When it comes to the creation of If He Doesn’t Exist, I wanted to present the reality that a lot of gay men go through – the unrequited love with their straight best friend, it’s a cliche, but one for a reason.

Inspired by Ophelia by John Everett Millais – I aimed to make Matteo someone the viewer can truly empathize with. Someone who we see as a victim, not because of a person but because of the infatuation they hold for another. In terms of Will, I wanted to show someone who though the “villain” in Matteo’s story does nothing wrong aside from making some decisions that show his lack of morals. Matteo and Will are both innocent in this situation which makes the feelings between the two that much more complicated.

Matteo was someone trapped in a cycle of pain and pleasure, he was able to experience love firsthand from Will, in situations where the two were alone. There he thrived, but when the pain began to seep in, it infected not just the quiet moments, but the ones surrounded by friends as well.