Exclusive: Former Hollyoaks star Andy Moss on new queer role (2024)

Rainbow Crew is an ongoing interview series that celebrates the best LGBTQ+ representation. Each instalment showcases talent working on both sides of the camera, including queer creatives and allies to the community.

Next up, we're speaking to former Hollyoaks actor Andy Moss about his role in musical Frank's Closet.

Former Hollyoaks star Andy Moss is returning to the stage next month, once again taking on the titular role in high camp musical theatre show Frank's Closet.

Andy – best known for playing Rhys Ashworth on the Channel 4 soap – first immersed himself in the extravagant world of Frank's Closet at London's Union Theatre earlier this year. The show is now returning for another run at Wilton's Music Hall in early September, which promises to be bigger and better.

The stage show tells the story of Frank, who's struggling with nerves ahead of his wedding to his long-term partner Alan.

On the eve of the ceremony, Frank goes through his collection of costumes once worn by iconic divas, who soon appear in person to offer some advice as embodiments of Love Past, Present and Future.

Digital Spy recently caught up with Andy for a chat about the project and his reaction to recent changes at Hollyoaks.

How are you feeling about opening up Frank's Closet again?

"Frank's Closet is an amazing little piece. It's a big queer love story with a 'will they / won't they get married?' theme.

"During the first run at the Union Theatre, we got to develop it and we were given a lot of creative input, which I never usually get. It was nice to be there from the ground level and work it from there.

"With it being such an intimate venue, we were able to change little things and ramp it up or take bits out. It was a work in progress, but now that we get to do it again at Wilton's Music Hall, all of that work has paid off."

Did you always know you were getting another run?

"There was talk that it might go on, but just you never know whether it's going to work out or not. But halfway through the run last time, audiences were loving it and the atmosphere each time was electric. We felt that we had something special and we knew that we had to do it again."

How would you describe your character Frank?

"Frank is a bit of an introvert, hence why everything revolves around his closet. It's a metaphor for his past and his future.

"His fantasy world is inside that closet and there's a supporting cast of Gaiety Girls, who are the angels and devils on his shoulder acting as his conscience.

"Frank is quite a 'normal guy', but then he has this side of him that loves extravagance and his collection of costumes from the Divas of the past.

"After 10 years, Frank and his partner Alan decide that they want to get married. Just before the ceremony, Frank gets cold feet and that's what takes him back into the closet.

"We visit places and parts of his life that have shaped him. The Divas that come along offer him advice or a lesson – usually set to an amazing song – to spur him on and move him forward."

Did many soap fans come along to see it last time?

"Yeah, it was wild actually because I've not done a show in such an intimate venue before. You could literally see people's faces – I really did end up connecting with the audience, whether it was eyeball to eyeball or meeting them in the bar after.

"Everyone's got a little bit of Frank's Closet in them because it's such a varied show. It goes from really small little monologues, to full-on musical theatre numbers.

"Everyone that I've met loved a different part of the show, whether it was reminiscent of their coming-out story and they could see themselves in that, whether it was their inner diva, or whether it was having cold feet before getting married. There's so many elements to it that the audience can connect to."

Is this your first queer role?

"It's my first queer stage role. When I did [BBC drama] Cutting It, my character Craig was gay. But when people think of me as an actor, a lot of people just see me as a 'Manc lad' or a bit like my Hollyoaks character Rhys. I wanted to do something totally different.

"I'd also done the Patrick Swayze role in Ghost, which was another super straight role. So I just wanted to show this different side of me and let myself go.

"It's the first time I've ever been in a dressing room that had so much energy and everyone was so free and confident. It was just such an amazing experience and I've been waiting to do a role like this for a long time. When it came up, it was definitely a no-brainer.

"Doing a big show like Ghost, you're often told where to stand, what to say, when to say it, how to sing it. With this, I made all of those decisions so it was really empowering and I'd not felt that creative buzz for a long time."

Were you keen to show the fun side of the LGBTQ+ community rather than anything too heavy?

"Definitely. Beautiful Thing and other stories of our time have always been serious stories, which did need telling at the time. But I think society is a bit more accepting – certainly where I am in London.

"I think it's important to show the other side of queer culture. We have Drag Race and shows like that, showing the fun side of it. It's another side to explore, so let's go down other avenues and see what else we've got to offer."