Bret Easton Ellis: The Year the Osrs Fally Got Gay Right – The Hollywood Reporter

Contents:

• WHY ARE THE OSRS SO BAD AT NOMATG GAY ACTORS?IAN MCKELLEN WAS THE FIRST OPENLY GAY ACTOR NOMATED FOR AN AMY AWARD—AND 20 YEARS AFTER HIS LORD OF THE RGS NOMATN, HE REMAS THE LAST.BY DAVID CANFIELDJANUARY 13, 2022FACEBOOKTWTEREMAILSAVE STORYAT THE 2002 OSRS, IAN MCKELLEN WAS THE ONLY ACTOR NOMATED OM LORD OF THE RGS: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RG, WHICH HAD 13 TOTAL NOMATNS.BY STEVE GRANITZ/WIREIMAGE.SAVE THIS STORYSAVESAVE THIS STORYSAVEAT THE 74TH AMY AWARDS 2002, IAN MCKELLEN GAVE A VICTORY SPEECH. FACG THE BLACK-TIE DIENCE THE KODAK THEATRE, HE DITED A HISTORY-MAKG TRIUMPH TO THE MANY YOUNG GAY ACTORS, OUT AND NOT, WHO FELT UNWELE THE DTRY.BUT MCKELLEN WASN’T HOLDG AN OSR, OR EVEN STANDG ON THE STAGE. HISTORY HAD NOT BEEN MA—AND HE WAS BEG SARSTIC. NOMATED FOR HIS SUPPORTG TURN THE LORD OF THE RGS: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RG, THE ACTOR HAD LOST THAT NIGHT, AND OM HIS SEAT THE ONT ROW WAS READG ALOUD THE FAL WORDS OF THE SPEECH HE’D WRTEN, A MORE EARNT MOOD, FOR HIS GROUNDBREAKG GODS AND MONSTERS NOMATN 1999. “I’LL NEVER FET ,” SAYS THAT MOVIE’S DIRECTOR, BILL CONDON, WHO WAS WH MCKELLEN THAT NIGHT AND WHO KNEW THE WHOLE SPEECH WELL. “IT WAS ABOUT ALL THE WARNGS HE RECEIVED WHEN HE WAS CIDG TO E OUT, ALL THE THGS THAT WOULD HAPPEN.”A GUI TO HOLLYWOOD’S BIGGT RACARROWGODS AND MONSTERS MA MCKELLEN THE FIRST OPENLY GAY ACTOR TO BE OSR-NOMATED, AND, AFTER THAT 2002 FELLOWSHIP NOMATN, HE REMAS THE LAST. ONLY TWO QUEER-INTIFYG ACTORS HAVE SCE BEEN NOMATED FOR AMY AWARDS—MEGASTARS LADY GAGA AND ANGELA JOLIE, BOTH OF WHOM ARE BISEXUAL. (OTHERS, SUCH AS ELLT PAGE AND QUEEN LATIFAH, ME OUT YEARS AFTER THEIR NOMATNS.) COMPARE THAT TO THE NUMBER OF OUTWARDLY LGBTQ+ CHARACTERS WHO’VE EARNED THEIR PORTRAYERS OSR NOMATNS SCE 2002, WHICH STANDS AT A STAGGERG THREE DOZEN, AT LEAST. THAT’S AN AVERAGE OF NEARLY TWO PER YEAR—AND NONE OF THEM WERE PLAYED BY OPENLY LGBTQ+ ACTORS.THIS DISMAL TRACK RERD “SPEAKS TO HOLLYWOOD’S LONG HISTORY OF TOLERANCE AND BIGOTRY,” SAYS JEREMY BLACKLOW, DIRECTOR OF ENTERTAMENT MEDIA AT GLAAD. “LGBTQ+ ACTORS HAVE LONG FACED BLATANT EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMATN AND HAVE FELT FORCED TO HI THEIR SEXUAL ORIENTATN AND/OR GENR INTY IF THEY HOPED TO WORK AT ALL.” THE SUNDAY TIM RECENTLY ASKED POSE STAR BILLY PORTER IF HE EXPECTED HIS SUCCS. “NO, BEE I’M GAY,” PORTER SAID. “I WAS TOLD MY QUEERNS WOULD BE A LIABILY.”FOR ACTORS OF PORTER’S GENERATN, THERE WEREN’T MANY LGBTQ+ ROL TO PLAY MOVI. AS THAT HAS CHANGED, THE NVERSATN HAS EVOLVED TO ONE OF OPPORTUNY AND EQUALY, OFTEN FOCG ON WHETHER STARS WHO DO NOT BELONG TO A MARGALIZED INTY GROUP SHOULD PLAY CHARACTERS WHO DO—STRAIGHT ACTORS PLAYG GAY, OR CIS ACTORS PLAYG