Jaime Cepero, who plays Ellis on Smash, opens up about what it’s like playing one of the most hated characters on the show and gives some insight into the characters’ sexuality.

Cepero spoke to the LA Times:

This is your TV debut—what’s the experience like given that your character hasn’t really ingratiated himself in the eyes of viewers?  Some people can’t stand him.

I love it. It just lets me know that I’m doing my job correctly. People really dislike the character. I think the way he’s written is to get that reaction out of people. It just shows how great the show is that people have reacted so strongly to this character. I never really got to play a villain before so this was a real stretch for me. Having people come up to you and say, “I hate you on ‘Smash’” or ‘I can’t stand seeing you on my screen,” … I’m like, “Uh, thank you?” I don’t really know what to say sometimes but I think it’s a good thing, and I think it’s an awesome character to play.

Fans have been questioning Ellis’ sexuality since he seduced Rebecca Duvall’s agent.

Let’s talk about Ellis’ sexuality. The show has thrown me for a loop so many times with him. Do we know, for sure, what Ellis’ preference is?

I mean, I’m still trying to figure it out myself. It’s clear that he has a significant other. But I think the episode from a couple of weeks ago really speaks to how ambitious he really is. You can kind of see in that scene that he wants to get this actress [Rebecca Duvall] in the role really bad. Enough to follow through with sleeping with her agent. He wants the show to be a success and since it was his idea, he wants to follow through. He figures if he brings in the star, he’ll get credit on the show. But I’m not sure if him sleeping with the agent goes beyond him just wanting to get the actress. He had to find some way to seal the deal.

For the rest of the interview, visit the LA Times.

How do you feel about Ellis?