trusting your own intuition is something I really took away from the set.
I’m always curious how an actor gets ready for the first day of filming. So, say you know you’re gonna be filming on Monday. How early on were you thinking about the script, thinking about what you wanted to do? What was going in your head before stepping on set?
APOLLO: I looked at the script like that morning because I don’t remember. I have friends who can memorize entire verses or in a book or a whole poem or something. I’m not really like that. I’m like, “Okay, just give me that morning, and then I’ll just do it as we go.” I just had a script next to me. Like that you just get more of a genuine performance.
The thing that I’ve found talking to so many different actors is that there’s no right or wrong answer in terms of the way you prepare. It’s how you want to get your headspace ready, you know what I mean?
APOLLO: Yeah, I think in acting, you have to realize that you’re communicating, and sometimes, like when I was doing auditions early on just on my own for fun, I wouldn’t listen. I would just be waiting, and I’d just be waiting for my next prompt. I was like, “I need to listen and react and be human.” I think that’s one of the most important things.
Luca Guadagnino’s ‘Queer’ Is About “Yearning and Loss”
“It’s important, especially now, to tell such a beautiful queer narrative.”
What are you most looking forward to audiences seeing in the film or experiencing with the film?
APOLLO: Me. You get to see me! [Laughs] I mean, it’s an incredible story about yearning and loss and addiction, soI think it’s important, especially now, to tell such a beautiful queer narrative, an important one about somebody who was so complicated and complex. It’s just a story of humanity.
When you think back on the shoot and the experience of being there, is there a strong memory that you have in terms of something that happened on set or working with Daniel or hanging out with Luca?
APOLLO: Tons of those. Probably just drinking gin and tonics with Daniel right before our scene was cool.
[Laughs] Not the answer I was expecting, but still awesome. Was there anything specific that you learned watching Daniel? He’s such a talented actor. I could watch him read a phone book, and I’d probably be enthralled. What was it like watching him inhabit this role?
APOLLO: He really turns it on; you really see it. He’ll be himself, and then he turns into the character, and that was really, really incredible to see somebody do, just flip that switch and really go to work. I was like, “Wow, this isn’t easy.” He would just shake his head a little bit, and now he’s the character. [Laughs] He would just get into it, and it was cool.
Queeris in now playing in select theaters.
Lee, who recounts his life in Mexico City among American expatriate college students and bar owners surviving on part-time jobs and GI Bill benefits. He is driven to pursue a young man named Allerton, who is based on Adelbert Lewis Marker.
