Photo Credit: Getty Images

The smash-hit gay rom-com Red, White & Royal Blue may have lost the Emmy for Outstanding Television Movie, but at last night’s awards ceremony, star Taylor Zakhar Perez showed us how you stay winning—no matter what.

For starters, Perez looked like a million bucks strutting onto the red carpet in a brown, subtly monogrammed Gucci suit that fit every muscle just so.

But who was that arm candy by his side? Why it’s the gorgeous Mama Zakhar—who genuinely looks like she could be his sister! That’s right, he brought his own mother—that’s how you know he’s one of the good ones.

She must be so proud. Look at them, they’re both glowing:

Of course, as soon as Perez hit the carpet, everyone wanted a piece of him—and there were plenty of interview moments that got people talking.

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Proving he’s always got time for the gays, we were thrilled the actor stopped for a chat with GLAAD. Though he was careful to share he doesn’t know anything about the already-announced Red, White & Royal Blue sequel yet, Perez was more than happy to share his hopes and dreams for Alex Claremont-Diaz and Prince Henry’s next chapter:

“I would like to see Alex grow a bit more out from under his parents—like, use what he’s learned from the White House and take that out on the road,” Perez shared. “I’m also excited to see [Alex & Henry] together as a unit, because they’ve kind of operated independently, at high levels, so [I’d like] to see where they can go together and what kind of change they can make.”

But enough sequel talk—Perez has already got a three-quel on the brain!

Speaking with Variety‘s Marc Malkin, the star said he’d been wanting more from the Red, White & Royal Blue story ever since he first read the book because, “it kind of left you hanging after you read it.” But then he added, ” I mean, I hope that there’s like three of them—I think it could be a nice trilogy.”

Oh, okay, so the guy who supposedly doesn’t know anything about the sequel is suddenly making claims that there’s even more story to be told? Perez clearly has more information than he’s letting on. Very interesting.

And there was one other red carpet interview moment that’s been raising eyebrows: When an Emmys correspondent asked Perez his best pick-up line, he responded he’s “just a ‘hey'” type of guy.

He continued, “I mean, what’s the worst they can say back? You know, opposed to some corny pick-up line where they’re like, ‘Is that all you got?'”

Catch those gender neutral pronouns? The internet sure did! Our man is keeping his options open—we love to see it.

Anyway, we haven’t even gotten to that actual show yet!

The only award Red, White & Royal Blue was up for—Outstanding Television Movie—was announced at last weekend’s Creative Arts Emmys ceremony, so Perez was only on-hand tonight to present.

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Unfortunately, things didn’t start out great, because he and The Bear Emmy-winner Ebon Moss-Bachrach were forced to do some stilted backstage bar banter, which was almost certainly a sponsored in-show ad for Johnnie Walker whisky. Perhaps they could’ve used a shot or two to make that segment go down a little smoother…

But then they came out on stage to announce Outstanding Writing For A Limited Or Anthology Series, and we were finally able to focus on what really matters: These two handsome gents look fabulous standing next to one another. And basically no one watching could get their act together:

Nope, not even entertainment news site Vulture could contain itself, tweeting out the following intrusive thought:

“Ayo Edebiri should Challengers them,” they wrote, seemingly alluding to an interest in seeing The Bear and Bottoms star tempting the two men into a horny makeout sesh and queer love triangle, a la the Zendaya-Josh O’Connor-Mike Faist tennis drama.

We’re certainly not jugding—we’re just a little surprised to see them saying the quiet part out loud. And so was everyone else:

Even Amazon MGM Studios—which produced both Challengers and Red, White & Royal Blue—chimed in, playfully chiding with a very direct “stop it right now.”

So, what lesson did we learn today? That practically nobody—not even social accounts for media organizations or movie studios—is capable of being normal when Taylor Zakhar Perez shows his face at the function.

In other words, let’s pray for all of our souls before the eventual Red, White & Royal Blue 2 press tour, because people will be acting up. It’s gonna be doozy!

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