It's been an ~interesting~ journey for queer people in the movie and television industry. Once upon a time, gay and woman loving woman actors, specifically, had to stay in the closet, and there were next-to-no gay parts on screen.
The idea that openly homosexual actors can play het characters is a relatively new phenomenon. Previously, out gay actors could only really work when roles for them a) existed, and b) weren't entity given to heterosexual actors.
Now it seems much more acceptable for an openly gay actor play a straight character. In reality, here are 18 times an actor has played a straight character on screen, despite being openly gay or queer in real life...
4.Andrew Scott as The Priest in Fleabag
5.Amandla Stenberg as Ruby Daly in The Darkest Minds
6.Jonathan Bailey as Anthony Bridgerton in Bridgerton
7.B.D. Wong as Wally Lin in Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens
8.Portia de Rossi as Lindsay Bluth Funke in Arrested Development
9.Ben Platt as Evan Hansen in the Dear Evan Hansen movie
10.Justice Smith as Simon Aumar in Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves
11.Luke Evans as Gaston in Beauty and the Beast
12.Ben Whishaw as Michael Banks in
Top 20 Famous Same-sex attracted Actors of Hollywood 2024 [LGBTQ+ Icons]
Ian McKellen
Ian McKellen is an acclaimed star known for his versatile performances on stage and screen. Beyond his acting prowess, McKellen is also recognized for his activism, particularly in LGBTQIA+ rights. His career did not suffer post-coming out. Instead, it flourished, with McKellen taking on a range of more emotionally resonant roles that resonated with audiences worldwide. McKellen came out during a BBC radio broadcast in 1988 as an perform of protest against Section 28, a proposed law in the UK that sought to prohibit the "promotion of homosexuality." His spontaneous revelation was a bold move during a time when gay rights faced significant legal and societal challenges. Reflecting on the impact of his coming out, McKellen noted that it changed his life "for the better," strengthening his relationships, personal satisfaction, and even his approach to acting, allowing him to embody characters with greater authenticity.
Ian McKellen's contributions to LGBTQIA+ culture and history extend far beyond his personal coming out story. He co-founded Stonewall, a UK-based LGBTQIA+ rights organiz
After being criticized for her casting on HBO Max's show Legendary, Jameela Jamil shared a lengthy message on Twitter about her sexuality, clarifying that she has never hidden the fact that she identifies as queer.
"This is why I never officially came out as gender non-conforming. I added a rainbow to my name when I felt ready a few years ago, as it's not easy within the south Asian community to be accepted, and I always answered honestly if ever straight-up asked about it on Twitter," Jamil wrote. Speaking about her casting on the vogueing reveal (about a style of dance/expression spearheaded by New York's Dark and Latinx queer and gender non-conforming communities), she also wrote, "I understand that my being queer doesn't qualify me as ballroom. But I have privilege and force and a large following to bring to this show (as does the absolutely iconic Megan Thee Stallion), and it's stunning contestants and ballroom hosts."
In this message, Jamil also announced that she would be taking a break from Twitter following the backlash.
14 Straight Actors Who Won Oscars For Playing LGBTQ+ Roles
While we love seeing LGBTQ+ characters on big screen, we’d be remiss if we didn’t note that a lot of the most awarded—queer roles hold gone to non-queer actors….
Peter Finch was the first to be nominated by the Academy for his role as a male lover doctor in the 1971 film Sunday Bloody Sunday and the groundbreaking nomination paved the way for dozens of straight thespians to receive nods for taking on homosexual, lesbian and transsexual roles. Before the 94th annual Academy Awards take place on Sunday Protest 27, here’s a look back at 14 standout performances (from straight actors) of LGBTQ+ characters that won Oscar gold.
William Hurt for Kiss of the Spider Woman (Released: 1985) William Hurt was the first actor to win an Oscar for playing a gay character on the big screen. Hurt portrayed Luis Molina, an incarcerated gay man, in the 1985 motion picture Kiss of the Spider Woman.
Tom Hanks for Philadelphia (Released: 1993) Tom Hanks took place the Best Player for his role in Philadelphia. The film was one of the first mainstream Hollywood films to explicitly talk to HIV/AIDS and homophobia.