Arts & Entertainment
Accompanying ‘Florence’
‘Big Bang’ star plays gay in new Meryl Streep vehicle
Simon Helberg as accompanist Cosmé McMoon in ‘Florence Foster Jenkins.’ (Photo courtesy Paramount Pictures)
Fans who only know Simon Helberg as the super nerd Howard Wolowitz on “The Big Bang Theory” will be surprised and delighted to see him in his latest role: Meryl Streep’s shyly flamboyant accompanist in the new movie “Florence Foster Jenkins,” opening Friday, Aug. 12 in wide release.
Madame Florence, played by Streep, was a wealthy New York socialite and patron of the arts. Although she was a classically trained pianist who played at the White House when she was a child, her claim to musical fame was an infamous 1944 Carnegie Hall performance that showcased her complete lack of singing ability.
Helberg plays Cosmé McMoon, Madame Florence’s long-suffering but supportive pianist. He started developing his character by zeroing in on the work of screenwriter Nicholas Martin.
“First and foremost is the script,” Helberg says. “He wrote these characters who are very vivid and very full. There were so many clues in the script. I took every word and direction as gospel.”
From there, Helberg turned to the historical record, discovering he was born in Mexico to Irish immigrants who later moved to San Antonio and New York.
“I went to research who he really was. There wasn’t a lot of information on him, but there were these little insights,” he says. “I thought he must have felt somewhat alien.”
As for McMoon being gay, everything pointed to it. McMoon was, after all, an accompanist. He was fascinated with muscle magazines and body-building competitions. He worked at a bathhouse and never married.
But Helberg decided to approach the character’s sexual orientation in a subtle manner, reflecting both the character and the period. McMoon starts out the movie “completely innocent.” But, as he starts to move about in the glittering social circles that Jenkins and her husband St. Clair Bayfield (Hugh Grant) inhabit, he becomes more aware of his sexuality. By the end of the movie, McMoon rushes backstage for the Carnegie Hall concert, explaining his lateness by breathlessly gushing, “I was attacked by lots of sailors.” As Helberg dryly notes, it’s not exactly clear what has happened, but “the light bulb has started to flicker.”
As for McMoon’s delightful physical mannerisms, they’re rooted in Helbing’s own training as a piano player: arms weighted to the floor and fingers dancing over the keys. Cosmé, Simon says, “has the posture that a classically trained pianist would be taught.”
Helberg, in fact, nearly became a professional pianist.
“I’m good,” he says. “I used to obsessively play and practice all the time in high school. But once I started acting, then I just started playing for fun. I threw away that career path. Because being an actor is so much easier than being a jazz pianist.”
“I kept playing for fun,” he says, “but never anything classical or opera. Then this came along. I really wanted to be in this movie and thought how great that I can play the piano. At least I’ll be able to put my hands in the right place and make it look real when a classically trained pianist plays the music. Maybe I’ll get to play a song or two.”
But things turned out slightly differently. Director Stephen Frears wanted a pianist who could really play Strauss and Mozart. Once he got the part, Helbing started a crash course in classical music. Then, once he got on set, Helberg started a crash course with Meryl Streep. Luckily, Helberg says, “I’m really good at making people sound worse.”
Streep and Helberg hey had a week and a half to rehearse before filming started.
“We had this great collaboration,” Helberg says. “We really had to go into this intimate and intense training. We had to work it and work it and work it. It was incredibly tough and satisfying to actually sit there and do it.”
Initially, Streep and Helberg assumed they would perform to pre-recorded tracks.
“I know Meryl always wanted to sing it live, but at first that didn’t seem possible,” the actor says. “We prerecorded at Abbey Road Studios, but once we did that, the producers said, ‘Well, they can really do it. Let’s just have them do it live. Screw that album.’”
Working with Streep, Helberg says, “was honestly a dream for me. She’s very aware of people and she’s very open and she’s grounded. She’s about making the best movie she can and it’s not about her. There’s something very effortless about it.”
Since McMoon becomes a confidante to both Madame Florence and her husband, Helberg also spent a lot of time working with Hugh Grant, whom he calls “hilariously self-deprecating and neurotic.”
“I thought that was my job but were battling for who was most neurotic. He was completely consumed with making the film the best it could be. I know he was also nervous about working with Meryl and even Meryl was nervous about being Meryl. That’s a lot of pressure.”
The scene, however, that was must challenging for the actor was McMoon’s delayed burst of laughter after he finally hears Madame Florence sing.
“It’s so hard to laugh that way when you’re having an uncontrollable fit of laughter.”
He asked Meryl Streep for advice, and she said, “Well try to cry, that always makes me laugh.” Helberg rejected that advice, fearing he’d actually cry.
He tried recording a couple of things on his phone, but finally realized, “I just had to surrender to it. Stephen had a conversation with me about how I saw that scene, about how I saw it being shot and how I saw it being cut together, and how I saw the elevator and how many people should be in it. He really was asking me questions that I felt less qualified to answer than he, but he really wanted to know what I thought. It was a tricky scene for everyone involved, but it did turn out nicely.”
