‘Rocky Horror’ creator Richard O’Brien reveals gender struggles: ‘I have so many girls in me’

Richard O’Brien he revealed that the inspiration for his most famous creation: Dr. Frank N. Furter, the “sweet in disguise” mad scientist played by Tim Curry in the 1975 cult classic The rocky horror movie – was inspired by his own experiences of cross-dressing and grappling with his gender identity as a young aspiring New Zealand actor living in London in the early 1970s.

“It actually comes from me,” says O’Brien, who wrote the book and scored the original Rocky horror show stage play that inspired the film (which turns 50 this month), and he played butler Riff Raff in both. “I used to hit myself for the hand that was given to me. I don’t know how it works. I have no idea. I have read many tomes on the subject of nature in disguise. It is the cards that are dealt to you. In a binary world it’s a bit of a curse, really. Especially in those days when homosexuality was a crime. It’s just one of those things that Western society wasn’t very keen on.

Looking back half a century after writing the genre and sexually liberated Rocky horrorO’Brien says, “I think it must have been cathartic. I guess that was the reason. I certainly wouldn’t have thought of it in those terms.”

O’Brien, 81, has been married three times, to three different women, and has three children from his first two marriages: two boys and a girl. When it comes to one’s gender identity, however, he says no binary answer is enough.

“What I always wanted to be was whole — centrally whole and complete,” she says The Hollywood Reporter‘S It happened in Hollywood podcasts. “But I have so much girl in me that she doesn’t make any sense. I think she would have made more sense if I had been born a girl. It is true. But it’s a fucking patriarchal and misogynistic world. So I’m not lucky? Because I was able to walk streets and go places I never could have gone if I were a girl. You just have to put it all into perspective, really.

Later in the podcast, O’Brien admits that while he admires much of the ingenious artistry that goes into audience participation in Rocky horror movie show projections and installations of The rock horror show around the world, sometimes the turbulent response of Rocky horror the fans go too far.

“It’s gotten a little rude, actually,” O’Brien says of the tendency for fans to yell at actors. “You know. And not that witty. I’m all for it. But it’s intrusive at times. We had to be very careful with the actors on stage. the audience is in charge of the evening and the other two-thirds are now at a party they weren’t invited to. In the film it makes no difference because it’s the same every night.”

However, some of the tried and tested sight gags still manage to tickle O’Brien. “When I’m dressed like american gothic and throw the pitchfork over the edge (of the screen), there’s someone under it going ‘Arrggh!’” he says with an appreciative chuckle.

To celebrate Rocky horror‘s 50th anniversary by visiting her special collection of NFTs. And listen to the full episode by Richard O’Brien It happened in Hollywood below and make sure you sign up for many more content for movie history lovers.