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Elité’s Manu Rios to also star in Pedro Almodóvar’s answer to gay cowboy flick Brokeback Mountain

The Elité actor joins an already excellent cast in what is claimed to be Almodóvar's "answer" to Brokeback Mountain.

By Alastair James

Words: Alastair James; pictures: Instagram/@manurios

Giddy on up! The cast of Pedro Almodóvar’s short western, Strange Way of Life, is shaping up to be a real treat.

Not only will Moon Knight‘s Ethan Hawke and The Mandalorian‘s Pedro Pascal star in the short film about two cowboys, but Elité sensation, Manu Rios is also in the cast!

 
 
 
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A post shared by Manu Rios (@manurios)

In a recent shoot with Man About Town, Manu can be seen sporting a dusty pink cowboy hat. So, we already know that he looks good in cowboy attire. The question is, what about chaps?

Almodóvar spoke to IndieWire about Strange Way of Life and said that it would be his “answer” to the LGBTQ classic gay cowboy drama, Brokeback Mountain

The Spanish filmmaker was originally due to helm the 2005 film starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger but passed the film on to Ang Lee.

“I think Ang Lee made a wonderful movie, but I never believed that they would give me complete freedom and independence to make what I wanted,” Almodóvar told IndieWire. 

Almodóvar also says he wasn’t explicitly told that but that he knew there would be limitations with what content would be allowed. He has previously said that his version of Brokeback Mountain would have included a lot more lust and sex.

Describing Ledger and Gyllenhaal’s character’s relationship as “animalistic” Almodóvar said “for me, it was impossible to have that in the movie because it was a Hollywood movie. You could not have these two guys fucking all the time.”

Of Strange Way of Life, the Spanish director has revealed that the film will focus on a sheriff called Jake (Hawke) and Silva the gunslinger (Pascal) will reunite after 25 years.

“One of them travels through the desert to find the other. There will be a showdown between them, but really the story is very intimate.”

There is no release date for Strange Way of Life yet.

The Attitude July/August issue is out now.