Joel Kim Booster, Bowen Yang talk new gay rom-com 'Fire Island'
Joel Kim Booster and Bowen Yang's friendship in "Fire Island" is the textbook definition of art imitating life.
The comedians are best friends both IRL and onscreen in the new gay rom-com, which is now available to stream on Hulu, and as Booster told "Good Morning America" on Friday, he wrote the film so the two, who are both of Asian descent, could work on a project together.
"The whole reason I wrote the movie was because I think conventional wisdom in this industry says that, because we check some of the same demographic boxes, we'd go for the same parts but never co-lead a movie, not be in the same movie together," he said.
"So I said, you know, I'm not going to wait around for it to happen. I want to work with my best friend, so let's do it."
While some might think working with your friends could cause potential issues, Yang said they had "laid the foundation" of their friendship "pretty solidly" before diving into the project.
"Lots of drinks," Booster joked, explaining how they had built up their friendship.
Yang said the duo have "such a good working relationship" outside of the film that they already knew how to navigate the new dynamic and "make this work in a new context."
"Fire Island," directed by Andrew Ahn and inspired by Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice," follows Noah (Booster) and Howie (Yang) as they -- and their group of queer friends -- set out on a summer to remember. The film also stars Conrad Ricamora, James Scully, Matt Rogers, Tomás Matos, Torian Miller, Nick Adams, Zane Phillips and Margaret Cho.
Booster said he was inspired to write the film after he and Yang visited Fire Island for the first time in 2016 and he brought a copy of Austen's beloved novel for his beach read.
"While I was there, I would just put it down and turn to Bowen and say, 'You know what, it actually feels incredibly relevant to what we're living right now,'" he said. "It started as a threat. I said, 'Wouldn't it be funny if I wrote an all-gay 'Pride and Prejudice' set on Fire Island?'"
Booster said the idea "slowly crystalized as a story" while they were there.
"He made good on the threat," Yang added.
"Fire Island" is available to stream on Hulu now.
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