The gays have been holding space for ‘Defying Gravity’ ever since it was a closeted frat bro romance
Wicked continues to cast its spell on movie-goers around the world, queer fans are once again holding space for “Defying Gravity”—the show-stopping musical number to end all show-stopping musical numbers—and embracing it as a self-empowerment anthem.But a few years before Idina Menzel first belted out that iconic “OhhhAHahAhhhhhhhh!” on stage, there was another super-gay Defying Gravity, and it’s one you may have forgotten about!Way back in the summer of 1997, a little indie drama by the name of Defying Gravity premiered at the Austin Gay & Lesbian International Film Festival, described as “a daring new movie about coming out on campus.”Subscribe to our newsletter for your front-row seat to all things entertainment with a sprinkle of everything else queer.Written and directed by first-time filmmaker John Keitel (who would go on to edit a number of LGBTQ+ projects from the era, including the gay Mormon romance Latter Days), the story was loosely based on his own undergraduate college experience and largely filmed around USC—where he went to graduate school—with mostly first-time actors.It centers on John “Griff” Griffith (Daniel Chilson), who presents as your average, everyday student who is pretty involved in his campus Greek life.
He lives in the frat house, sharing a room with his best friend Todd (Niklaus Lange), Doogie (Seabass Diamond), and his pledge Stewy (Matt Steveley).Unbeknownst to any of them, Griff’s been carrying out a secret relationship with fellow fraternity brother Pete (Don Handfield), who recently moved out of the house and has been putting some distance between himself and the frat.Consider this your syllabus for a very gay semester!Griff’s happy with the nature of their undercover affair, but Pete’s not—he wants something more—which comes to a head after he catches Griff getting flirty with a girl, confronting him soon after and revealing his deeper feelings: “I want to wake up next to you, read the newspaper, and maybe go out on a date.”Afraid.
