Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with Love, Victor’s Lukas Gage

There’s a lot to love about actor Lukas Gage, whose rise in the industry can best be described as meteoric. From sending self-tapes in his dorm room to landing coveted roles in projects like Assassination Nation and Euphoria, Lukas has quickly become one of the most sought-after talents in Hollywood and the future of the industry.

This year alone, he has not one but two exciting new projects: Hulu’s Love, Victor and Quibi’s Wireless. We caught up with Lukas to discuss both shows and his journey as an artist.

PC: Take us back to the beginning when you were in college, sending out self-tapes, asking for a shot. And now looking at where your career is, when you look back at your journey, is there a particular moment that stands out to you?
Lukas: I remember I had to smoke cigarettes in this scene for Enlightened, and they gave me fake herbal cigarettes. I don’t know if it was a combination between the fake cigarettes and being so nervous, but I remember my first day on set, I actually threw up from anxiety. But one thing when I look back and think is admirable is how I was really curious. I was asking everybody questions. I was seventeen years old and I was asking how everything worked and what every job meant. It’s important to keep that curiosity always and have a fresh beginnings type of mind.

PC: You also did a recent interview where you talked about the ups and downs of this industry. During the more challenging times, how do you stay motivated?
Lukas: It’s hard. I guess the next thing is like “Okay, if you don’t want me and if I’m not the right fit, then it’s next, next, next, next.” That’s always what it is. As soon as I’m done with an audition, as soon as I’m done with the role, I try to get it out of my mind and move on to something else. Another thing I’ve been doing lately is writing and getting my own material made—so just taking stuff into my own hands and making my own stories that I want to tell and not just waiting for other people to cast me in theirs.

PC: You also recently organized this virtual reunion with the cast of T@gged, and it’s clear that you guys are a really close family. When you look back at that experience, what’s been the biggest takeaway?
Lukas: Just how much fun I had on that show and how much I learned from everybody. I remember in the first season watching Lia Marie Johnson and thinking how loose she was and how she never got tense. She always kept everything light. [I remember] how Nick Fink was a professional at naturalism. Literally, every cast member taught me something by just watching them and hanging out with them. It was the best experience of my life.

PC: The show’s been off the air for a couple of years now, but the fan base is still going really strong. When you signed on for that initial project, did you ever imagine it would become what it’s become?
Lukas: No, no. I had no idea what it was. At the time, I don’t think they fully knew what it was. I got the role the day before. I was told that I was going to do this horror web series in New Mexico. I had no other information and no idea what AwesomenessTV was. No idea. That’s another thing. From J.C. [Caylen] and Claudia [Sulewski], I learned the whole YouTuber/social media world. That was new. I think I had, like, two hundred followers on Instagram when I started. I didn’t even use it until Claudia taught me what to do and what to post. [laughs]

PC: After T@gged, you went on to star in Euphoria, which was the breakout show of 2019. What attracted you to the role of Tyler?
Lukas: It was getting to work with Sam Levinson. I did a film called Assassination Nation with him. I’m such a fan of his writing and directing. His point of view is so strong, and he’s willing to push boundaries and make people uncomfortable. There’s so much truth and humanity in his stuff. I noticed that on Assassination Nation, and I especially noticed it in Euphoria. I felt like it was so personal to him and such a personal story. Having a family member who was an addict, the story was so truthful. I didn’t care what role I got. I just wanted to be a part of the story. I ended up getting the one that I got, and I think there was a weird cosmic reason for it.

I don’t know if this is too personal, but I got jumped when I was eighteen. When I got that audition, that was the easiest for me to connect to and go back to that dark place. I think Sam was trying different roles for me, and when I read that one, it just made sense.

PC: As that season progressed, they continued to write for Tyler. Did that change your approach to the character?
Lukas: No, because to be honest, I knew that he was going to have an arc that comes back. I knew that he was an important part of the plot. As an actor, it’s important to keep everything spontaneous and fresh. When Nate returns to my character, I had to keep everything new and alive and not have any preconceived notions that this guy would come back to my house. The element of surprise and true fear was there. That was hard keeping every take new and alive. It was draining.

PC: On the flip side, you have a new series out now, Love, Victor. Can you tell us about that, your character and how you got involved?
Lukas: I’m probably the most hated person on the show, understandably. [laughs] I’m not the greatest boyfriend to poor sweet Benji. I read the script, and I loved Love, Simon. The book and movie were incredible. I thought we needed more shows that have LGBT content. We need more shows where people can see characters they relate to. I wanted to be a part of it. I didn’t care I was the asshole of the show because it’s still a gay character who’s trying to navigate his first real love and his notions of monogamy. I think it comes from a place of fear. Every time I look back at all the shitty things I’ve done in relationships, it’s all come from a place of me being scared to lose the other person. I tried to play it with as much humanity as I could. Yeah, he’s a little hard to watch.

PC: With a series like Love, Victor, it shows a shift in this industry where we’re getting more diverse and inclusive stories. Does that bring a different weight to a project like this?
Lukas: It definitely does. I mean, look, I think we’ve made a lot of progress. We still have some ways to go. It’s hard to navigate. Of course, I want to see queer people playing queer roles, whether it’s too far in the pendulum for whatever the business is right now, I hope that we get to it in the future. But I’m at least appreciative that these stories are being told. When I was a teenager, I can’t think of any show that had this. I think that’s progress. It’s really cool to be a part of.

PC: You’ve also got a new project coming out. Can you tell us about Wireless and what fans can expect?
Lukas: Wireless is a social media–based thriller that’s interactive. Soderbergh produced it, and he’s super innovative. Basically you can move the phone from vertical to horizontal whenever the character is on their phone, so you can kind of interact with the character on the phone. Tye Sheridan is the star of it. He does an incredible, incredible job. Super creepy. Super fun. I’m really, really excited for people to check that one out.

To keep up with Lukas, follow him on Twitter and Instagram. Binge-watch Season 1 of Love, Victor today.