TRANS. “THE PERFORMANC THAT QUEER ACTORS LIVER WHEN THEY’RE ALLOWED TO PLAY QUEER CHARACTERS HAVE AN THENTICY THAT IS UNNIABLE,” SAYS ACTOR WILSON CZ, WHO’S ACHIEVED A S-LONG REER AS AN OPENLY GAY ACTOR ON TV SHOWS SUCH AS MY SO-CALLED LIFE AND STAR TREK: DISVERY. “I THK THAT STUDS AND AGENCI AND POWER PLAYERS BELIEVE THAT THE QUEER ROL PLAYED BY CISGENRED, STRAIGHT PEOPLE IS FERTILE GROUND FOR ATTENTN AND AWARDS.”WHEN A QUEER ACTOR PLAYS A QUEER CHARACTER, N BE PERCEIVED AS MORE “THENTIC,” AND THEREFORE LS CHALLENGG. “THE NOTN THAT A QUEER ACTOR IS GIVG A LS MANDG PERFORMANCE BEE HE’S G TO OM A LIVED EXPERIENCE JT DON’T HOLD WATER FOR ME,” CZ NTU. “I’M NOT GIVG MORE CRED TO ANYONE WHEN THEY PLAY THE ROL, WHETHER THEY’RE GAY OR THEY’RE STRAIGHT. I DON’T UNRSTAND WHY ANYBODY ELSE DO. WE’RE ALL ACTORS, WE’RE ALL PLAYG ROL.”INED, BASED ON THE SHEER DISCREPANCY BETWEEN LGBTQ+ ROL NOMATED AND ACTORS NOMATED, THE PROBLEM EXTENDS WELL BEYOND ANY CHARACTER’S INTY. (FOR ONE THG, NSIR HOW RARE REMAS FOR A-LISTERS TO BE OPENLY LGBTQ+.) “ONCE THEY E OUT, LBIAN, GAY, AND BISEXUAL ACTORS HAVE RARELY BEEN NSIRED FOR STRAIGHT LEADG ROL,” BLACKLOW SAYS, “AND THEY HAVEN’T BEEN ST FOR LEADG LBIAN, GAY, OR BISEXUAL ROL EHER.” THE ISSUE OF CISGENR ACTORS PLAYG TRANS HAS BEE MORE CLEAR-CUT, AT LEAST: SAYS BLACKLOW, “TODAY, IF A CISGENR ACTOR IS ST A TRANSGENR ROLE, THE SIGNIFINT OUTCRY OM TRANSGENR PEOPLE AND THEIR ALLI MAK THE PROJECT UNTENABLE.”MOST POPULARVANY FAIR’S “IT’S RAG TEENS” COVER AT 20: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?BY SAVANNAH WALSHTHE CAST OF OPPENHEIMER AND THE REAL PEOPLE THEY PLAYBY HILLARY BISSOUND OF FREEDOM: THE WILD TE STORY BEHD 2023’S MOST CONTROVERSIAL FILMBY EVE BATEYCONDON, WHO IS GAY, ADDS THAT—EVEN AN ERA WHERE THERE’S GREAT SCTY ON THENTIC STG—FANCIAL MANDS AND GENERATNAL SETBACKS PLITE THE PROCS. “I’VE BEEN TRYG TO ST A MOVIE WH A MIDDLE-AGED, 50-ISH GAY LEAD…AND YOU WANT TO WORK WH A GAY ACTOR AND SIST ON ,” HE SAYS. “BUT ’S GOT TO BE AN ACTOR WHO N DRAW FANCG. I N LIST THOSE PEOPLE NOW THEIR 20S OR 30S—STARS—BUT THIS WAS THE LAST GENERATN WHERE THEY STAYED MOSTLY THE CLOSET.”IN ONE PART OF HOLLYWOOD, AT LEAST, THAT GENERATNAL CHANGE IS ALREADY HAPPENG ONSCREEN. “BY THE TIME THERE’S AN OUT GAY ACTOR WNG AN OSR, ’LL BE A LTLE B OF A YAWN,” CONDON SAYS. “BEE, TELEVISN, THE L ARE ALREADY BEG BROKEN.”WHEN MICHAELA JAé RODRIGUEZ BEME THE FIRST TRANS LEAD-ACTG EMMY NOMEE LAST YEAR, SHE TOLD ME WAS ONLY THE BEGNG: “I HAVE SO MUCH MORE WORK TO DO. I’M READY TO DO , AND I’M READY TO BE THE EXAMPLE FOR SO MANY OUT THERE.” PORTER, HER POSE STAR, HAD ALREADY MA HISTORY AS THE FIRST OPENLY LGBTQ+ MAN TO W THE DRAMA-LEAD-ACTOR AWARD 2019, AND BOTH WERE AMONG A SIGNIFINT CROP OF QUEER NOME 2021, CLUDG HACKS STAR CARL CLEMONS-HOPKS. “WHENEVER WE HEAR A ‘FIRST’ OF ANYTHG, ’S E FOR CELEBRATN,” SAYS CLEMONS-HOPKS, THE FIRST OPENLY NONBARY EMMY NOMEE. “BUT ’S ALSO JT A REMR OF HOW FAR WE HAVE TO GO FOR ACTUAL EQUALY.”CZ, WHO WORKED AT GLAAD OM 2012 TO 2014, LLABORATG WH TV WORKS AND MOVIE STUDS ON IMPROVG LGBTQ+ REPRENTATN, FOUND THE TV SI OF THE EQUATN MORE AMENABLE TO PROGRS. “NETWORKS REALIZED QUICKLY THAT THEY WERE LEAVG MONEY ON THE TABLE WHEN THEY DIDN’T CLU LGBTQ+ PEOPLE THEIR STORYTELLG,” HE SAYS, CG THE MERCIAL (AND CLIVE) SMASH OM SHOWNNERS LIKE SHONDA RHIM AND RYAN MURPHY. “I DON’T THK THAT LIGHT BULB EVER TURNED ON FOR STUDS.”TO THE STUDS’ CRED, SOME OF THIS YEAR’S STRONGT OVERALL OSR NTENRS, CLUDG NETFLIX’S THE POWER OF THE DOG AND SONY CLASSICS’ PARALLEL MOTHERS, EXPLORE NUANCED LGBTQ+ THEM. BUT THEY WILL LIKELY STILL YIELD MORE NOMATNS FOR STRAIGHT, CIS ACTORS PLAYG QUEER ROL. A-LISTER KRISTEN STEWART, WHO IS ENGAGED TO A WOMAN, IS A STRONG LEAD-ACTRS NTENR FOR SPENCER. BUT THE STRETCH OF YEARS WHOUT AN LGBTQ+ MALE ACTOR NOMATED SEEMS LIKELY TO NTUE, AND THERE ARE ONCE AGA NO TRANS PERFORMERS THE NVERSATN.DETERMG A PERSON’S INTY IS, OF URSE, TRICKY. GLAAD’S BLACKLOW NOT THAT REMAS ILLEGAL TO ASK ABOUT ONE’S LGBTQ+ INTIFITN AT A JOB TERVIEW OR DN, AND THAT SOME QUEER ACTORS LIKELY “DON’T FEEL READY TO DISCLOSE THEIR GENR INTY OR SEXUAL ORIENTATN THE WORKPLACE.” BUT THE NTUED LACK OF OSR REGNN FOR OPENLY LGBTQ+ ACTORS MONSTRAT THAT HOLLYWOOD HAS FURTHER TO GO THAN SOME WOULD LIKE TO THK. AS CZ ARGU, “THE WAY PEOPLE VIEW THE WORK OF OPENLY QUEER ACTORS OPENLY QUEER ROL NEEDS TO CHANGE.”IN 2016, AT THE HEIGHT OF THE #OSRSSOWHE MOVEMENT HOLLYWOOD, IAN MCKELLEN WRYLY TOLD THE GUARDIAN, “NO OPENLY GAY MAN HAS EVER WON THE OSR; I WONR IF THAT IS PREJUDICE OR CHANCE.” THE MORE THE YEARS ADD UP, AND THE FURTHER WE GET OM HIS HISTORIC SPEECH THAT WASN’T, THE CLEARER THE ANSWER APPEARS.MORE GREAT STORI FROM VANY FAIR— CARíONA BALFE’S CELTIC CONQUT, FROM OUTLANR TO BELFAST— WHAT VIVIAN VANCE DIDN’T LOVE ABOUT I LOVE LUCY— INSECURE’S NATASHA ROTHWELL CAN DO IT ALL— INSI THE LOST DGHTER’S HYPNOTIC, SUBVERSIVE CEMATOGRAPHY— HOW THE WHE LOT’S LOATHABLE ENSEMBLE CAME TOGETHER— SIGN UP FOR THE “AWARDS INSIR” NEWSLETTER FOR MT-READ DTRY AND AWARDS VERAGE.DAVID CANFIELD
• THE FIVE GAYT MOMENTS IN AMY AWARDS HISTORY (SO FAR...)
• IN REBE OF FLORIDA BILL, OSRS HOSTS ARE FEELG ‘GAY, GAY, GAY, GAY, GAY, GAY’
• BRET EASTON ELLIS: THE YEAR THE OSRS FALLY GOT GAY RIGHT (GUT COLUMN)
• FOR YOUR CONSIRATN: OSR’S GAY TENNCI
• OSR’S GAY AMY AWARD WNERS
• OSRS 2022: AMY SCHUMER, REGA HALL AND WANDA SYK SG THE WORD ‘GAY’ DIG AT FLORIDA’S ‘DON’T SAY GAY’ BILL
• OSRS HOSTS TAKE ON FLORIDA'S 'DON'T SAY GAY' BILL AND GOLN GLOB NTROVERSY
• AT OSRS, FLORIDA’S ‘DON’T SAY GAY’ BILL TARGET OF JOKE
• 'WE'RE GOG TO HAVE A GAY NIGHT.' FLORIDA'S SO LLED 'DON'T SAY GAY' BILL MENTNED DURG OSR'S OPENG MONOLOGUE

