Along Came Michael Cimino

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In the summer of 2020, while Americans were starved for entertainment with any sort of resemblance to the old world––Hulu released Love, Victor. A retelling of the film, Love Simon.

Words by Dio Anthony

Hulu’s counterpart saw the titular character of Simon..well, as Victor. He was now half Puerto Rican and Colombian American. A new face at Creekwood high, with a personal secret and a desire to one day tell it. It would become Hulu’s second most binged original series and would officially put Cimino on the map as one of the most memorable LGBTQ characters in recent television.

Meeting 21-year old Michael Cimino, who was born and raised in Las Vegas Nevada, leaves little to the imagination as to why the series is so popular. He’s charismatic, has a million dollar smile and seems to possess that boyish charm that his character wears so well. Following the premiere of the V-much anticipated second season, he sits down with American Studies for a quick conversation on what life is like these days for him as the sweetest kid on television.

DIO ANTHONY: What’s the first thing you think about in the morning?

MICHAEL CIMINO: Honestly, about what I have to do today. And what I have to get done.

ANTHONY: What’s the second thing?

CIMINO: What time is it? DID I WAKE UP LATE?!

ANTHONY: Are you being truthful in both of those answers?

CIMINO: Yes :)

ANTHONY: Describe growing up in Nevada?

CIMINO: Honestly growing up in Vegas was weird. It’s a very transient city. And I feel like it was really hard to grab a sense of identity. At school I had to fit in with all of the affluent white kids. And when I went home I had to be “Puerto Rican enough” to fit in with the rest of my family.

ANTHONY: Do you scroll through instagram in bed before you get up?

CIMINO: I didn’t used to but now almost every day I do.

ANTHONY: What was your own high school dating life like?

CIMINO: It was…DRAMATIC! Which I think is pretty normal for most high school kids. In high school we’re all still learning how to be a good partner, thus, sometimes you date people that are great and then sometimes… not so much.

ANTHONY: Have you had any wild fan encounter/experience since being cast as Victor?

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CIMINO: Not particularly! I’ve had so many nice ones that it’s kind of hard to remember if there were any bad ones.

ANTHONY: Ok. Can you tell me about one of those?

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CIMINO: Just recently I spoke to someone that was doing background work on a project that I’ve been working on. Just being able to hear his story, and give him advice. It meant the world that he felt that I was a person that he felt safe to tell his story to. The interaction honestly made us both emotional.

ANTHONY: Name a an event in history or a decade that is particularly interesting to you?

CIMINO: I think I’m really interested in what happened to the Tiano people in Puerto Rico. I think it’s important to know what happened to your people.

ANTHONY: What’s the first thing to pop in your head when you think of the term Cultural Influence?