Billy Eichner Wants to ‘Flip the Script’ on Rom-Coms With History-Making ‘Bros’ (Exclusive)

Billy Eichner is ready to both raise the standard on modern romantic comedies and “flip the script” entirely with Bros, the first gay rom-com to ever be released by a major studio. Eichner, who co-wrote the Bros script and stars in the Universal Pictures film, opened up to PopCulture.com about reclaiming the genre he loved so much growing up, but from which LGBTQ+ people and people of color were almost entirely excluded. 

“I grew up in an era of truly great classic romantic comedies,” Eichner remembered, listing off films like When Harry Met Sally, Moonstruck and Sleepless in Seattle as movies that inspired him over the years. “All these great rom-coms that I grew up with as a kid and as a teenager … that level of rom-com, that quality of rom-com seems to have completely disappeared [in recent years]. … What gets passed off as a comedy or romantic comedy, they’re not up to that standard.”

Eichner is quick to add that how Bros withstands the test of time itself remains to be seen when the film is released on Sept. 30, but notes, “We really wanted to hold ourselves to those standards.” Or surpass them – Eichner points out that telling a gay love story with an entirely LGBTQ+ cast is something that never would have happened even in the most iconic rom-coms of days past. “LGBTQ people were completely erased from the world of those movies,” he told PopCulture, noting that people of color are also historically excluded from the romantic comedy genre. “Me and my friends are nowhere to be found. …Bros is a chance to flip the script on that.”

Eichner never believed Bros could be put out by a major studio but was encouraged by director and co-writer Nicholas Stoller and producer Judd Apatow, who are both straight, to pitch the film to Universal. Eichner recalled telling them, “You’re straight, I’ve been openly gay since the beginning of my career. They’re not gonna make this movie,” but was eventually convinced to at least give it a try. Universal “essentially bought it in the room,” Eichner revealed, and even in the five years since that meeting, he’s seen a major wave of queer content and demand for queer content.

“That shows you that the audience really is ready for this and they’re excited for it,” he told PopCulture. “I think for older audiences it’s very moving, because [Bros is] not only funny and [audiences are] enjoying it … they really see it as a sign of how much Hollywood and the world have evolved.” Eichner admitted he’d be “crazy” not to have some nerves surrounding the widespread release in September, but the “overwhelmingly positive” response from screenings around the country has him feeling “really encouraged.” He added, “There’s such a huge appetite for this movie in so many ways.”

When he’s not breaking boundaries in Hollywood, Eichner admitted he’s “one of those people who’s always checking their phone” and struggling with work-life balance. That’s why he jumped at the opportunity to partner with Heineken and The Closer, an outlandish and satirical high-tech bottle opener that immediately shuts all work applications when a bottle of Heineken is opened with it. 

“The lines [between work and life] have gotten so blurry over the past few years,” Eichner said of the increase in people working from home. “I don’t think that’s healthy. … We need to remind ourselves that life is not all about work and we need to set boundaries.” For more on Heineken’s Closer campaign and for ways to get your own chance to close down the work day with the device, click here. Bros premieres in theaters on Sept. 30.