WHY ARE THE OSRS SO BAD AT NOMATG GAY ACTORS?IAN MCKELLEN WAS THE FIRST OPENLY GAY ACTOR NOMATED FOR AN AMY AWARD—AND 20 YEARS AFTER HIS LORD OF THE RGS NOMATN, HE REMAS THE LAST.BY DAVID CANFIELDJANUARY 13, 2022FACEBOOKTWTEREMAILSAVE STORYAT THE 2002 OSRS, IAN MCKELLEN WAS THE ONLY ACTOR NOMATED OM LORD OF THE RGS: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RG, WHICH HAD 13 TOTAL NOMATNS.BY STEVE GRANITZ/WIREIMAGE.SAVE THIS STORYSAVESAVE THIS STORYSAVEAT THE 74TH AMY AWARDS 2002, IAN MCKELLEN GAVE A VICTORY SPEECH. FACG THE BLACK-TIE DIENCE THE KODAK THEATRE, HE DITED A HISTORY-MAKG TRIUMPH TO THE MANY YOUNG GAY ACTORS, OUT AND NOT, WHO FELT UNWELE THE DTRY.BUT MCKELLEN WASN’T HOLDG AN OSR, OR EVEN STANDG ON THE STAGE. HISTORY HAD NOT BEEN MA—AND HE WAS BEG SARSTIC. NOMATED FOR HIS SUPPORTG TURN THE LORD OF THE RGS: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RG, THE ACTOR HAD LOST THAT NIGHT, AND OM HIS SEAT THE ONT ROW WAS READG ALOUD THE FAL WORDS OF THE SPEECH HE’D WRTEN, A MORE EARNT MOOD, FOR HIS GROUNDBREAKG GODS AND MONSTERS NOMATN 1999. “I’LL NEVER FET ,” SAYS THAT MOVIE’S DIRECTOR, BILL CONDON, WHO WAS WH MCKELLEN THAT NIGHT AND WHO KNEW THE WHOLE SPEECH WELL. “IT WAS ABOUT ALL THE WARNGS HE RECEIVED WHEN HE WAS CIDG TO E OUT, ALL THE THGS THAT WOULD HAPPEN.”A GUI TO HOLLYWOOD’S BIGGT RACARROWGODS AND MONSTERS MA MCKELLEN THE FIRST OPENLY GAY ACTOR TO BE OSR-NOMATED, AND, AFTER THAT 2002 FELLOWSHIP NOMATN, HE REMAS THE LAST. ONLY TWO QUEER-INTIFYG ACTORS HAVE SCE BEEN NOMATED FOR AMY AWARDS—MEGASTARS LADY GAGA AND ANGELA JOLIE, BOTH OF WHOM ARE BISEXUAL. (OTHERS, SUCH AS ELLT PAGE AND QUEEN LATIFAH, ME OUT YEARS AFTER THEIR NOMATNS.) COMPARE THAT TO THE NUMBER OF OUTWARDLY LGBTQ+ CHARACTERS WHO’VE EARNED THEIR PORTRAYERS OSR NOMATNS SCE 2002, WHICH STANDS AT A STAGGERG THREE DOZEN, AT LEAST. THAT’S AN AVERAGE OF NEARLY TWO PER YEAR—AND NONE OF THEM WERE PLAYED BY OPENLY LGBTQ+ ACTORS.THIS DISMAL TRACK RERD “SPEAKS TO HOLLYWOOD’S LONG HISTORY OF TOLERANCE AND BIGOTRY,” SAYS JEREMY BLACKLOW, DIRECTOR OF ENTERTAMENT MEDIA AT GLAAD. “LGBTQ+ ACTORS HAVE LONG FACED BLATANT EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMATN AND HAVE FELT FORCED TO HI THEIR SEXUAL ORIENTATN AND/OR GENR INTY IF THEY HOPED TO WORK AT ALL.” THE SUNDAY TIM RECENTLY ASKED POSE STAR BILLY PORTER IF HE EXPECTED HIS SUCCS. “NO, BEE I’M GAY,” PORTER SAID. “I WAS TOLD MY QUEERNS WOULD BE A LIABILY.”FOR ACTORS OF PORTER’S GENERATN, THERE WEREN’T MANY LGBTQ+ ROL TO PLAY MOVI. AS THAT HAS CHANGED, THE NVERSATN HAS EVOLVED TO ONE OF OPPORTUNY AND EQUALY, OFTEN FOCG ON WHETHER STARS WHO DO NOT BELONG TO A MARGALIZED INTY GROUP SHOULD PLAY CHARACTERS WHO DO—STRAIGHT ACTORS PLAYG GAY, OR CIS ACTORS PLAYG TRANS. “THE PERFORMANC THAT QUEER ACTORS LIVER WHEN THEY’RE ALLOWED TO PLAY QUEER CHARACTERS HAVE AN THENTICY THAT IS UNNIABLE,” SAYS ACTOR WILSON CZ, WHO’S ACHIEVED A S-LONG REER AS AN OPENLY GAY ACTOR ON TV SHOWS SUCH AS MY SO-CALLED LIFE AND STAR TREK: DISVERY. “I THK THAT STUDS AND AGENCI AND POWER PLAYERS BELIEVE THAT THE QUEER ROL PLAYED BY CISGENRED, STRAIGHT PEOPLE IS FERTILE GROUND FOR ATTENTN AND AWARDS.”WHEN A QUEER ACTOR PLAYS A QUEER CHARACTER, N BE PERCEIVED AS MORE “THENTIC,” AND THEREFORE LS CHALLENGG. “THE NOTN THAT A QUEER ACTOR IS GIVG A LS MANDG PERFORMANCE BEE HE’S G TO OM A LIVED EXPERIENCE JT DON’T HOLD WATER FOR ME,” CZ NTU. “I’M NOT GIVG MORE CRED TO ANYONE WHEN THEY PLAY THE ROL, WHETHER THEY’RE GAY OR THEY’RE STRAIGHT. I DON’T UNRSTAND WHY ANYBODY ELSE DO. WE’RE ALL ACTORS, WE’RE ALL PLAYG ROL.”INED, BASED ON THE SHEER DISCREPANCY BETWEEN LGBTQ+ ROL NOMATED AND ACTORS NOMATED, THE PROBLEM EXTENDS WELL BEYOND ANY CHARACTER’S INTY. (FOR ONE THG, NSIR HOW RARE REMAS FOR A-LISTERS TO BE OPENLY LGBTQ+.) “ONCE THEY E OUT, LBIAN, GAY, AND BISEXUAL ACTORS HAVE RARELY BEEN NSIRED FOR STRAIGHT LEADG ROL,” BLACKLOW SAYS, “AND THEY HAVEN’T BEEN ST FOR LEADG LBIAN, GAY, OR BISEXUAL ROL EHER.” THE ISSUE OF CISGENR ACTORS PLAYG TRANS HAS BEE MORE CLEAR-CUT, AT LEAST: SAYS BLACKLOW, “TODAY, IF A CISGENR ACTOR IS ST A TRANSGENR ROLE, THE SIGNIFINT OUTCRY OM TRANSGENR PEOPLE AND THEIR ALLI MAK THE PROJECT UNTENABLE.”MOST POPULARVANY FAIR’S “IT’S RAG TEENS” COVER AT 20: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?BY SAVANNAH WALSHTHE CAST OF OPPENHEIMER AND THE REAL PEOPLE THEY PLAYBY HILLARY BISSOUND OF FREEDOM: THE WILD TE STORY BEHD 2023’S MOST CONTROVERSIAL FILMBY EVE BATEYCONDON, WHO IS GAY, ADDS THAT—EVEN AN ERA WHERE THERE’S GREAT SCTY ON THENTIC STG—FANCIAL MANDS AND GENERATNAL SETBACKS PLITE THE PROCS. “I’VE BEEN TRYG TO ST A MOVIE WH A MIDDLE-AGED, 50-ISH GAY LEAD…AND YOU WANT TO WORK WH A GAY ACTOR AND SIST ON ,” HE SAYS. “BUT ’S GOT TO BE AN ACTOR WHO N DRAW FANCG. I N LIST THOSE PEOPLE NOW THEIR 20S OR 30S—STARS—BUT THIS WAS THE LAST GENERATN WHERE THEY STAYED MOSTLY THE CLOSET.”IN ONE PART OF HOLLYWOOD, AT LEAST, THAT GENERATNAL CHANGE IS ALREADY HAPPENG ONSCREEN. “BY THE TIME THERE’S AN OUT GAY ACTOR WNG AN OSR, ’LL BE A LTLE B OF A YAWN,” CONDON SAYS. “BEE, TELEVISN, THE L ARE ALREADY BEG BROKEN.”WHEN MICHAELA JAé RODRIGUEZ BEME THE FIRST TRANS LEAD-ACTG EMMY NOMEE LAST YEAR, SHE TOLD ME