New York actor ‘too gay’ to make it in the industry writes and stars in his own film ‘Femme’

A New York actor who was told he was ‘too gay’ to make it in the industry has transformed his harshest critique into his greatest asset by writing and starring in a short film that celebrates what it means to be ‘femme’.

Corey Camperchioli, 28, began writing the short film Femme two years ago after agents told him he needed to tone down his femininity for roles – something he was also told by those within the gay community, many of whom rejected him because they preferred ‘masc only’ (masculine only) men.

Now Camperchioli has learned how to embrace his femininity and is inspiring others from around the world to do the same through his short film, which is now set to be turned into a TV series produced by Emmy Award-winning actress Rachel Brosnahan, star of The Marvelous Miss Maisel. 

Actor Corey Camperchioli, 28, began writing a short film based on his personal rejection and insecurities from being deemed ‘too gay’

The film tackles bias within the gay community who shun Camperchioli's character for his queerness

The film tackles bias within the gay community who shun Camperchioli's character for his queerness

The film tackles bias within the gay community who shun Camperchioli’s character for his queerness

Femme follows the story of Carson – played by Camperchioli – a struggling 20-something navigating New York’s dating scene whose insecurities are highlighted on a hookup app date gone wrong.

This sets Carson on a hilarious journey of self-discovery, tackling bias within the gay community that shuns him for his queerness.

The film is very much Camperchioli’s own life story and he tells DailyMail.com that he wrote it as an ‘aspirational’ one because he ‘hadn’t yet found the strength to love myself as is – yet wanted to so badly’.

‘Most femme characters I had seen portrayed in film had been the side-kick, the butt of the joke,’ he said. ‘I wanted to write a story that celebrated femme-ness because I had never seen it celebrated in the way that I craved.’

With the support of a drag queen fairy godmother played by RuPaul Drag Race’s Aja, Carson is able to embrace his gayness in the film and begin to love himself.

For Camperchioli, creating Femme served as his own fairy godmother on his long road to self-acceptance. 

The 15-minute film titled Femme has been screened at over a dozen film festivals (a clip of the film shows the character Carson being inspired by a ‘drag queen fairy godmother’ played by Ru Paul’s Drag Race’s Aja)

Femme has inspired people from all over the world to embrace gender expression, as seen in a tweet 

Femme has inspired people from all over the world to embrace gender expression, as seen in a tweet 

One man from an Arab country says being femme makes it harder to fit in, even in the gay community 

One man from an Arab country says being femme makes it harder to fit in, even in the gay community 

Growing up in New Jersey, Camperchioli was teased for being too gay. When he came to NYU to study acting he thought the bias would dissolve in one of the most liberal cities in the world.

Camperchioli is an NYU graduate who was teased for being 'too gay' while growing up in New Jersey 

Camperchioli is an NYU graduate who was teased for being ‘too gay’ while growing up in New Jersey 

And if the LGBTQ community isn’t challenged enough by social constructs, he was met by people – both professionally and personally – who preferred ‘masc only’ and ‘no femmes’.

‘I was having difficulty taking my acting career to the next level, and kept getting the same feedback,’ he said. That was until he was challenged by a producer to write his story for a short film.

‘I think that was the first time I had felt seen by someone in the industry, by someone who believed that my queerness was an asset and something to be celebrated rather than something to be merely tolerated, or worse, hidden,’ he told DailyMail.com

‘I started writing Femme then next day.’

With the help of a viral Kickstarter campaign, Camperchioli raised $10,000 in 48 hours and Femme came to life.

The film has been screened at more than a dozen film festivals across the US and gained global attention. 

Now, Femme set to become a series with Emmy-winner Rachel Brosnahan on board as the executive producer

Now, Femme set to become a series with Emmy-winner Rachel Brosnahan on board as the executive producer

Camperchioli said he has received messages from people in Australia, England, Brazil, Morocco and more who have been inspired by the film.

‘It’s funny. I’ve been told for so long that I’m ”specific”’. But the actor says when he reads the messages from people around the world, ‘I realized that there are so many people out there like me, who identify as being femme and have been craving validation of their fundamental worthiness in the same way that I have.’

Femme is available Friday on queer streaming service Revry. But for those who want to see more than 15 minutes of Femme the film, the movie is coming to the small screen in a series adaptation.

Actress Rachel Brosnahan, who took home the Emmy for lead actress in a comedy series for The Marvelous Mrs Maisel last week, has signed on to be the executive producer.

‘After the beautifully positive response to Femme the film, I am thrilled to continue the Femme journey with the fiercely talented Corey Camperchioli,’ Brosnahan said. ‘His singular and powerful voice is an important part of a new generation of barrier breaking storytellers and I’m proud to collaborate with him.’

Camperchioli said the series will end where the film left off – with the first glimmer of Carson beginning to love himself as he is. 

He added: ‘Loving yourself doesn’t happen overnight, so we’re along for the ride as Carson and friends go on that crazy, hysterical, life-affirming ride!’

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk