'Bros' writer, Northwestern University graduate Billy Eichner talks new LGBTQ+ romantic comedy

CHICAGO (WLS) -- "Bros" is a romantic comedy about two men bungling their way into falling in love.

It opens on Thursday night. Billy Eichner wrote the story, and costars in the film with Luke Macfarlane. ABC7'S Hosea Sanders spoke with them about breaking new ground with the film.

"Bros" tells the story of Bobby and Aaron trying to become a couple, but the courtship is chaos.

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"The entire cast of the movie is openly LGBTQ, even in the straight roles, which you really never see," Eichner said. "I've been an openly gay actor all of life, my whole career. There are certain challenges that come along with that. Sometimes you are excluded from mainstream comedies like this, or mainstream projects in general. So, I wanted to use whatever power I had in this scenario to lift up other people in the community with me and give them an opportunity to shine, too."

It's the first time a major studio has backed a movie with this kind of plot, with inclusive talent on camera and behind the scenes.

"Certainly, in the years leading up to 'Bros,' I had every piece of criticism launched at me and all these fears placed in me about being a gay person in Hollywood and what you can do and can't do. 'Bros' is my answer to all of that, really," Eichner said.

Macfarlane, who plays "Aaron," also weighed in.

"For my whole life, I've gone and watched two straight people fall in love and understood it, and taken a lot from it, and cried and laughed along. So, I think straight people can do the exact same thing, to watch a gay couple fall in love. They can cry and laugh. But, I think it's going to be the beginning of others," Macfarlane said.

Eichner graduated from Northwestern University, and showed the film to his most inspiring teacher, Mary Poole.

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"It was very emotional. We both cried. She loved the movie and she said, 'you're such a good actor in this.' And I said, 'yeah, because of you,'" Eichner said.

Eichner also spoke about how studying at Northwestern University and being in the Chicago area has shaped the performer he is.

"It was really a formative experience. It was really one of the best experiences of my life. I love Chicago because of that," Eichner said.