Bisexual star Nico Tortorella strips off in steamy BDSM scenes in vertical drama
Nico Tortorella stars in a new vertical drama on Reelshort (Getty Images)
Nico Tortorella has spoken about filming BDSM and dom-sub scenes for ReelShort’s gay vertical romance trilogy Salt Kiss, saying the story is rooted in chemistry, communication and consent.
The latest chapter, Bitter Burn, is set to debut this Thursday on ReelShort.
The trilogy adapts Sierra Simone’s novels Salt Kiss, Honey Cut and Bitter Burn. Tortorella plays billionaire Mark Trevena, while Jake Lively plays Tristan, Mark’s bodyguard. The story involves everything a viewer could ask for – seduction, jealousy, betrayal and a dramatic love triangle.
Speaking to Out, Lively said he and Tortorella “immediately clicked” during their chemistry read, something he felt was essential for scenes built around power dynamics and trust.
“It’s nice to be able to stretch my legs a little bit as an actor and do things I haven’t done on or off camera before. As much as I explored the character of Tristan, I get to play different parts of myself,” he said. “Hollywood loves to minimise the actual relationship part of the dom-sub relationship. This is how these two learn to express their love for each other. I got manhandled in the harness.”
Tortorella said the series signals its intentions early. “We open in the hottest, largest, BDSM kink club. The series is about Mark and Tristan’s dom-sub relationship and how that works. The vertical world moves fast. You’re never bored! It’s not just about the sex. Consent is a big piece of these conversations.”
Nico Tortorella and the LGBTQ+ community
Tortorella, best known for playing Josh on TV Land’s Younger, has spoken about gender fluidity, as well as non-traditional relationship structures and non-monogamy.
He came out as non-binary in 2018, though after the birth of his children in 2023 and 2024 he stopped using they/them pronouns, as he “feels like a man more than ever”.
Tortorella, who also appeared in The Walking Dead spin-off World Beyond, is bisexual, and has previously spoken of his sexual appetite.
Earlier this year, a gay movie Blue Film, centred on taboo themes, also sparked conversation about how explicit queer stories are handled on screen.
What is a vertical drama!?
Vertical dramas, also known as micro-dramas, are mobile-first, serialised shows made for smartphone viewing, because everyone is glued to their phones nowadays.
Episodes are often a few minutes long, with seasons typically running to 50 to 90 episodes to create a highly bingeable, cliffhanger-heavy experience.
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