Janelle James Expertly Shuts Down a Strange Line of Questioning About ‘Heated Rivalry’ Star Connor Storrie
Can we please be normal for once? Please? I know the bar is low and all, but especially as industry professionals, we should be treating things seriously. Leave the jokes to your group chats, because I promise you, those are the only people who care.
Recently, Abbot Elementary star Janelle James presented nominees for March‘s Actors Awards on Wednesday, Jan. 7. Afterwards, the pair were interviewed, and though it started off perfectly normal, a question was asked that, truthfully, has no place being asked in a professional environment.
“So when you look at Connor now, and you think of those scenes in Heated Rivalry, what goes through your head?” the interviewer asked James. Though “those scenes” was not elaborated upon, it is fairly easy to infer that it is about the numerous steamy scenes between Storrie and costar Hudson Williams in the acclaimed queer romance.
In response, James quickly said, “That’s not what I’m thinking about. I’m thinking about his excellent Russian accent that he does. I’m thinking about his characterization. I’m thinking that he is adorable. He looks like a leading man and I’m excited to see where he goes next.”
Though it is likely that the question was asked because James and Storrie joked about his role as Russian hockey player Ilya Rosanov during the broadcast, there is a line that needs to be toed. The broadcast joke was rehearsed amongst industry colleagues; the question asked without warning on the carpet after was not.
We need to stop and think, “Would I ask my coworker that?”
Social media has been worsening this issue between celebrities and their fans. While celebrities are, of course, just regular people, the lack of any sort of true barrier thanks to social media has made it far too easy for others to get comfortable with people they don’t know.
And in a setting like this, with a reporter who should know better, it only serves to highlight that issue. Why ask James about her colleague’s body? Why focus on that at all? Heated Rivalry is much more than its sex scenes. It should not be diminished as such.
It’s always disappointing when issues like this pop up from within the industry, and especially when it’s about queer romances. Not everything needs to be a cheeky soundbite. Ask yourself: “Would I ask these questions to my coworker whom I hardly interact with?” If the answer is no, keep it in the brain drafts. It’s that simple.
(featured image by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images)
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