Now that “Florence Foster Jenkins” is in theaters, Helberg is getting ready to start filming season 10 of “The Big Bang Theory.” The actor admits he doesn’t know a lot about what’s in store for Howard and his friend.
He says we’ll be seeing more of Christine Baranski, Laurie Metcalf and Judd Hirsch and meet Penny’s brother and mother.
“I literally have no idea.” he says. “They don’t tell us anything ever until we get the script the night before the table read. What I do know, based on my rudimentary knowledge of biology, is that he will be having a baby, because Bernadette is pregnant and I hear that’s how it works. Their baby will come in the first half of the season and they will be navigating that and figuring out who the bigger baby is, him or the baby.”
Fairfax City Pride was held at the Sherwood Center (3740 Blenheim Blvd., Fairfax, Va.) on Saturday, June 6.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
a&e features
D.C. prepares to party as Pride celebrations kick off Saturday
Bars, clubs have busy lineups; Pride on the Pier returns
Capital Pride’s date change isn’t slowing down the festivities. Back in December, the Capital Pride Alliance shifted the calendar for Pride celebrations in the nation’s capital from the second weekend of June to two weeks later to the weekend of June 20-21 to not conflict with President Trump’s birthday and 250th anniversary of America celebrations, with the aim that “our community can gather safely and without unnecessary barriers… We are protecting our space and preserving Pride as a powerful act of visibility, solidarity, and resistance.”
On the heels of WorldPride last year, the city shows no sign of slowing down. Instead, restaurants, bars, clubs, and neighborhoods are taking the opportunity to be even more visible. The Blade has put together a (non-comprehensive) list of parties, activations, and activities across town:
Pride on the Pier returns on Saturday, June 13 to the Wharf on the Southwest waterfront. The event, sponsored and hosted by the Washington Blade, is free and runs from 4-9 p.m. There will be vendors, DJs, and drag performances all day. VIP tickets are $25 and come with air conditioned party room, private bathrooms, and free cocktail. More details at prideonthepierdc.com.
Capital Pride Official Opening Party: RIOT! is the official opening dance party of Capital Pride, taking place Friday June 19, 9 PM-3AM. The 2026 edition headlining performer is Myki Meeks, a finalist of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” season 18; Bob The Drag Queen will perform a special set. DMV-area DJs and performers include: Bambi, Baphomette, Bumper, Cake Pop!, Connor, DJ Ed Bailey, DJ Diyanna Monet, Evry Pleasure, Jakknife Complex, Mari Con Carne, Pussy Noir, WessTheDJ. Trade owner Ed Bailey is producing the event.
Kinetic Presents brings the heat across the entirety of Pride weekend as well. It again is partnering with Capital Pride Alliance to produce four events over four days this Pride, including the Official Main Event on Saturday (the Friday official event is at Echostage). Kinetic’s parties are splayed across various D.C. venues, with special performances, massive productions, shirtless dancers, play zones, dance-forward audio and visuals, and international DJ talent. Thursday, June 18 at 10 PM at District Eagle is Lust, with music by Dan Slater and TOMI. Friday, June 19 at 10 PM is UNCUT XXL Heavy Load, at A.i. Warehouse in Union Market District, with music by Alex Acosta, Felipe Lira & Mitch Ferrino; the party is a “high-octane night of muscular house and tribal rhythms.” Saturday, June 20 at 10 PM brings that official main event, Kinetic Toy Land, at Echostage, with music by GSP & Matt Suave. Alaska Thunderfuck headlines. Sunday evening June 21 at 10 PM closes with discoVERS at SAX. A portion of tickets supports the DC LGBTQ+ community through Capital Pride Alliance.
9:30 Club always comes in clutch for the LGBTQ community. Already in June, it produced Kitty Kat Ball on June 7, and Kiesza performed on June 8. On June 20 at 10 PM, the famed Mixtape party hits the stage, care of gay DJs Shea van Horn and Matt Bailer, who have spun together for coming up on two decades. Mixtape has been held at several venues across the city over those years, and now settled on 9:30 Club for Pride. On June 25 at 7 PM, Big Freedia – the bounce artist from New Orleans – hits the 9:30 Club scene for the eighth time, as part of the Big Freedom Tour.
Crush: New this year from the 14th Street bar is the Pride Pop-Up, sitting pretty in the parking lot at 1820 14th St., N.W., at the corner of Swann Street by the start of the Pride Parade route. Hours are Friday from 2-10 PM and Saturday from 12-10 PM. Friday evening features Grizzly Bear Happy Hour, a DJ will set up shop on Saturday, and for those needing another layer, there’s a Crush merch store. Co-owner Mark Rutstein “has always wanted to throw a party in that parking lot, so he did,” said co-owner Stephen Rutgers. Note that Crush (the bar) will have a cover on Friday and Saturday.
