Conrad Ricamora in ‘Fire Island’ Is the Gay Mr. Darcy You Didn’t Know You Needed

There’s a moment in Fire Island, the new gay romantic comedy now streaming on Hulu, when a taciturn lawyer is caught eating an adorable tiny ice cream cone. His response? To physically throw the ice cream cone away from him. It’s ridiculously charming—this man is afraid of vulnerability to the point where he refuses to look even a little bit foolish for the sake of a frozen dairy treat. It makes it all the more meaningful when he finally confesses his love to the man of his dreams, in the pouring rain. It’s a not-so-subtle homage to Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice, and no one could have been cast as a more perfect gay Mr. Darcy than Conrad Ricamora.

Written by comedian Joel Kim Booster, and directed by Andrew Ahn, Fire Island lets audiences know right off the bat that this is a story influenced by Jane Austen, via a shot of protagonist Noah’s (played by Booster) own well-worn copy of the classic romance novel. Like Elizabeth Bennett, Noah is the opposite of a romantic. He has no interest in a relationship—he prefers casual hook-ups and one-night stands. And, in his mind, there is no better opportunity for meaningless sex than his annual week-long vacation on Fire Island with his friends.

Those unfamiliar with this Long Island beach destination will learn that Fire Island is a haven for queer people, and especially for gay men. For Noah and his queer friends, it’s a chance to be fully themselves, without the judgment of straight people. It’s also, Noah feels, a chance for his hopelessly romantic and insecure best friend Howie (played by Bowen Yang) to hook up with a hot guy for a confidence boost. And ‘lo and behold, a hot guy—a hot doctor, at that—does take an interest in Howie. Unfortunately, the hot doctor comes with the price of his hot-but-stuck-up lawyer best friend.

This is where Ricamora comes in, as Will. Will is a rich lawyer who prefers not to advertise his homosexuality with sparkly thongs and rainbow tank tops. In fact, Will seems supremely uncomfortable on Fire Island. After Noah overhears Will complaining to his hot doctor BFF Adam that Noah and his poor friends are using them for free booze, Noah assumes Will hates him. Noah decides to hate Will right back.

But, of course, Will doesn’t actually hate Noah. As with a certain Mr. Darcy, Will is just very, very bad at expressing his emotions. At the Fire Island ragers, he can be found sulking by himself in a corner, always frowning, always wearing a stuffy polo shirt. Ricamora, a trained theater actor who is best known for playing the soft-spoken IT guy on How to Get Away with Murder, nails Will’s endearing awkwardness and inability to communicate. He has a deep, serious voice, so at odds with the unabashed exuberance he’s surrounded by, and you can’t help but be drawn into his aura. He’s intense in a sexy way, especially when he’s staring into Noah’s soul while they dance together at a nightclub. Then, in the most Mr. Darcy moment of all, Will angrily confesses his feelings, most ardently, to Noah in the pouring rain. And because this isn’t the boring, straight version of the story, both men are shirtless during this scene.

In other words, Ricamora is the hotter, gayer version of Mr. Darcy you never knew you needed. (Apologies to Colin Firth, but it’s true.) Whether or not you’re a Pride and Prejudice fan, you’ll fall in love with the stoic Mr. Will in Fire Island. As for whether Noah gives in to Will’s charms (or lack thereof)—you’ll have to stream the movie on Hulu to find out.