Fans have gotten to know Bruno Alcantara’s washboard abs and a million watt smile for several seasons now as an illustrious member of the “RuPaul’s Drag Race Pit Crew,” but now Bruno is stepping out on his own and into bed.
“In Bed With Bruno” is his newest venture and it is showing Alcantara pulling back the sheets on both himself and some amazing celebrity guests. I sat down to dish with Alcantara about his brand-new show, what the road to “Drag Race” and his own show was like, and what it truly takes to get in bed with Bruno!
Fans have looking for a way to get to know Bruno more up close and personal, and “In Bed With Bruno” seems like the best way!
Honey, it is never too early to get “In Bed With Bruno!” My bed is the hot spot for everyone, and I want everyone to be “In Bed” with me!
How did you come up with the idea and format for “In Bed With Bruno?”
First of all the show gives me both a voice and a creative space for people to get to know me a little better and to connect with me on a different level. In bed is when I feel the most comfortable to be vulnerable. In bed is when I have my deepest thoughts, my dreams, my desires. In bed is when I am up at night dreaming and wanting things to happen in my life.
I am an immigrant, I am here for 10 years. When I got here 10 years ago, I couldn’t speak English, so it has been a journey. A journey to learn the language, being far away from my family, so this is a real big dream come true for me. I am doing a show in English with amazing guests. It is also something very special because I have really interesting people, really diverse people in bed with me. We get to learn from the experiences, we get to know them better. I love deep and meaningful conversations, I don’t think that is something that people know about me, and I love them in bed. I think that helps with intimacy, and it is a way to spice it up. I think that there is nothing better than somebody who is emotionally vulnerable to share who they are, I think that is very hot and very attractive. In this show, we put all of that together with the guests. We have some meaningful conversations to get to know a few life lessons with them and what has been working out for them. Then we play some games and we get into some sexy and vulnerable conversations. Of course, I did all of this with the sponsorship of Trojan brand condoms, so I am thankful to have the chance and opportunity to be doing this.
You had fantastic guests from Margaret Cho to Mo Heart to Zack Peter! What was it like having those people join you in bed?
Margaret Cho is very interesting, I was nervous! Taylor Hale, is such a light and when we were filming the show she was my first episodes to film. I sent a DM to her to thank her, she just set the tone in such a great way! After I finished the episode, it was like, “I got this.” I think our exchange and our chemistry was just so good. When we finished the director thought we knew each other and we said “no” (laughs); it was just so special. Vincint has such an inspiring and beautiful story about his life and being a queer man.
One of the very important questions I always ask people in general is “Share with me one life lesson that has been very important in your journey,” and I also think it's important for us to make us reflect and maybe apply in our own lives. I was always very curious about how people think and why they make the choices that they make, the challenges that they have to deal with. We have all of that to talk about and it is so much fun.
Let’s manifest who you would absolutely love to have on “In Bed with Bruno?”
I mean how big should I go? (Laughs)! Of course, people know me from “Drag Race” and I think RuPaul is such a big star and an inspiring person, I would love to have him in bed with me here. Zack Peter for example, is great at interviewing people and I am doing it for the first time. I literally looked at him and said, “So what should I do here, give me some tips?!” (laughs)! I would love to have RuPaul, Michelle Visage, I love Lana Del Rey! I think she is very inspiring and unique and the way that she writes songs, that would be a great mind to pick, like what makes you write this way, you know what I mean? I can relate to that way, the dreamy way of writing. I think it’s amazing. I love romance, I love lyrics.
Speaking of romance, what does it take for someone to truly woo Bruno, what really attracts you to people?
Kindness, and good energy. If you are fun to be around and if you make me feel good to be around you, that is a great thing. If you are deep and are able to talk about things that are meaningful, even if it makes sense so you only I don't do much small talk, I feel like we learn in America to be is diplomatic. We get people that are so polite, but you never know how true they really are. When you get people that might be a little odd or different, I know it takes a lot of work and confidence to be able to be different and to not be afraid.
I feel like some people do that by being aggressive, and that can be a little intimidating. Some people are just present and are willing to share and I think that is really interesting. I think good energy, being positive, life is not easy for anybody. We all go through so many challenges. I think having a perspective and an outlook on life that is empowering, that helps you feel good, that is a choice that you make, and I do appreciate that because that is what I do. I think it helps with dealing with whatever comes our way also, and I think that is attractive.
You mentioned so many of us getting to know you from "RuPaul’s Drag Race," and now you are premiering your own series! How did you originally get your start on "Drag Race?"
We don’t do anything alone in life, we do it with “angels” who connect us; as they say, you are in the right place in the right time. I worked on Madonna’s tour and my boss on tour is one of Michelle Visage’s best friends. Jamie Laurita is a celebrity chef and an amazing person to know. We worked together on Madonna’s tour for months and when we had this journey, he kept telling me “You gotta do Drag Race.”
He connected me and Michelle and then when I started talking to production. The idea was to do one or two episodes originally, I didn’t have a proper casting. They gave me a chance to work on a music video for Elton John for “The Bitch is Back” so it wasn’t "Drag Race" just yet; that was my first job connected to the production. I went and did that job and knew that everyone was watching me and I was getting to know some of the queens. After that, that is when I finally got to do Drag Race and it has been six or seven years now.
I think you also hold the distinction of being the first Pit Crew member to sit at the judge's table with the judges, correct?
Yes and I am so grateful. Very grateful for my relationship with the show, the space that they give me. I feel very proud to be part of the family because I feel that it is a very important show with a very important message for our society in general. I love what the show stands for, and I love RuPaul I feel that he is so inspiring. I just feel lucky to be part of it.
Sitting at the judge's table during the Lip Sync LaLaPaRuza must have been truly amazing!
Oh yes! The whole time I am sitting there like “WOW!” I look around and next to me is RuPaul, Michelle, TS Madison, and Ross Matthews. I’m like, “This is crazy!”
Ten years ago, you were not in the country and did not speak English. A decade later, you are on one of the largest shows in the world. That is the American Dream!
It is wild, I got to do a tour with Madonna and I was in her dressing room. That is a job that anyone in America would like to have. I was a backstage coordinator and set up her dressing room. Moments like that make me not only thankful, but make me sure that I made the right choices. It comes with a big cost, leaving your country, your family and your culture. I was 25 and I had gone to university and gotten my degree. There is a lot involved in making a choice like this, and there are always the good and not so good about things. One of the best things is to have the opportunities that I get to have here that I probably would never have had the chance to do if I was back in Brazil. I feel like have been living the dream and this is just one more dream that has become a reality.
Five years from now, let's manifest. "In Bed with Bruno" is going to be a huge success, but where do you see your own career going?
I really believe that I was born to be on TV. I wanna do more TV. I would love to do movies and TV shows. I love people, so maybe it is a matter of having a TV show. I would love to share more of my heart and who I am with people. I want people see more of me and get to know me better. I feel like I have the ability to make people feel comfortable around me and I think that is very special. I am very curious to understand how people's minds work. I would love to do more TV. I am open to any ideas at all!
Maybe Bruno becomes the Bachelor for a new WOW Presents Plus show?
I would be open to it. I don’t know if we have 25 other men that crazy, though. But please send them my way, I will help do the casting (laughs!)! I’ve been single for two years so it's definitely doable, I’m here for it.
“In Bed With Bruno” is airing on YouTube now.
Follow Bruno Alcantara on Instagram @brunocalcantara
