Matt Rogers brought a piece of real history to his wild guest role on Palm Royale. In the Christmas Eve episode, his character, Bruce, had a cathartic moment screaming at Nancy Reagan, which the actor says let some personal and historical truth shine through on the glamorous show.
The episode, “Maxine Plays Dead,” is the seventh of the show’s second season and is now streaming on Apple TV+. It features Rogers as Bruce, a vibrant gay man in 1970 who quickly befriends Kristen Wiig’s Maxine at a motel. Their friendship leads them to her own fake funeral, where Bruce, dressed in a disguise, sees his secret lover, movie star Rock Hudson, with Nancy Reagan.
For Rogers, the scene where Bruce yells at Nancy Reagan was deeply personal. He explained that he used the character as a vessel for his own feelings and those of many gay men.
“Oh my God, of course. Some reality came through. It was cathartic. I was sort of using Bruce as a vessel for me and all the gay men who have something to say and a piece of their mind to give to Nancy Reagan and her husband,” Rogers said.
The moment connects to the future historical inaction of the Reagan administration during the AIDS crisis, a tragedy that would later claim Rock Hudson’s life. Rogers appreciated that the show depicted a joyful, vibrant gay community in 1970, before that trauma. He noted that playing the scene felt like the “past, present—and in a weird way—future, all speaking to each other”.
Bruce enters Maxine’s life at a chaotic time. After the shooting of her con artist twin sister, Mirabelle, Maxine is supposed to be hiding out at a motel to draw out the fugitive Norma (Carol Burnett). Instead, she meets Bruce, who is in town because Rock Hudson is attending “her” funeral.
Their bond is immediate. Rogers described Bruce as “the sort of king of this gay motel” and a “fun and vibrant representation” of an extroverted gay man of the era. Together, they spy on Maxine’s ex-husband, prank his new wife, and share secrets. Rogers said this friendship shows Maxine a new kind of freedom and humanity.
The role was a special first for Matt Rogers: it was offered to him without an audition. As a fan of the show and its star-studded cast, he called it a “pinch-me moment” to work with Kristen Wiig, whom he considers a comedy icon.
Their filming days were filled with fun, from tanning in a hot tub to improvising a dive roll during a spy mission. Rogers also got a treasured photo from his first day on set, where he was dressed as Norma. “I got a photo that I will treasure for my entire life of me as Carol with Carol,” he said, referring to Carol Burnett.
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A fake mustache was key to Bruce’s look, and Rogers joked that the crew seemed disappointed to learn it wasn’t real. He even sent a picture to his father, who remarked that Rogers looked like he did when he was younger.
The funeral scene was a major set piece. To get inside, Bruce wears a black ensemble and veil borrowed from Norma’s wardrobe, pretending to be the missing socialite. The plan goes awry when Maxine is discovered hiding in the empty coffin, sending the service into chaos.
Josh Lucas, who plays Maxine’s ex-husband Douglas, described his character as “untethered” and “lost” with grief, delivering a heartfelt eulogy to a wife he believes is dead. The episode ends with tension between Bruce and Maxine, but Rogers is hopeful for a return.
The show continues to air new episodes every Wednesday on Apple TV+.
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