(I’m not sure how old this is, but my Google Alerts delivered it to my inbox today, so I thought I’d share a rare interview!)

Right now, 26-year-old actor Jesse Bradford — star of “Swimfan” and “Bring It On,” isn’t a household name to anyone but teens, but that’s going to change with the release of “Heights,” the last Merchant-Ivory film (groundbreaking gay producer Ismail Merchant died in May).

“Heights” is anything but teen fluff: It’s a subtle, gripping tale of secrets, sex and manipulation over the course of 24 hours. In it, Bradford plays a struggling actor who gets “godsmacked” by Glenn Close.

Bradford recently sat down to talk with Entertainment Editor Jenny Stewart on his passionate (and surprising) kiss scene, his own teenage heartbreak and how much he loves his gay fan base.

Spoiler alert: Don’t read any further if you don’t want to know what happens in “Heights!”

In “Heights,” most of your scenes are with Glenn Close. What was it like working with her?
It was great, because she’s kind of everything you could hope for someone in her position, and none of the stuff you get tired of dealing with from people in her position [Laughs.] When she’s just hanging out, she’s wonderful, and funny and normal, but then when she starts working, it’s a like a switch gets turned on the back of her head and this … white-light energy just comes pouring out of her. It’s like she knows how to access it so easily and so consistently that you really can’t help but being drawn in by what she’s doing when she’s acting.

Most of the scenes you have in the movie are with her, and a lot of the movie hinges upon your reactions to each other. What did you bring to those scenes?
I had the luxury of allowing myself to give in to those slight feelings of awe from dealing with her, as opposed to having to fight it — for instance, if I had to play her boss. It was entirely appropriate for my character to be overwhelmed and godsmacked by her, so that was easy. I do remember getting a little direction from [director] Chris Terrio to attempt to kind of seduce her back. And the first time I tried to do that — tried to take some of the power — I feel like she managed to take it right back from me. The fact that she was able to grab it right back so instinctively was really interesting to me.

In the film, the Jonathan character is engaged to Isabel, but he’s obviously still involved with you. The audience gets a pretty clear glimpse of how Jonathan views his sexuality, but we don’t get as clear a picture for your character, Alec. How did you view Alec’s sexuality?
I like that you don’t get a clear picture about him, and I like that you don’t even get a clear picture about the guy who is clear. I think Alec is gay, and I don’t think there’s ever a point where he really thinks he’ll hook up with Diana. I don’t think he’s trying to hide it, anyway.

What do you think would have become of Alec and Jonathan had Isabel not discovered them kissing on the roof?
I think that it would have ended right there, that night. Because I think Alec has reached a point where he thinks he needs to draw a line, because he cares about someone who’s not giving his all, and he is giving his all. So pretty much, Alec draws the line, and Jonathan says, “I can’t do it,” and Alec says “well OK, tough shit.” And then this last moment of passion happens, and what would have been, “Put the bow on the gift and then ship it out,” is walked in on.

But I don’t think that kiss would have drawn them back together. I think Alec would have thought “if he comes back to you, and he says I really love you and I’m going to leave Isabel,” then I think Alec would have considered being with Jonathan. But without the leaving-Isabel component, Alec would have said, “no way.”

But that kiss. You share a really passionate kiss with James Mardsen. And what’s so strong about it is that you can really feel the intense emotion these two feel for each other. That kiss is so important to the film. What’s the story behind it?
There was a version of the script where there was no kiss. We decided over the course of shooting that it was just too necessary, and that we needed it. I thought we absolutely needed it. Chris, James and I got together and Chris said, “I think we need the kiss,” and we both agreed. It wasn’t an easy thing. It’s a frightening notion to do something you’ve never done before, as is anything that you’re not used to doing. It takes you out of your comfort zone. Jimmy and I had a conversation a few days beforehand, because neither of us had ever done that before, and the gist of it was: “Look, this has got to be real.” And I think between two straight men … I think once you just discuss it like that, it lets the elephant out of the bag and then you can get to work. So what do we do to make it seem like it’s the real deal, now that the elephant is out of the way?

Just having that conversation was so great and helped immensely. Because once we discussed it, we were just so focused on making it really good. I was nervous, but there was this voice in the back of my mind saying, “Feel this.”

What did you think when you saw it?
I’m not the person to ask, because I am my own worst critic. But I love this movie, and I think the kiss comes off really well.

What I thought was interesting about it is that it is that a lot of older people go to see Merchant-Ivory movies automatically, and this may be the first time that much older audience is seeing two men kiss. And because the kiss shows that these two men really love each other, I’m wondering if it might have even the slightest impact on how they view gay people. And I’m talking here about right-wing moviegoers, you know?
That would warm my soul, actually. To know that maybe it would have an effect on somebody who’s been holding on to some antiquated bullshit. If they could let go of it even just a little bit based on that moment in the movie — because they didn’t see it coming, so it felt OK to them when they finally did see it happen? That would just be so cool. If someone comes up to me in 10 years and tells me that? Man, awesome.

You were in “Hackers” with Angelina Jolie. She met her first husband, Jonny Lee Miller, on that film. Any stories from the set? Did you get a crush on her?
Oh, man, I was 15, so I didn’t have a shot! But we were all pretty blown away by her. She was not only just stunningly gorgeous, but she had so much style to her. Something just came out of her, this grace and command of attention and ability to run the show. We all knew she was getting together with Johnny.

But you know what? I wasn’t even after her, because during “Hackers” was when I had my first real girlfriend. I was 15, and I had this girlfriend that just … meant the world to me. I was so in love with her that I really thought we were going to spend the rest of our lives together. At 15! And then what happened was I went off to England to shoot the rest of “Hackers,” and while I was there, she actually hooked up with my best friend.

At 15, that must have been devastating.
[Sadly.] Man, it so broke my heart you have no idea. It killed me. Absolutely killed me.

Do you think having that happen to you at 15 had an effect on how you are in relationships? You must have trust issues.
Yeah, it did, and it has. It still has some effects, even now. But I think it manifested itself more as just a general fear, or lack of interest, or lack of preparedness to ever get really serious with someone, more than real trust issues. But at the time, it had a really serious effect on me. I didn’t get into another relationship until I was 18 or 19.

What about now? Are you in a relationship?
Yes, she and I have been together for a little over a year, and it’s going really well.

Gay men are going to start liking you a lot after “Heights.” How do you feel about that?
Oh man, they already like me! I get an … overwhelmingly positive response from gay men.

Do you think it’s from “Swimfan?”
Maybe! Maybe it was the Speedo.

Source: PlanetOut Entertainment