Taylor Zakhar Perez is set to reprise his role as Alex Claremont-Diaz in Red, White & Royal Wedding and is teasing what it was like to revisit the character.
“Stepping back into Alex after all this time feels like reuniting with an old friend who’s grown up alongside you,” the actor told VMAN. “The first film was this whirlwind of discovery, for the character, for me, for the audience, and now there’s this added layer of maturity that Alex clearly didn’t have in the first one. It’s not about recreating the magic; it’s about honoring how these wildly ambitious characters would realistically evolve.”
Perez noted that he and Uma Thurman, who plays his mother, have “built a meaningful friendship off-set,” which has helped with their relationship on screen, adding, “She is such a powerhouse acting partner who is wildly present and cares about the craft. And it has felt like no time has passed. Reuniting with Nicholas and Rachel [Hilson], we’re in lockstep.”
Red, White & Royal Wedding is the sequel to Amazon’s Red, White & Royal Blue, which was based on the Casey McQuiston novel about the love affair between the son of the President of the United States and a British prince.
Nicholas Galitzine will also reprise his role of Prince Henry for the sequel, set to be directed by Jamie Babbit from a script by Gemma Burgess, Matthew López, and McQuiston.
On working with Babbit, Perez said, “Jamie has a way of creating a space for play; she really allows you to bring your character’s choices to life while being extremely additive to your performance. Because Nicholas and I know our characters so well, Jamie always wants to be in service of the truth of the world. She has worked with some legendary actors, and she creates a positive and trustworthy environment for us.”
In reprising the role of Alex, Perez noted that his character is now “committed” in a relationship with Henry, has graduated from law school, and is more comfortable with who he is.
“The big questions aren’t about figuring out his sexuality or hiding anymore; they’re about what comes next in life, love, career, and the world around him,” he said.
Perez said that the film “resonated so deeply with people” and is fully aware that there is “appetite for more of Alex and Henry” which he finds humbling and is not opposed to keep doing more films in this universe.
“If we get to keep telling their story beyond this chapter, whether in another film or exploring bigger arcs, I’d want it to keep pushing boundaries on representation,” he said.