Ash Perez Queers the Rom-Com: “Speak Now” Is the Wedding Story Queer Audiences Have Been Waiting For

When Ash Perez sets out to make something, you know it’s not going to be basic. The Try Guys’ newest star—writer, actor, and all-around internet legend—has never shied away from bending genres, breaking binaries, and making us laugh while we cry (or cry while we laugh). Now, Perez is bringing that singular energy to the audio rom-com space with “Speak Now, ” a project that Perez has called a “queer My Best Friend’s Wedding”—the kind of elevator pitch that makes every LGBTQ+ pop culture nerd’s heart skip a beat .

But this isn’t just a rainbow-washed retread of a ‘90s classic. “Speak Now” is set in the cutthroat world of Washington, D. C. ’s housing market, a setting that’s as competitive—and emotionally charged—as any wedding aisle drama. It’s a darkly satirical thriller that asks: What happens when queer friendship, ambition, and romantic chaos collide in a city where everyone’s hustling for a happy ending?

From Simon + Schuster:

"Alex Perez is a culinary genius: she’s on the verge of becoming the youngest ever head chef at the famed Sempervirens restaurant, a fine dining treasure tucked away in a boutique hotel in the majestic Big Sur mountains. Her demanding schedule and perfectionist tendencies leave little room to think about romance. That is, until her ex-best friend Genevieve shows up at her restaurant—and gets engaged. Twelve years ago, Alex was just a quiet transfer student with no friends until she met Genevieve Jones, an effervescent extrovert who took Alex under her wing. They remained inseparable through the rest of high school, until a fateful road trip changed everything, and they haven’t seen or spoken to each other since. Now Genevieve’s longtime boyfriend Derek, a real estate mogul in the making, has brought her here not only to propose, but to offer sizable investment in the hotel…ifthey can host and cater the perfect fairytale wedding. Leaving Alex in an impossible situation: cater the wedding for the only woman she’s ever loved, or give up her dream job as a head chef."

For Perez, telling queer stories isn’t just a career choice—it’s an act of self-preservation and joy. As a first-generation Cuban, Korean, and Filipino-American, Perez has made a name for himself by centering underrepresented voices, from his work on shows like Freeform’s “Good Trouble” to his viral “New Guy Tries” series, which chronicles his own journey as a newly transitioned man . “I knew I was gay immediately, ” Perez has shared, “although now I guess straight for the most part… at first, just by principle, I was bisexual, but 95% women and 5% men, and now, on principle, that 5% is very important to me because I just don’t want to be a straight man. But even more, the more testosterone I take, the more men look better to me” .

What sets “Speak Now” apart isn’t just its clever premise or satirical bite—it’s the way Perez centers queer friendship and chosen family. Unlike so many mainstream rom-coms where queer characters are sidelined or sanitized, Perez’s world is unapologetically, gloriously queer. Think: messy best friends, ex-lovers turned allies, and the kind of found-family dynamics that anyone who’s ever felt like an outsider will recognize instantly.

For LGBTQ+ listeners, “Speak Now” is more than entertainment—it’s affirmation. Too often, queer love stories are forced to fit into heteronormative templates, their edges sanded off for mass appeal. Perez’s work refuses that compromise. “Speak Now” is as messy, funny, and complicated as real queer life, and Perez doesn’t shy away from the hard stuff—grief, longing, financial struggle, or the weird, exhilarating terror of being seen for who you are . It’s a story where pronouns matter, where misgendering and deadnaming are named and challenged, and where queer people get to be the main characters—not just the comic relief .

Perez’s own journey—from BuzzFeed darling to Try Guy to rom-com disruptor—mirrors the path so many LGBTQ+ folks take: searching for community, carving out space, and learning to celebrate what makes us different . As Perez himself put it, “Sometimes, going into debt is part of choosing yourself. ” Whether it’s paying for surgery or therapy, or simply taking a risk on love, Perez’s work reminds us that queer joy is worth fighting for, even when it’s complicated .

With “Speak Now, ” Ash Perez isn’t just offering up a new rom-com—he’s giving queer audiences the messy, hilarious, sincere representation that so many of us have craved for so long. It’s a reminder that our stories matter, that our friendships and crushes deserve center stage, and that sometimes the most radical thing you can do is show up, speak now, and claim your own happy ending.

“Speak Now” was released today. Whether you’re listening for the laughs, the feels, or to see yourself reflected in a world that finally gets it—this is one story you don’t want to miss .