Hot British Actor Dino Fetscher – Ex Mr Gay UK Makes His Mark in West End & on AppleTV's 'Foundation'

Becoming an actor had long been the career goal of Dino Fetscher. "Acting was something I just did because I was a very hyperactive ADHD child," he told the news outlet Wales Online. But the out 35-year-old Welshman (now a Londoner) stopped acting when he realized he was gay as a teenager. "I suddenly had this sense of: 'Don't look at me' so I stopped acting for a few years."

But, at 19, he decided to pursue his dream again, and he was also more sexually assured as a gay man. In 2008 he pursued and won the title of Mr Gay UK. In the years since, has proven to be the title's most successful recipient, carving an acting career that has netted him an Olivier Award nomination (for "The Normal Heart") and a featured role on "Foundation," Apple TV+'s epic, intergalactic sci-fi drama, loosely based on the books by Isaac Asimov.

Fetscher joined the show in its sophomore season as Glawen Kerr, husband of General Bel Riose, played by Ben Daniels. The actors had bonded two years ago in the National Theatre production of Larry Kramer's "The Normal Heart."

Speaking to Attitude, Fetscher acknowledged that while the queer characters on "Foundation" face multiple problems, being queer isn't one of them. "It was so refreshing that our characters' sexualities were just incidental," Fetscher told Attitude interview from his London home.

"I've played a lot of queer roles so, when approaching Glawen, it was really curious for that not to be something I had to dig into," he explained about his character. "In this world, sexuality is very different. It's just the same as you have blue eyes and I have brown eyes. In lots of ways, it's really inspiring because it's not so far in the future. That's where I hope we get to," he elaborated excitedly. "There's a whole plethora of other shit going on in this world, but at least they got that right!"

At the time of the interview, Fetscher had just returned from filming the Netflix crime thriller "Fool Me Once." He also is featured in "Good Boy," an upcoming short film with Ben Whishaw and Marion Bailey.

"It's no surprise he's in demand," writes Attitude. "Fetscher has accumulated an impressive CV of credits in some of the most critically acclaimed queer television of the past decade, including turns in 'Years & Years' as Russell Tovey's scorned husband, and in Sally Wainwright's 'Gentleman Jack.' Many television fans will have been first introduced to him in Russell T Davies' 2013 anthology series 'Banana,' where he played fresh-faced fuckboy Aiden in an episode which tackled the toxicity of the gay dating scene and the 'no fats, no femmes' culture of Grindr. The role was Fetscher's television debut, and it is a project he recalls with great fondness."

"It was such a great job. Russell's script was just so colorful, so nuanced, and so well-observed," said the actor. "I really love work that makes you think and reflect, and I think our episode really does that because it's kind of horrible in lots of ways, but I think there's a lot of truth in there as well. Sometimes we can shy away or want to sugar-coat things, but it's definitely an aspect of the gay scene, that kind of transactional-ness, how a lot of it's based on looks. It was really interesting for me to delve into that and figure out my perspective on it because it's something I've certainly experienced in my life."

Addressing the dispute of whether or not only gay actors should play gay roles, Fetscher took a balanced approach, telling Attitude that casting directors should seek gay actors for gay roles. "It's really important for young queer kids to see a queer character and then to find out that actor is queer in real life. It's really empowering. Or for a trans kid to see a trans actor playing a trans role, and then they might be able to look up to them; those things are really powerful."

But he also acknowledged that "for the actors who aren't queer playing queer roles, there's certainly a respect that needs to be had there, and an understanding and a sensitivity around it."

Fetscher acknowledged to Wales Online that he's seen LGBTQ+ characters grow since he started out 15 years ago. "The kind of queer roles there are now are just so much more nuanced, complex, and interesting. I've really stepped into a new era with gay roles and it's amazing how far we've come."

"Initially," he continued, "there were always whispers of: 'Be careful not to play gay too much because you'll be pigeonholed.' I had this weird fear around it and I think it was a lot of internalized homophobia myself as well which, looking back, I realized. I was always nervous playing gay roles but I did relish them. Now I know myself much more and I think I've dealt with a lot of my own kind of internal shame. I relish playing queer roles and I love that I get to bring an authenticity to it from my experience as a gay person.

"It's something I'm really proud of and love now. I think it's so exciting. With the type of queer roles now they're not just the stereotypical kind of either coming out or [involve] drugs, which are obviously very interesting, but they're so much more nuanced now and we're exploring so much. Being gay is not what a character's whole life is, and that's exactly the same with queer people. It doesn't define our entire existence."

It was, though, his well-regarded performance in "The Normal Heart" that helped him gain confidence and subdue his inner saboteur. "[The Olivier Award nomination] was something that really helped me think that I should be at this table and I've earned this. My voice is one that's important to be heard. It's given me a lot more confidence in having opinions and approaching projects; being able to say if I think something works or not. I wouldn't necessarily say that before because I didn't believe in myself enough, but it's given me much more confidence."

Check out pics from Fetscher's IG: