We’re all familiar with the rom-com formula. A plucky young woman stumbles into love, getting mixed up in hilarious misadventures along the way, a sassy best friend (preferably queer) by her side. Picture This, a new romantic comedy on Amazon Prime Video, doesn’t reinvent the rom-com wheel — but it certainly gives it a spin.
In Picture This, struggling photographer Pia, played by Bridgerton star Simone Ashley, is pressured by her family to go on five first dates after a fortune teller predicts she’s on the verge of finding true love. Her best friend (and underpaid employee) Jay, played by Luke Fetherston, is along for the ride, ultimately teaching Pia a thing or two about love, life, and relationships.
INTO sat down with Fetherston to talk all things Picture This, from challenging movie tropes as Jay, to the coming out backstory he helped reimagine for the character, to his first-date hot takes.
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Hi, Luke! One of my favorite aspects of Picture This, especially with your character Jay, is how it flips rom-com stereotypes on their heads. For example, your character could be chalked up to the “gay best friend” trope, but you get so much more depth than that.
I’m glad you highlighted that, because I have been saying that I believe that the best friend role in Picture This, the stereotype has been challenged in the fact that we’re not just one-dimensional people. We’re not just there to make people laugh — it’s great when that happens, but I enjoy the intimate moments between Jay and Pia as much as I do the humor and the comedy aspects. So yeah, when I first read the script, that really stood out to me. I was like, “Oh, this gay best friend character has an arc in the story,” and that, I think, is quite rare. So it was a big highlight for me, getting to play this role and to show that we have depth. We are capable of depth, as well as the light-hearted humor.
Your character also messes with tropes in terms of the movie’s main plotline. We learn at the beginning that Pia has to go on five dates, and the first three go essentially as expected — but for the fourth, Jay steps in as her “date” and reminds us that even in a movie about romance, friendship is just as important. What did you make of that plotline?
The highlight of platonic love was absolutely key to me, because they are the relationships in my life that I value the most. I don’t know why, but I think there’s a lot of pressure to find romantic love. And I enjoy the fact that the friendship and the bond between Pia and Jay is really significant and profound. Jay is able to pull her out of that fog when she needs it.
The highlight of platonic love was absolutely key to me, because they are the relationships in my life that I value the most.
– Luke Fetherston
Speaking of dating, what would be your dream first date?
Oh my goodness, a dream first date! I always think dancing is a really fun first date, because you can release your inhibitions, have fun, there’s other people around. I think first dates when you’re on your own, like dinner, aren’t a good vibe for me. It’s just too formal; I don’t know. I feel like you’re inviting the date into a bit of a fake scenario when you’re just sat having dinner.
I think more first dates should happen with your friends — as in, your friends should be present. Because you’re inviting them into your life, really, so I think it’s nice to have a representation of what is happening in your life. You know what I mean?
You seem very aligned with your character! That’s a little controversial — I feel like a lot of people don’t want their friends to meet their partner immediately.
Oh, it’s fun, isn’t it? It’s so fun!
That “fourth date” scene also has your character’s most emotional moment, of telling his coming out story and reminding Pia the necessity of letting love in. How did you feel filming that scene?
It was really great to work with Prarthana Mohan, our director, and when I was auditioning for the role, I spoke to her a lot about that scene. Actually, I was able to kind of advise the way I would like for it to go.
When I first read the script, it was a slightly darker moment, and I asked for a bit of the trauma to be removed from it. I can’t quite remember exactly, but it was definitely something along the lines of Jay’s dad leaving. And I just was like, “That isn’t always the case. Our coming out stories aren’t always so dark and bleak. They can actually be very happy experiences.” So I was very grateful that I got to lighten that up a bit. As poignant as it is for Jay, it was important for me to make it feel more authentic to my own story and to my other gay friends’ stories. And it was a really lovely moment to shoot with Simone at a significant time in the story.
Was it reminiscent of your own coming out story?
Absolutely, yeah. Coming out for me was challenging internally, obviously — as it is with, I guess, most queer people, who are at that time in their life struggling with their identity — but the actual coming out moment was, to be honest, really insignificant. [laughs] So I think there doesn’t need to be so much weight on those stories. But I also understand that everyone’s journey and coming out story is different, so it’s just highlighting a different aspect to perhaps what we’re used to seeing in the media.
Our coming out stories aren’t always so dark and bleak. They can actually be very happy experiences.
– Luke Fetherston
When the Picture This trailer dropped on social media, I saw so many people celebrating the Desi representation in the movie. How do you feel being a part of telling this story that’s highlighting an underrepresented community in the rom-com genre?
Amazing. Absolutely amazing. I myself am a minority in the fact that I’m a gay man, so I think just more representation in all aspects is incredible. I know Simone has spoken before about when she was younger, not seeing herself reflected on screen in rom-coms. So I’m just so proud to be a part of this experience for her.
When you were preparing for this role, were you put in mind of any other rom-coms? What are your personal faves from the genre, and did they influence your performance?
Well, my favorite rom-coms were Clueless, Bridget Jones, Notting Hill. But to be honest, I felt like when I read the script, I aligned so well with Jay. You know, Jay is a gay man in his 30s, has a best friend that he’s kind of helping to… [laughs] You know, helping. And I am all those things. I have these wonderful girlfriends in my life, and I live in Hackney, and I’m in my 30s. So I don’t know about drawing on other people’s performances, et cetera, but yeah, just to be involved in a rom-com was amazing.
This movie has such a fabulous ensemble of actors. What was the environment like, all of you together on set?
So fun. I mean, the cast are all just so talented. It’s always amazing when you work with new actors, listening to their stories, how they got to where they are. It’s full of these wonderful, mad people — in particular, Sindhu Vee, obviously a stand-up comedian, absolutely hysterical to have on set. But yeah, we had a really, really wonderful time. And it was kind of summed up in the wedding dance at the end, which we actually shot towards the end of the film, where we were all on set together dancing around at 2 a.m.
Are you a dancer? Is that something you were comfortable with?
Yeah! I trained in musical theater back in the day, and then I did that for quite a few years before starting my TV and film journey.
Would you be interested in doing a movie musical in the future?
100%. Although I’d be quite nervous, because it’s been a long time! Getting my dancing shoes on again and all that, I’d be like, “Oh, god.” But I mean, certainly, if the opportunity arose.
Do you have a musical theater dream role?
Oh my goodness. This is one of those questions where the interview is going to end, and then I’m going to think of it. But maybe the Emcee in Cabaret. That’d be pretty incredible.
Well, I mean, it’s happening right now on the West End and Broadway. There’s always a chance.
We’ll see. [laughs]
Finally, with the movie now streaming, what do you hope that viewers can take away from Picture This?
I think just the importance of friendship. You don’t need to be searching for romantic love when you have these amazing, wonderful friends in your life that are just as valuable. Perhaps it might make people feel less alone in some respect. But, yeah: fun. Have fun watching it! ♦
Picture This is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video. Check out the trailer below.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
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