Adventures in Summer Style With Harvey Guillen

Harvey's 20's Era Look

Actor Harvey Guillen has been a busy man since we last spoke with him. Since his turn as Alistair on the ABC Family series Huge, he's been seen in The First Family, Team Unicorn, and a Glaad Award-winning episode of Raising Hope. You'll find Harvey playing the socially awkard Google Intern Zachary in the new film The Internship, out today and starring Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson. Harvey talked to Chubstr about playing Zachary, his next two films, and his current summer style obsession. 

What can you tell us about your character in The Internship?
The film stars Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson as watch salesmen who lose their jobs basically because of technology, and they end up applying to become interns at Google. I play Zachary Ryan, a genius from Harvard who's socially awkard and totally nerdy. He's the kind of guy who's Mom lays out his clothes for him every day. He's also a sidekick to Graham, played by Max Minghella. Zach is a bit of a punching bag, and Graham beats on him a bit. Max would have to be so mean to me in character, and we'd cut, then he'd be like "sorry, sorry, sorry!" 

Is it sometimes difficult to separate those feelings when you're acting from real life?
When you're getting into the scene it can be intense. Back on Huge, Ashely would have to be so mean to Alistair, and then we'd cut and she'd do the same thing [as Max did]. The character is in you, but it's not who you are yourself. Sometimes people get back into their own skin and feel the need to apologize. I find it's the same with comedy, in some cases. 

Harvey Guillen as Zach in The Internship

Was The Internship shot at the Googleplex?
Most of the movie was shot at Georgia Tech in Atlanta. The set designers recreated Google down to the toys on the desks – it was amazing. We shot there for a month and a half. There was some shooting at Google in Northern California, and it was crazy to see that it looked exactly the same as what they built in Atlanta. Google is just like a kid's playground – they've got nap pods if you want a nap, toys, and more!

What's it like seeing yourself on screen? Are you just used to it now that you've been acting for so long?
It's still hard for me to watch myself. I always think "I'd do that differently now." I'm not the same person today that I was yesterday, and I won't be the same person tomorrow, so I always feel like I'd have a different approach when I see myself on screen. 

Do you have any favorite looks this summer?
I'm really into looks from the 20's right now. With The Great Gatsby coming out, it was perfect timing, because I really like that era's looks anyway. I'll find small things to incorporate into my look to give it that vibe. Brown and white saddle shoes, for example – they look so cool and add so much to a look. I wore them with powder blue shorts, a long sleeve shirt, and a pink polka dot tie – with my hair slicked to the side. All in all, it brought a little 1920's into the present. The Great Gatsby is my favorite book of all time, and the film was so beautiful and the costumes were so amazing. I've just really been feeling that kind of look right now, and when I'm feeling it, I just go with it. 

Harvey Guillen and model Brittany Sisk

You're pretty adventurous when it comes to your style. Most guys, especially bigger ones, aren't as willing to step outside the box when it comes to their look. It's pretty inspiring. 
I run into lots of people who are interested in my style and tell me they're inspired by it. I look at so many clothing manufacturers out there and say "why should I wear a potato sack while you're making great things for guys who wear a size 28?" We should have more options! That aside, don't be afraid to try new things, to mix and match. You don't have to find a full outfit in one store. It's also important to shop around, because you may find that you're an XL in one store, and a 3X in another. Never be afraid to step into a place and just try some things out. Worst case, it doesn't fit you well, or you don't like the way something looks, so you move on. 

Adjusting the bow tieDo you think it's easier to find things in your size because you're in L.A.?
Sometimes people see me on the red carpet and congratulate my stylist for putting together a great look. I don't have a stylist – I don't have a personal shopper. I do the same thing I suggest to others – I try stuff on, and if it doesn't work, I move along to the next place. You can find things if you look hard enough. Sometimes it just takes tenacity and perseverance.

Where have you been shopping lately?
I love Big Boy Vintage! It's a really cool place to shop. Online, I hit Threadless and Out of Print Clothing for tees. Out of Print in particular has so many cool random shirts that are great conversation starters. I'm really always on the lookout for random pieces I can wear on a regular basis, because when I find things I love, I'll wear them until they fall apart. If I think something is overpriced, I won't buy it right now unless I absolutely need it. Those saddle shoes I told you about earlier? I needed those, and they were well worth the price.

What's next for you?
I have two films coming out this month, one is called Big Gay Love, with Jonathan Lisecki and Nicholas Brendan (Xander on Buffy the Vampire Slayer). It's a really touching, endearing story directed by Ringo Le, and he's fantastic. It'll be premeiring at Outfest 2013. The second film is called Chocolate Milk, and it's my baby. It premieres in L.A. June 18th. 

See Harvey in The Internship, in theaters today, and follow him on Twitter at @HarveyGuillen.

Photos from The Internship courtesy Twentieth Century Fox. All other photos courtesy of Isaac James

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