Russell Tovey, Who Is Out, Takes on Roles Gay and Straight For much of his adult career, Russell Tovey has been rather famously out. But he's built his reputation on playing it straight in British television roles like the werewolf George in "Being Human" and the slacker Steve in "Him & Her," and as the jock Rudge in "The History Boys," onstage in New York and London and on film. "There's no like, "Oh, well, he shouldn't be doing that because he's gay," or "We don't believe his performances, because he's gay," " Mr. Tovey, 32, said of his mastery of blokedom. That I'm not defined by my sexuality has suddenly become the interesting thing. His latest roles might prompt fans to wonder what took him so long to cross the divide. In "Looking," the new HBO series about gay men searching for love in San Francisco, he's Kevin, the boss and potential romantic interest of the video-game designer Patrick (Jonathan Groff). In "The Pass," John Donnelly's play at the Royal Court Theater in London, he's Jason, a footballer who'd rather keep his sexuality off the field. Russell Tovey Steve Forrest for The New York Times "I've been biding my time for the right project that I felt was important enough and moving things forward and changing the pattern of play for how gay people are defined in art," Mr. Tovey explained, adding that "Looking" and "The Pass" read as "very contemporary, very fresh and very pro-normality." In a phone interview with Kathryn Shattuck, he pondered his trajectory and that certain someone who makes him go weak in the knees. These are excerpts from their conversation. Q. What makes "Looking" timely? A. A drama that might have been on 10 years ago would be like: "As gay men, you can just go and have sex with who you want. Who cares if I'm sleeping around? And now this show is at such a time when suddenly gay people can conform to heterosexual blueprints of how to live. You can get married, you can have kids, you can have joint mortgages, you're recognized as next of kin, which is all fresh. Tell me about "The Pass." It's about a footballer who doesn't want to define himself by his sexuality. He's chosen a career over any sort of affection or intimacy with a man. And he betrays friendships to get to where he wants. It's very current with sportsmen in the public eye having to come out or not being able to come out. It seems to be the last taboo. How did you come out? When I was 20-odd, I did an interview for a magazine called Attitude, and they asked me, and I, in a roundabout way, said, "I don't want to talk about it, but yeah." At that point in my career, people had an interest but not too much, and then it was there, it was done. If I had to do it now, I think I'd be nervous because it would feel like a big dramatic thing. These parts could elevate you to the position of sex symbol for both female and male viewers - right? You tell me. I've got ratty curly hair. I've got sticky-out ears. I've got a little troll nose. I'm like a little pale street urchin. I'm lucky that I've sort of aged well into my face. I don't think people are repelled by me. But one never sees how other people see you in a mirror at all - ever. How important was performing in "History Boys" for you? It was like being in a boy band for two and a half years. It was the most wonderful, unique moment of my personal life, and career-wise, it's become a huge defining milestone. I'd been doing this professionally since I was 11, but after we'd done the whole journey, it was like, "O.K., you are part of the establishment." How did you become an actor? I had a summer where I watched "Dead Poets Society," "Stand by Me," "Home Alone" and "The Goonies," and I remember thinking at the time, "I want to be an actor." I wanted to be a runaway. I wanted to sing walking along a train track. I used to dream that Macaulay Culkin was my best friend. And then crying my eyes out at "Dead Poets Society." I mean, if I met Robin Williams, I'd be wobbly.