Kiki: Over at Kiki, there’s a full slate of Pride-themed programming all week. Tuesday, June 16 at 9 PM brings karaoke; Wednesday, June 17 at 7:30 PM is trivia; Thursday June 18 at 9PM is “Night of 1000 Tatianna’s Drag Show”, and Friday June 19 at 9 PM brings the Juneteenth Serve Drag Show. Saturday, June 20 at 10 PM, post-parade, is a Pride Dance Party with DJ Lemz. Sunday daytime at 5 PM is the Father Figures Daddy Issues Special Drag Show; and after the festival at 8 PM, DJ Tezrah hits the tapes.
Jane Jane: Right along the parade route, gay-owned Jane Jane has transformed its space into a “No Kings, Yas Queens” activation in a direct response to the America 250th commemorations happening downtown, from the colorful window installation, to merch (including a custom bandana and tank) to disco wig installations. Events include industry night on Mondays, donations to LGBTQ charities, and to-go cocktails during the Pride Parade.
Shaw’s Tavern: Gay-owned Shaw’s Tavern on Florida Avenue celebrates Pride week with a full lineup of themed events, entertainment, and specials, including Pride trivia on Monday, June 15 at 7:30 PM, bingo on Tuesday, June 16 at 8 PM, a cabaret on Thursday, June 18 at 9 PM, Juneteenth Drag Brunch on Friday, June 19 at 12:30 PM, and both a pre-parade brunch (10 AM-4 PM) and post-parade party (5-9 PM) on Saturday, June 20. Sunday, June 21 at 7 PM brings Mama’s Sunday Supper & Drag Pride Show in the evening for anyone who is still awake.
Trade: This classic has a weekend of events, starting on Thursday, with Tiburon Pride Edition, a Latin Dance party in the Shark Tank. On Friday, the bar opens early (at 2 PM), with all-day happy hour and the Jx&Evry Show. On Saturday, the bar opens at noon, offering a prime parade viewing spot from its windows. There will be the CLASH drag show hosted by Tatianna and Crimsyn, and Sweet Spot party that night. On Sunday, the bar opens for normal hours at 2 PM, with DJs Adam K, Alex Love, and WESSTHEDJ.
Pitchers: The multi-level bar in Adams Morgan is hosting a Pride-themed show on Thursday, June 18 at 10 PM, with drawstring bag giveaways – the only kind of bag that will be allowed into the bar during Pride weekend. The show features drag queen Kyle Sonique Love.
Barrel House Cafe and Bar: Also by the parade route on 14th Street, Barrel House Cafe takes advantage of its large patio to have a slate of events during Pride week, including Schism, a drag and burlesque show on June 18 at 10 PM, as well as an all-day Pride party coinciding on parade day.
Bunker: Bunker again plays host to a series of afters. Friday night (Saturday 3:30 AM) is Unhinged, and Saturday night (Sunday 3:30AM) is Unholy. The regular Saturday night party (10 PM) brings in Venetian and Tiara Missou. All parties have cover charges.
District Eagle: Beyond the Kinetic party on Friday, June 19 brings Gear Night at 10 PM; Saturday, June 20 at 10 PM is LOBO presents PRISM, and Sunday, June 21 is Sundaze wit Papi at 6 PM.
African Art Museum: On Thursday, June 18 at 5 PM, this Smithsonian museum is hosting a free event with artists and curators celebrating its exhibit, “Here: Pride and Belonging in African Art,” “based on years of close collaboration and dialogue with African visual art practitioners who claim belonging in the LGBTQ+ community, however they define those terms,” according to the museum.
KNEAD Hospitality & Design: The gay-owned KNEAD restaurant group (including spots like Gatsby, Mi Vida, Succotash The Grill) is featuring the GLITTERATI cocktail, made with Tito’s, St-Germain Elderflower, Butterfly Flower, ginger, and yes, glitter. A portion of proceeds from every Glitterati cocktail sold will benefit The Trevor Project. The cocktail will be sold throughout June.
The Fountain Inn is partnering with Rhodium spirits (Rhode Island’s first LGBTQ+ owned distillery) all month, making cocktails like gimlets and espresso martinis featuring Rhodium’s liquors. Proceeds benefit SMYAL, an organization dedicated to empowering LGBTQ+ youth.
Hard Rock Cafe: Hard Rock DC is taking part in the chain’s annual “LOVE OUT LOUD” campaign, with Pride merch, specials on June 20, and a donation to The Trevor Project.
The D.C. Front Runners held the 14th annual 5K Pride Run at Congressional Cemetery on Saturday, June 6.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
View on Threads
PHOTOS: Fairfax City Pride
EXCLUSIVE: Pelosi reflects on four decades of LGBTQ advocacy
D.C. prepares to party as Pride celebrations kick off Saturday
David Archuleta, Monroe Alise named D.C. Pride parade marshals
