There are films that ease you in, and then there’s Touch Me. From the moment I sat down with Jordan Gavaris, it was clear the film’s chaotic, intimate energy carried straight into how he talks about it. Equal parts thoughtful and unfiltered, Gavaris didn’t shy away from what makes this project hit so hard.
“I love genre film. I always have,” he told me early on, reflecting on what initially drew him to the role of Craig. “I was excited at the idea that I was gonna get to be in a world that looked like some of these movies I was familiar with, but always watched at a distance.”
That excitement came with pressure. Gavaris joined the project late, with limited time to prepare, and a strong desire to deliver for director Addison Heimann. “I just don’t want to let Addison down because I really, really admire him as a filmmaker,” he said.
“We all know that feeling”
What makes Touch Me linger isn’t just its genre-bending premise, it’s how personal it feels underneath the surface. When I asked Gavaris about stepping into Craig’s deeply self-deprecating humor and insecurity, he didn’t hesitate.
“Oh yeah… my whole life,” he said, laughing before turning more reflective.
As we dug deeper, he put words to something many queer people understand but rarely articulate so plainly.
“If you feel like a second-class citizen… if the messaging from culture is that you were almost right, but you came out just a little bit wrong, it takes a lifetime to undo that voice in your head,” he explained.
That internal tension drives Craig throughout the film. Gavaris described the character as someone desperate to feel good, yet convinced he might be inherently flawed.
“He’s so worried that he’s fundamentally bad,” he said. “I don’t necessarily relate in that exact way… but I cope differently. I’m a total A-type perfectionist. It’s all in the interest of trying to buff the surface.”
That honesty translates on screen. Craig isn’t played as a caricature, he feels lived-in and painfully recognizable.
Desire, competition, and messy dynamics
At the center of Touch Me is the volatile relationship between Craig, Joey, and Brian, the enigmatic figure whose touch temporarily erases emotional pain. I pointed out the tension and competition that simmers beneath their dynamic, especially in moments tied to desire and validation.
Gavaris lit up at that.
“Even if it wasn’t with another gay man, the competitive element can be there for male affection and attention,” he said. “Which is also part of the root of self-hatred.”
Despite the heavy themes, he emphasized how much fun it was to explore that tension through performance, especially alongside co-star Olivia Taylor Dudley.
“It’s so much fun when it’s not you and you get to do it behind the veil of the character,” he said. “When it is you, it’s terrible.”
Finding the balance between horror and humor
One of the film’s biggest surprises is how often it makes you laugh, sometimes right when you least expect it. There’s a specific moment I brought up that caught me off guard, blending absurdity with discomfort in a way that somehow works.
Gavaris credited that tonal balancing act to Heimann’s direction.
“They walked a very, very fine line… and found just the right balance, like landing a plane,” he said. “Those moments could have gone so wrong.”
That control keeps Touch Me from spiraling, even as it leans into body horror and surreal imagery.
“Wet, sticky, and cold”… and loving it
Of course, no conversation about Touch Me is complete without addressing its physical extremes. The film leans heavily on practical effects, something Gavaris hadn’t fully experienced before.
“Anything that had me covered in practical effects, prosthetics, fake blood, that was so new for me,” he said.
Then, with a grin, he summed it up in a way that perfectly captures the film’s offbeat tone:
“Anything that involves me being wet, sticky and cold on a concrete floor was great.”
Not glamorous, but apparently, very fun.
He later added, “It was so wet inside that prosthetic… so sweaty. It’s not cute.”
A performance that cuts deeper than the chaos
What stayed with me after our conversation wasn’t just the film’s wild premise or visual boldness, it was how dynamic Gavaris’ approach is. Beneath the alien touch, the horror elements, and the satire, Touch Me is really about trying to quiet that voice telling you you’re not enough.
And in Gavaris’ hands, Craig becomes more than just part of the madness, he’s the emotional core of it.
