Meet Josh Lavery: The Brooding, Sexy, and Often Naked Star of 'Lonesome'

EDGE: I also love the authenticity, the frankness with the characters, during and post sex, like walking around naked, like guys do. Queer sex is usually either sanitized, or porn. It's rarely real. Was this something that also attracted you to the work?

Josh Lavery: Yeah, Craig and I would always laugh about – not laugh but [talk about] how frustrating it is to watch a queer film and as soon as the two guys start kissing, they pan away to a tree, and come back when they're done. And we're like, no, we want to see it... we want to our sex onscreen, like we do with every other film.

EDGE: Exactly. I know there was an intimacy coordinator on set. Was that helpful? Or does it encumber spontaneity?

Josh Lavery: No. Leah Pellinkhof – she's incredible. Especially because having done a sex scene before that was quite graphic and not having an intimacy coordinator, the two experiences and completely different. I think that every film that that has sex, it should just be an absolute requirement that every project have an intimacy coordinator... it's all about making us feel safe, and what we're willing to do... it's your job, and you might feel like you have to do something you're not comfortable with. So, at the end of the day, it's making sure that everyone's feels safe. everyone's on the same page.

EDGE: You seem to have a natural comfortability with being naked on screen. Is that true? Or is that just part of the craft?

Josh Lavery: [laughs] Oh, God, it's part of the craft, to be honest... I think we've all got our insecurities and things like that. But we spent so much time naked, I'm not going to lie, that by the end of it, we were just like, you know, we got [comfortable being] naked when we were filming.

EDGE: Were there things about your life, or maybe your upbringing, that you were able to bring to Casey when you were creating him?

Josh Lavery: Yeah – I mean, yes and no. I grew up in the country. I was out very young; I came out at 14. My school experience wasn't very great, so I kind of had that experience of being queer in the country, and how difficult that can be. But on the other hand, I have literally the most incredible mother in the world. My mom's not awful, like Casey's mom.

EDGE: That's great to hear. It's so important to tell queer stories with actual queer artists... I'm curious as to what your thoughts are, because I heard that a lot of your crew was queer as well.

Josh Lavery: That's another great thing that was so special about ["Lonesome"], as well is that most of the cast and the crew were also queer. And there was a real authenticity in that – in bringing this story to life. So, that was really special.

EDGE: Part of the joy in watching your performance is watching your face. Casey's so enigmatic, but occasionally you would give something away about him. There was so much ambiguity there.

Josh Lavery: Thank you. I actually heard that a lot. You know, when we're filming it, I feel like I needed to do little cues with my face and stuff like that. And it's not really conveyed that well in a little tiny monitor, so it was really nice when I saw it big... because I didn't have many lines. So, I had to give more of a nuanced performance... I was really proud of myself watching it.

EDGE: Late in the film, Casey's forced to go through some heavy shit. Tell me about getting in that mind space. And was it easy for you to come back from it?

Josh Lavery: Are you talking about the basement scene?

EDGE: Yeah.

Josh Lavery: Yeah, I don't necessarily think that he was forced to do it. I think there was a choice... And I think that he did get something out of it, as well, that experience. But I love that it looks so heavy. It's really dark and it's kind of scary to watch, but filming it, it wasn't like that at all... Ian Roberts is an Australian gay legend, and you'd never guess it, but he's absolutely the sweetest man I've ever met in my life. All the guys in that scene, they were all absolute sweethearts. It was more just me going for it... And, also, it was a huge learning moment for [Casey] in the film, as well.

EDGE: The film was one of the biggest titles at LGBTQ+ festivals last year. Frameline, Seattle, OutFest, Reeling, OUTshine, to name a few. It played fucking everywhere. Were you able to attend many of these festivals?

Josh Lavery: We went to the Seattle Film Festival, that was our world premiere. And then we went to the Guadalajara International Film Festival. And then we went to Frameline, as well. Nice. And then local festivals here, we attended, like, Sydney Film Festival, Melbourne Film Festival, Melbourne Queer Film Festival.

EDGE: How's the audience reaction been?

Josh Lavery: I think it's been it's been good... It's been a different audience everywhere we've gone. Mexico was quite interesting, because there were a lot of teenage girls in the audience. It is quite a bizarre feeling to have people watch you for two hours, and then mingle with you afterwards... I find it quite intimidating. I feel like that feeling really never gets easier... I'm from Melbourne, so I've been going to Melbourne International Film Festival and the Queer Film Festival since I was, like, 18. So those two screenings were probably the most special for me, because I had literally every single person that I've ever met come to those screenings.

EDGE; What's up next for you, Josh?

Josh Lavery: I've written a short film. And Craig's directing it. And Dean Francis, who did the cinematography on "Lonesome," is doing cinematography, as well. We're hoping to film that in the next month or so. So, look out for that!

"Lonesome" will open in theaters February 17, 2023.
And on digital March 7, 2023

Check out these pics from Lavery's IG account: