Emerson 's first big role was in 1997 . He starred as Oscar Wilde in Moises Kaufman 's play , Gross Indecency : The Trials of Oscar Wilde , and then was in many other plays . Emerson got his big break in 1997 when he starred as Oscar Wilde in Moises Kaufman 's critically acclaimed off-Broadway play , Gross Indecency : The Trials of Oscar Wilde , and then followed up with several other notable stage performances .