Michael Ausiello Hails Jim Parsons as ‘Beyond Perfect’ in ‘Spoiler Alert’
Michael Ausiello's real-life story is brought to the big screen in 'Spoiler Alert,' starring Parsons as the journalist and author.
The first time he saw Spoiler Alert, a moving film depiction of his life, and of one of the great loves and greatest losses he’ll ever know, Michael Ausiello sat in the theater a bit stunned.
“I was just amazed, and felt a lot of gratitude that we had made it this far,” the writer recalls.
Indeed, the film, directed by Michael Showalter (The Eyes of Tammy Faye), spent years in development, practically since entertainment journalist Ausiello published his esteemed 2017 memoir recounting his 13-year romance with photographer Kit Cowan, and the heartbreaking final year of Cowan’s life before he died of cancer.
The book’s title, Spoiler Alert: The Hero Dies, bluntly asserts a point of view, and captures the TV-centric humor that helped keep Ausiello and Cowan laughing through the dark times. The story also captured the attention of Big Bang Theory and Boys in the Band star Jim Parsons, who portrays Ausiello in the film opposite Ben Aldridge as Cowan.
“Jim and his husband, Todd [Spiewak], sort of dropped this bombshell on me that they were interested in optioning [the book],” says Ausiello. “I knew early on that Jim was interested in playing me, not just producing it, but starring. And I couldn’t have asked for a better alter ego.”
More than a fan of Parson’s, but someone who has covered Big Bang and interviewed the Emmy winner multiple times over the years, Ausiello eagerly declares his admiration for his now collaborator. “The fact that he’s playing me and that we were undertaking this journey together was a dream come true.”
The film’s release, and impending reception, mark the culmination of a literary journey that began with Ausiello chronicling his and Cowan’s story on Facebook for family and friends. “It never even dawned on me that I would write a book,” he says, adding that he did have Cowan’s input on the social media posts. “So that was something we undertook together, and that sort of set the stage for the memoir.”
To adapt the book, the filmmakers turned to David Marshall Grant, who appears in a small role, and Dan Savage, everybody’s favorite gay activist sex columnist. “[I] was there as a resource for David and Dan when they needed me,” says Ausiello, having made it clear from the beginning that he’d be hands-on with the movie.
“I was too protective, too invested in this story to walk away. So even though we have different screenwriters on the project, I was very involved in that process, and so was Michael Showalter. It was a collaboration, although David and Dan, they did go off on their own and they created this amazing script, and this incredible blueprint for this movie that made the story cinematic in a way I couldn’t have even envisioned.”
With the movie already garnering acclaim for Parsons’ and Aldridge’s performances, along with Sally Field’s endearing turn as Cowan’s mother, another chapter of Ausiello’s and Cowan’s years-long love story closes.
“It does feel a little bit like I’m coming to the end of a journey, not just the creative journey of this story, but of a journey with Kit himself,” Ausiello muses.
“One of the things that writing the book and making this movie has allowed me to do was hang on to him, and feel connected to him. There will be, I think, a time in the coming months, after this movie comes out, where I’m going to have to start letting go of a lot. That’s scary, and I’m not necessarily looking forward to that, but it is part of the process. And I have a great therapist. He’s going to work through every step of it.”
Spoiler Alert is playing in theaters nationwide. Visit www.fandango.com.
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