During prep for the movie, director Gregg Araki tells GQ it was his idea for Hoffman’s character to wear an earring just as he had started wearing in the ‘80s. Elliot also has hand tattoos that say “yes” and “no” on either hand—similar to the real-life-ink on Araki’s hands that say “here” and “now.” In a way, Araki says, the character of Elliot was a mirror for himself at that age: “an artsy, confused, searching kid trying to figure out his direction in life.”
Wilde’s Erika finds Elliot as a wayward recent grad, desperate for a sense of purpose. His piercing reflects his trying to be part of the art world, a maybe misguided attempt for what he might think an “art bro” would wear. Men who can pull off little golden earrings possess a certain rizz, a confidence and comfort in who they are and a willingness to operate outside the boundaries of cookie cutter straight bro style. Though Elliot isn’t exactly self-assured yet, he does maintain a radical openness to experimentation as he starts to push his own sexual boundaries with his boss. The earring, in other words, is something he’s growing into.
Earlier this year, we reported that guys (in real life and not just film) have been more inclined to wear hoop earrings. The style isn’t new to men, but they’ve certainly seen a revival among Hollywood A-listers (and a few GQ staffers). Michael B. Jordan’s hoop glimmered as he posed with his new Oscar for best actor and Jacob Elordi’s stylish little accessory stole the show as part of his Bleu de Chanel campaign. Even Paul Mescal’s personal piercing was adorned for his part as Williams Shakespeare in Hamnet, which was inspired by the gold hoop the playwright wears in Chandos portrait. (It’s debated on whether or not the bard wore an actual earring in real life, but the idea to have it included in his portrait certainly shows that the idea of men choosing to accessorize their lobes has been around for over 400 years.)
For I Want Your Sex, clip-ons were never an option (they’re “a pain and fall off during shooting,” Araki says) so Hoffman went method and pricked his ear before shooting. But once they wrapped, it came right out..
“It’s more his character’s style than Cooper’s,” Araki says.