By Andrew Davis
Dante's Cove, shown on the gay channel Here!, has been called a combination of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Dawson's Creek—the perfect description for a show that mixes elements of melodrama and magic. Windy City Times talked with hunky star Charlie David about the out-of-this-world series.
Windy City Times: Describe the show for me.
Charlie David: It's a gay and lesbian soap opera with a supernatural element. It follows the lives of twentysomething surfers, skaters and others who reside at the Hotel Dante. It follows the stories that unravel when the town's supernatural past comes alive in the present.
WCT: So do you think that the Dawson's Creek/Buffy description is pretty accurate?
CD: I think so. People describe it as a number of different things, from Dark Shadows meets The O.C. meets Queer As Folk. I think a lot of those are accurate. [ The series ] pays tribute to those shows, but it stands on its own. We're coining it a guilty pleasure; it's sexy, it's fun and slightly camp. It has the potential to be one of those shows where people gather, drink martinis and watch the show.
WCT: It must be nice shooting the show in the Caribbean.
CD: [ Smiles. ] I can't complain—especially being from Canada. When I got the call, I was like, 'You want me to go where in January and February? Yeah, I think I can swing that.'
WCT: Tell me about your character, Toby.
CD: I would describe Toby as the voice of reason on the show. He discovers the secrets and supernatural elements of the hotel as he goes along. He's not educated in the occult as his friend, Ben, is. Toby is very devoted to his partner, Kevin. It's a story about two friends who escape from abusive homes and who move to Dante's Cove. Our hope is that the audience roots for these characters and for the relationship, because they are devoted to each other. There are certainly temptations along the way, but we hope that people see them as a potentially strong unit, like Rachel and Ross on Friends.
WCT: Is it true that you were once the subject of a documentary?
CD: I have been—back when I was involved in music [ as a member of a boy band ] . There was one on The Learning Channel and one on the BBC.
WCT: What was being in a boy band like?
CD: It was a really cool experience. For two and a half years, I worked with these three other guys and made music. We lived in Las Vegas and were able to open for people like Destiny's Child and Sisqo. [ The band members ] are still close; one of them is my best friend and lives with me in Vancouver while his wife is on tour.
WCT: If you could co-star with any actor, who would he or she be?
CD: Wow. There are so many great actors, but one whom I love watching and find sexy is Gael Garcia Bernal [ of the movies Bad Education and Y Tu Mama Tambien ] . I just respect him for this training and I think it's cool that he speaks three or four different languages—plus he has that Latino boy thing going on, which is sexy. To work with him would be phenomenal. However, there are so many people I find engaging. Jodie Foster would be really cool to work with.
WCT: Yes ... and I'm sure if you got the chance to work with Meryl Streep you wouldn't turn that down.
CD: Exactly. You know what? At this point, I wouldn't turn too much down.
WCT: So you'd work with Paris Hilton?
CD: Uhhh ... I'd have to read the script. [ Laughs. ]
WCT: You mentioned that you live in Vancouver.
CD: Yes. It's perfect for me right now because I have a lot of friends who live there. The climate is pretty temperate. It's also very metropolitan and very liberal. It's great that gay marriage is allowed and that we can have kids. It's really exciting to live in this time right now. I'd love to have kids with a partner someday.
