Zimbio Interview with Nathaniel

Zimbio.com: Times have change when a openly gay member of a boy band can also be successful and still be popular with the girls. This is the story of Nathaniel Flatt of V Factory.

Nathaniel Flatt, a member of the boy band V Factory, recently chatted with me about how he became a boy-bander, being open about his sexuality, and he even dishes about the other group members!

Have you always wanted to be a performer?
Yeah, like ever since I was probably 4 or 5. I remember seeing a show with my family. I saw Peter Pan and I got the bug I guess you could say. I’m the youngest of 4 and I’m the attention-starved kid of the family.

Are there any other performers in your family?
You know what, it’s just me. It’s funny, no one else even sings or dances or has any kind of desire to do that kind of stuff. I don’t know where it came from. My family is full of accountants and such. But it’s always what I’ve wanted to do. My mom is my biggest fan. She’s the mom who came to every show. She wasn’t a stage parent, but she would sit in rehearsals and stuff like that.

When did you first come out?
Let’s see. When I got to college I became comfortable with it. When I was with people who were also gay. You also…do it in stages. I wasn’t comfortable with my family knowing then.

When did you tell your family?
Maybe, 2 or 3 years ago.

How did they take it?
I know they love me very much, but I know it’s not something they completely understand. But I’m also my mom’s son, and she loves me more than anything.

How has your family reacted to your fame?
Well, the fame thing is exciting. Growing up and doing commercials and acting and things like that…they think that’s great. I’ve always felt supported. There have been a few jobs and experiences that were pinnacles in my career that it’s been fun to see them be wowed by. I did the Oscars and did this number with Beyonce and Hugh Jackman that the whole town watched. They even did a write up in the local paper. I have nieces and nephews and they’ll hear my song on radio Disney and get excited by that.

Did you know the other guys in the group before you were put together?
No, I had no idea who they were I didn’t know anyone. It actually said Warner Brothers on the sheet I had at the audition and I remember thinking “are you kidding me?” I had no idea it would turn into this kind of thing. The guys and I would get along so well. You know, it’s risky putting together 5 randoms, but the dynamic works well.

Is it weird to suddenly be matched all up in a group like that?
Yeah, I mean it takes some getting use to. We’re all very different. You’ll have different points of view. We can always disagree but then we all have the same ultimate goal that we want to achieve: Be successful. We all kind of want the same things. It kind of brings us together.

Tell me, who’s the messiest in the group?
Asher. He’s pretty filthy. Wesley and Jared live with him and I could never live with him.

Neat freak?
I would say I am for sure. Nicky is a little OCD. He has to pick out his toiletry bag and put the razor next to the shaving cream next to the shampoo in a certain way. But I’m pretty clean too.

Mom of the group?
I’d say that’s me too. Our lobby call is 4 am and I have to go down and knock on the guys’ doors because none of them will be awake then.*laughs*

Craziest?
I’d say Wesley. He’s definitely crazy. He’s the youngest for sure, and he’s the craziest on stage too. He jumps off of the stage and does back flips and stuff that could break you or mine’s back.

The biggest flirt?
I’d say Wesley. He loves those fans. Those ladies. *laughs*

The biggest nerd?
That’d be Jared. He’s obsessed with everything Mac. We call him Tech Boy. He always get things the day it comes out…He plays World of Warcraft. He’s all about that.

Were you open with them from the start about being gay?
It was really early on. I don’t just usually introduce myself, “hey I’m Nathaniel, I’m gay.” If someone asks me, I’m never someone to shy away from it. The label has been really great. Especially when you’ve heard of people trying to give me a girlfriend or try to cover it up. Or find out I’m gay and firing me. But Warner Brothers has been very great and supportive. I’ve had a very good experience.

How has your life changed since you joined the group? Especially your dating life?
V Factory’s been together for almost 2 and a half years. It’s gradually dramatically changed. I used to go audition for other jobs on the side because I didn’t know what was in store. For a while we’d just be in rehearsal and recording. But In the last 6 months, we’ve been focused on our single and getting our album out. Also, we’ll be in LA 2-4 days a week. When I’m in LA it’s nice to be here but I don’t feel like I have my roots very deep here. I cannot commit to anything when you don’t know where you’re going to be in a couple weeks. You know you’ll have friends say, “he, let’s do this,” but I can’t commit to things which is annoying. But you take what you can get out of it. It’s worth those sacrifices.

Would you rather date another celebrity or somebody not famous?
Well, I’ve never dated anyone famous. I think there’s something about dating another artist; they’d understand scheduling and the dichotomy of things. But then, with “normal jobs”…it’s nice to have those friends and relationship where you can go and be relieved and leave the entertainment at the door and feel like you’re back with the rest the world.

Is there anybody who is openly gay in Hollywood who you would like to be like?
I think anybody who is gay in Hollywood has courage. I definitely respect that. You know, I don’t really generally look to other people as role models. If you’re basing your career on someone else, you don’t want to become just like them. You’d be mimicking someone else. I’d like to pave my own way.

Do you think as a boyband member it’s important for you to be out?
I don’t want to speak for anyone else. It wasn’t a matter of me trying to come out or make it about it (being gay). No one had ever asked me about my sexuality so I never brought it up. I didn’t want to do a disservice to the gay community… For me I felt called to do that and when someone asked me I volunteered.

Anything else you’d like to add?
I like getting to talk about it, but there’s more to me than my sexuality. You know some people have said that you’re just going to be the gay one. There’s much more to me than that. Sexuality is such a minor part of people’s lives. I can be gay in a group and anything else I want to be, whether it’s a singer, dancer, actor, whatever. I choose not to let people put me in a box and tell me what I can say and cannot say.