Who Is Michael Cimino From 'Love, Victor'? Actor Reveals Why He Was Drawn to the Role
Updated June 15 2020, 6:05 p.m. ET
When the teen rom com movie Love, Simon (which was based on a novel of the same name) came out in 2018, it won both critical and fan acclaim because it was one of the first films to feature a same-sex teen love story.
It earned more than $66 million in the box office alone, and there was an outpouring of support for the fact that the film portrayed a positive coming out story for an LGBTQA+ teenager.
It's no surprise then that a spin-off series entitled Love, Victor was announced in 2019 for Disney+. The series was slated to take place in the same universe as Love, Simon, and it would even include a cameo from Simon (Nick Robinson) himself.
The show was later moved from Disney+ to Hulu, upon rumors that it was deemed too risque for Disney+ audiences with underage drinking and the romances. The move was a welcome one for the fans and actors, and Lizzie McGuire star Hilary Duff used it as a model to plead for her reboot to get moved to Hulu.
The trailer for Love, Victor dropped on April 27, and fans were more than excited to see the Love, Simon spin-off in its full glory. Viewers were teased with what the central romance would be in the show (it includes flirting over a coffee shop counter), and they were introduced to Victor himself aka Michael Cimino.
Who is Michael Cimino? Read on to find out what you've seen the actor in before, and for all of the details on when the Hulu series will premiere.
Who is Michael Cimino, the star of 'Love, Victor'?
Before getting a starring role in the romantic comedy series, Love, Victor, the actor had a diverse acting resume. His most recent roles were starring in the short TV film No Child Left Behind and playing Bob Palmeri in the horror movie Annabelle Comes Home in 2019.
Annabelle Comes Home is the seventh film in the Conjuring series, and it was the third installment in the Annabelle-centric movies.
Michael played the crush of Mary Ellen (Madison Iseman) who is a babysitter at the home where the haunted doll resides.
In 2018, he played Dej in the short, Dog Days, and Brlayden in the Disney "reality" series Walk the Prank.
He also appeared in the CBS series Training Day, which is based off the 2001 film of the same name, in 2017. He played Young Sadik, but the series came to an end after just 13 episodes. It is best known as the last TV appearance actor Bill Paxton made before his untimely death in 2017.
His other credits include Young Teijo in the 2016 crime drama film Shangri-La Suite and Bob in the Limitless Potential short film.
Outside of acting, Michael is also a talented singer. He often posts videos of himself singing and playing the guitar on his various social media platforms.
Is Michael gay? The actor talks about what drew him to the role
Though Michael is not part of the LGBTQ+ community, he told Good Morning America that he felt "drawn to the role because my cousin's gay." He continued, "I really wanted to kind of be that voice he didn't have, and for the other kids who are or were in his position. That was a really big driving force for me, as well as I have a lot of friends that are gay."
As for his personal life, the actor went to prom with TikTok star and actress Gianna Adams in 2017. He also dated Mava Gomez, but the two later split. When asked why he kept pictures of her on his Instagram feed, Michael said that he didn't want to "erase" the memories.
"She was a huge part of my life I’m not just going to erase her and act like she never happened," he wrote in a comment under a photo of them together from March of 2019.
When does 'Love, Victor' premiere on Hulu?
Though fans are more than excited to see Love, Victor after the steamy trailer dropped, they're going to have to wait until June 19, 2020 to see it. But, at least the trailer revealed more about the plot of the highly anticipated series — and who the central love story likely includes.
The trailer showcased Victor applying for a job as a barista after he moves to the town of Creekwood. But he clearly has an attraction to the coffee shop employee who interviews him and, upon messing up an espresso shot, he runs out of the cafe in embarrassment. Victor's apparent love interest in the series is Benji, who is played by George Sear. Not much else about his character is known yet.