Bomer: ‘McConaughey called me about ‘The Normal Heart’
By Sam Rigby
Matt Bomer has revealed that Matthew McConaughey called to give him advice about his role in The Normal Heart.
He plays a man dying of AIDS in the forthcoming television film, while McConaughey won an Oscar for his portrayal of real-life AIDS patient Ron Woodroof in Dallas Buyers Club.
Bomer revealed to Details magazine that he lost over 35 pounds for the project, which also stars Mark Ruffalo, Julia Roberts and Jonathan Groff.
On McConaughey, the actor said: “He called me and walked me through what he did,” he said. “It was very generous, but I took a slightly different path.”
The 36-year-old worked with doctors and embarked on a 14-day alkalized-water, juice, tea, and enzyme cleanse to prepare for filming.
The Normal Heart was adapted for television by playwright Larry Kramer, who debuted the play in New York City in 1985.
Bomer described Kramer as an “Abraham Lincoln figure” for his work for gay rights.
“He’s an Abraham Lincoln figure—he has affected the cultural landscape of this country, and not always popularly,” he said. “I wouldn’t have a lot of the rights I have today if it wasn’t for people like Larry.”
The Normal Heart – which is set in New York City in the early 1980s at the onset of the HIV-AIDS epidemic – will premiere on HBO on May 25. It will air on Sky Atlantic in the UK at a later date.
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