Someone grab a fan—and maybe a fire extinguisher—because Zane Phillips is burning up our feeds again, and he’s not even pretending to be subtle about it. The Fire Island breakout and Glamorous scene-stealer is back with a new role, a new photo shoot, and a new reminder that gym memberships really do pay off.
In a Variety exclusive, it was confirmed that Phillips will star alongside Fellow Travelers heartthrob Jelani Alladin in an upcoming queer erotic thriller titled Strangers On a Beach. And yes, it sounds exactly like what you’re hoping for—equal parts steamy and suspenseful, the cinematic equivalent of an erotic novel found tucked under your beach towel.
But Zane didn’t wait for the trailer to start making waves. To celebrate the casting news—and maybe just because he felt generous—he dropped a series of thirst-trap photos that feel less like promo and more like a public service. Shot by photographer Owen Devalk, the images are part rodeo fantasy, part locker room fever dream, and fully the reason your phone battery is at 4%.
Let’s review the evidence, shall we?
In one frame, Zane wears a cowboy hat cocked just so, sleeves rolled up with intention, and boxer briefs that are doing overtime. His legs? More defined than your ex’s boundaries. He captioned the post: “Hey it’s me, your favorite rodeo’s favorite clown.” Well, saddle up and call us the main act, because we’ve never been so ready to get trampled.
And speaking of getting trampled: those arms. Those abs. The pecs that seem less like body parts and more like finely sculpted works of modern queer art. There’s one shot—yes, that shot—where he’s cinched in leather straps that make you question both physics and your emotional stability. His chest is squeezed together in a way that looks like it could smother your problems. Or your hopes. Or just, you know, your entire existence.
A New Era of Queer Leading Men
While the photos are certainly doing numbers on social media—and for good reason—it’s Zane’s trajectory as an actor that’s equally worth watching. After captivating audiences in Fire Island, where he channeled gay Austen-era elitism into a steamy modern rom-com, Phillips took on Glamorous, flexing his range with a character that was as emotionally complex as he was visually arresting.
With Strangers On a Beach, we’re in for something new: a queer psychological thriller that leans into eroticism without apology. Think The Talented Mr. Ripley meets Call Me By Your Name—but with murder, and better lighting.
Jelani Alladin, his co-star, has already proven his dramatic chops with layered roles and a Broadway-caliber charisma. Paired with Zane’s screen presence and, frankly, his audacity, we’re looking at what might become one of queer cinema’s most anticipated duos of 2025.
Cowboy Camp and CrossFit Confessions
Back to the shoot for a second, because it really is that good. One photo features Zane in a mesh shirt so transparent it could qualify as a window. Another has him staring directly into the camera like he knows what he’s doing to us. And let’s not ignore the thighs—those glorious, Greek-statue thighs—that seem less like a fitness goal and more like a safety hazard.
It’s giving gay rodeo. It’s giving queer Marlboro Man. It’s giving… “I will never look at leather straps the same again.”
But beyond the aesthetics, what makes Zane’s content resonate is his ability to be cheeky, sexy, and self-aware all at once. The caption alone—“your favorite rodeo’s favorite clown”—isn’t just flirtation. It’s performance art. A wink, a smirk, and a subtle reminder that queer desire has room for humor, camp, and cowboy boots.
Sex Appeal With Substance
Phillips is not just a thirst trap with a jawline that could cut glass. He’s part of a growing wave of queer performers redefining what it means to be a leading man in Hollywood—intelligent, emotionally open, and unafraid of being desired.
And while the internet may love him shirtless (as it should), Zane brings more to the screen than abs. In Glamorous, he played the kind of role that could’ve easily slipped into stereotype but instead brought nuance and vulnerability. His characters don’t just smolder—they feel. And in an industry that often reduces queer characters to comic relief or tragic plot points, Zane plays his roles with pride, complexity, and enough charisma to short-circuit a ring light.
Hot Boy Summer, But Make It Cinematic
So what’s next for Zane Phillips? Strangers On a Beach begins filming later this summer, and if the title’s any indication, we’re in for tension, temptation, and maybe a body or two (the dramatic kind, not just the gym-sculpted kind).
Until then, we’ll be refreshing his feed, admiring his calves, and planning a group trip to wherever that rodeo is.
Because in a world full of cowboys, Zane Phillips is the ringmaster. And we are all very willing participants.