WAS ONLY THE BEGNG: “I HAVE SO MUCH MORE WORK TO DO. I’M READY TO DO , AND I’M READY TO BE THE EXAMPLE FOR SO MANY OUT THERE.” PORTER, HER POSE STAR, HAD ALREADY MA HISTORY AS THE FIRST OPENLY LGBTQ+ MAN TO W THE DRAMA-LEAD-ACTOR AWARD 2019, AND BOTH WERE AMONG A SIGNIFINT CROP OF QUEER NOME 2021, CLUDG HACKS STAR CARL CLEMONS-HOPKS. “WHENEVER WE HEAR A ‘FIRST’ OF ANYTHG, ’S E FOR CELEBRATN,” SAYS CLEMONS-HOPKS, THE FIRST OPENLY NONBARY EMMY NOMEE. “BUT ’S ALSO JT A REMR OF HOW FAR WE HAVE TO GO FOR ACTUAL EQUALY.”CZ, WHO WORKED AT GLAAD OM 2012 TO 2014, LLABORATG WH TV WORKS AND MOVIE STUDS ON IMPROVG LGBTQ+ REPRENTATN, FOUND THE TV SI OF THE EQUATN MORE AMENABLE TO PROGRS. “NETWORKS REALIZED QUICKLY THAT THEY WERE LEAVG MONEY ON THE TABLE WHEN THEY DIDN’T CLU LGBTQ+ PEOPLE THEIR STORYTELLG,” HE SAYS, CG THE MERCIAL (AND CLIVE) SMASH OM SHOWNNERS LIKE SHONDA RHIM AND RYAN MURPHY. “I DON’T THK THAT LIGHT BULB EVER TURNED ON FOR STUDS.”TO THE STUDS’ CRED, SOME OF THIS YEAR’S STRONGT OVERALL OSR NTENRS, CLUDG NETFLIX’S THE POWER OF THE DOG AND SONY CLASSICS’ PARALLEL MOTHERS, EXPLORE NUANCED LGBTQ+ THEM. BUT THEY WILL LIKELY STILL YIELD MORE NOMATNS FOR STRAIGHT, CIS ACTORS PLAYG QUEER ROL. A-LISTER KRISTEN STEWART, WHO IS ENGAGED TO A WOMAN, IS A STRONG LEAD-ACTRS NTENR FOR SPENCER. BUT THE STRETCH OF YEARS WHOUT AN LGBTQ+ MALE ACTOR NOMATED SEEMS LIKELY TO NTUE, AND THERE ARE ONCE AGA NO TRANS PERFORMERS THE NVERSATN.DETERMG A PERSON’S INTY IS, OF URSE, TRICKY. GLAAD’S BLACKLOW NOT THAT REMAS ILLEGAL TO ASK ABOUT ONE’S LGBTQ+ INTIFITN AT A JOB TERVIEW OR DN, AND THAT SOME QUEER ACTORS LIKELY “DON’T FEEL READY TO DISCLOSE THEIR GENR INTY OR SEXUAL ORIENTATN THE WORKPLACE.” BUT THE NTUED LACK OF OSR REGNN FOR OPENLY LGBTQ+ ACTORS MONSTRAT THAT HOLLYWOOD HAS FURTHER TO GO THAN SOME WOULD LIKE TO THK. AS CZ ARGU, “THE WAY PEOPLE VIEW THE WORK OF OPENLY QUEER ACTORS OPENLY QUEER ROL NEEDS TO CHANGE.”IN 2016, AT THE HEIGHT OF THE #OSRSSOWHE MOVEMENT HOLLYWOOD, IAN MCKELLEN WRYLY TOLD THE GUARDIAN, “NO OPENLY GAY MAN HAS EVER WON THE OSR; I WONR IF THAT IS PREJUDICE OR CHANCE.” THE MORE THE YEARS ADD UP, AND THE FURTHER WE GET OM HIS HISTORIC SPEECH THAT WASN’T, THE CLEARER THE ANSWER APPEARS.MORE GREAT STORI FROM VANY FAIR— CARíONA BALFE’S CELTIC CONQUT, FROM OUTLANR TO BELFAST— WHAT VIVIAN VANCE DIDN’T LOVE ABOUT I LOVE LUCY— INSECURE’S NATASHA ROTHWELL CAN DO IT ALL— INSI THE LOST DGHTER’S HYPNOTIC, SUBVERSIVE CEMATOGRAPHY— HOW THE WHE LOT’S LOATHABLE ENSEMBLE CAME TOGETHER— SIGN UP FOR THE “AWARDS INSIR” NEWSLETTER FOR MT-READ DTRY AND AWARDS VERAGE.DAVID CANFIELD

