EJ Bonilla photographed by Clinton Gaughran for AfterElton

Since most of this season of Revenge we’ve seen "Mr. 3 On The Kinsey Scale" Nolan (Gabriel Mann) in a relationship with (gasp!) a woman, last week’s flashback episode to 2006 showed the blonde locking lips with his company CFO, Marco, played with earnest dreaminess by EJ Bonilla. The couple unfortunately busted up due to Marco finding out Nolan was lending aid to then-assumed criminal David Clarke. But, flash forward to present day where Daniel (Josh Bowman) was seen calling up Marco. Clearly, we haven’t seen the last of the character... or Bonilla!

So, what will it mean for Nolan to have his former lover pop back up in his life? To find out, AfterElton sat down earlier this week for a chat (and photo shoot) with EJ Bonilla to talk about his new role and what it’s really like to smooch Gabriel Mann.

AfterElton: How did the role come about on Revenge?

EJ Bonilla: I auditioned like everyone else, but it was interesting because I didn’t have a callback or anything like that. I liked it because I think ABC is really good at crossing over certain borders. The character was originally named Lucas Hayward. He was a 30-year-old black man.

AE: Wow! Were you given much backstory for Marco?

EJB: Not a damn thing! I remember talking with one of the writers the first day I was on set, and I pulled him aside, and I said, ‘Is there anything you can tell me other than what’s in this episode? What are you guys going towards?’ And he gave me an idea, but for the most part he was like, ‘Honestly, I don’t know what happens in the next episode.’

AE: Based on the flashback episode, I would guess that Nolan and Marco were in love and it wasn’t just a fling. Is that how you saw it?

EJB: I created my whole own backstory to what their relationship was… the interesting thing about Marco is that he knows and knew Nolan as Nolan before Nolan was ‘Nolan Ross.’ Before Nolan was a billionaire, before Nolan had a checkbook that could handle a small island. And I think there’s a lot that comes along with that history.

In my mind, Marco was there from the beginning of NolCorp, before it was anything, and he helped build it with him. And that he and Nolan were best friends, or grew to be best friends who became lovers. That’s a strong foundation. And that, for me, was what I had to give myself to make sense of everything [and] to make sense of why I would stay away from him for six years... because it hurt me that bad. Or why I would seemly easily just forget about it and just walk away. In my mind, Marco isn’t the kind of person that trusts very easily. I think he’s by nature an introvert. So when he actually opens up to someone and they hurt him, he’s kind of done.

AE: Is it safe to say that Marco probably has a pretty strong moral ground? Because as soon as he hears what Nolan has done [in the flashback it’s revealed Nolan helped David Clarke], he leaves.

EJB: You know, when I first read that I was confused. I was like, ‘Well, come on, man. You love him. Sit down and have a conversation and try to understand where he’s coming from,’ but I had to make sense of it. And what really opened my eyes to the whole thing was, when they say David Clarke that’s like saying Osama Bin Laden. That’s the part that people have to realize is that he’s a convicted terrorist. It’s as if Nolan said, ‘I helped fund the Taliban and their projects.’ And you believe that person, what they’re saying, and if you believe it you’d walk away in two seconds. He’s like, ‘Wow, I must be crazy for even thinking I love you. You’re crazy. I’m gone.’

AE: So is it safe to say that Marco and Nolan have not been in touch all this time?

EJB: I think that he has kept tabs on Nolan, because how can you not? He’s in the press, he’s in everything. I’m pretty sure Marco hasn’t had the career Nolan’s had, and I think that might come into play in the show. But I don’t think they’ve had much physical contact.

AE: And now Nolan is with Padma (Dilshad Vadsaria). I’m guessing that’s going to be cause for some conflict once Marco shows up.

EJB: I think it would be natural for Marco to be curious about that if he finds out about it. I don’t know how much I can say that Marco actually gets back into Nolan’s life, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he were surprised by it.

AE: How has it been working with Gabe from kissing to everything else?

EJB: (leans close to recorder) He has really soft lips, really soft. They’re not chapped. He has good breath. He’s the sweetest guy. I mean he really, really is. Great energy. You know just calm. There’s no ego that I sense anyway. And actually what broke the ice for me, right off the bat, was that he and I come from a similar school of thought. One of my favorite acting coaches from New York City is named Anthony Abeson. He was also Gabe’s coach in New York City.

AE: Was it challenging to go into such a high profile show?

EJB: I think that there’s always a danger of going into a show that’s already been on for a while. You’re worried about egos clashing, or people being like, ‘Oh you’re a day player’ or something like that. And every once in a while you’re on a show where you get something like that, but I didn’t on Revenge.

AE: What will viewers see this weekend’s episode between Marco and Nolan?

EJB: I think they’ll start to see a little bit of the history between the two of them. I think they’ll get a taste of what their relationship was based on what happens in this episode. And I hope that they notice that Marco doesn’t have much of an agenda. He’s just doing what he feels is right, whatever that is. There’s definitely going to be some conflict.

AE: And being part of a gay storyline is not new to you since you were involved in one on Guiding Light (Bonilla played the son of Natalia, who was in a lesbian relationship) and the short movie Man In The Mirror with Joel Schumacher (Bonilla played a gay teen struggling to come out).

EJB: I think it’s always interesting the first time a straight actor starts to play in that role. I think that a lot of males start to question themselves, you know, ‘Is that okay for me to do? Is it not okay for me to do?’ But in the end it’s all about truth. You’re playing a role, and you’re supposed to be in love. There’s no difference between me loving her and me loving him. It’s the same exact thing.

And I think it’s important for people, especially for my community. Because I’m from Brooklyn, and Latin males in Brooklyn are overly macho to the point where I’m like, I’m pretty sure some of my friends from junior high school are going to be like, ‘What the f**k, man?’

Revenge airs Sundays at 9pm on ABC.

Next page! More photos of EJ Bonilla