And we certaly got a wele gay-as-n-be moment on the Osrs DeBose pped a stunng awards season by wng the bt supportg actrs award for her role as Ana "Wt Si Story" – beg the first openly queer Ao-Lata to w an actg Osr. And for you people  Florida, we're gog to have a gay night, " Syk, who is a lbian, said at the top of the Osrs show, directly mockg Florida's legislatn. "While sayg "gay" solidary is certaly wele, wouldn't have been enough to ll this night any kd of gay succs if a queer person didn't w.

But Ian McKellen is still the only out gay male actor ever nomated for an Hudson was nomated for bt actor 1957, but remaed closeted until he died 1985 of AIDS; two-time Osr wner Kev Spacey announced he was livg as a gay man only after he was acced of sexually harassg a teenage boy; and Jodie Foster is still the only bt actrs wner to e out (and years after her w, at that).

Brg on the mic:Beyoncé serv an ace Osrs performance wh assist om Serena and Ven WilliamsIn se you missed:Florida's 'Don't Say Gay' bill sparked natnal backlash. Facg the black-tie dience the Kodak Theatre, he dited a history-makg triumph to the many young gay actors, out and not, who felt unwele the McKellen wasn’t holdg an Osr, or even standg on the stage. ”Gods and Monsters ma McKellen the first openly gay actor to be Osr-nomated, and, after that 2002 Fellowship nomatn, he remas the last.

THE FIVE GAYT MOMENTS IN AMY AWARDS HISTORY (SO FAR...)

As that has changed, the nversatn has evolved to one of opportuny and equaly, often focg on whether stars who do not belong to a margalized inty group should play characters who do—straight actors playg gay, or cis actors playg trans.

“The performanc that queer actors liver when they’re allowed to play queer characters have an thenticy that is unniable, ” says actor Wilson Cz, who’s achieved a s-long reer as an openly gay actor on TV shows such as My So-Called Life and Star Trek: Disvery.

“I’m not givg more cred to anyone when they play the rol, whether they’re gay or they’re straight.

IN REBE OF FLORIDA BILL, OSRS HOSTS ARE FEELG ‘GAY, GAY, GAY, GAY, GAY, GAY’

) “Once they e out, lbian, gay, and bisexual actors have rarely been nsired for straight leadg rol, ” Blacklow says, “and they haven’t been st for leadg lbian, gay, or bisexual rol eher. ”Condon, who is gay, adds that—even an era where there’s great scty on thentic stg—fancial mands and generatnal setbacks plite the procs.

“I’ve been tryg to st a movie wh a middle-aged, 50-ish gay lead…and you want to work wh a gay actor and sist on , ” he says.

BRET EASTON ELLIS: THE YEAR THE OSRS FALLY GOT GAY RIGHT (GUT COLUMN)

“By the time there’s an out gay actor wng an Osr, ’ll be a ltle b of a yawn, ” Condon says.

FOR YOUR CONSIRATN: OSR’S GAY TENNCI

”In 2016, at the height of the #OsrsSoWhe movement Hollywood, Ian McKellen wryly told The Guardian, “No openly gay man has ever won the Osr; I wonr if that is prejudice or chance. Smh, who intifi as gay and non-bary, wrote a song lled "Wrg's on the Wall" for the 2015 Jam Bond movie, "Spectre, " wh fellow songwrer Jimmy Nap. "I stand here as a proud, gay man and I hope one day we n all stand as equals, " Smh said their speech.

While acceptg the Amy Award, Smh wrongly said they were the first gay person to w an Osr, which was met wh backlash on social media. Ball, an openly gay man, wrote "Amerin Bety, " which follows a suburban father who be terted his dghter's bt iend. Black wrote the 2008 movie "Milk, " which starred Sean Penn as Harvey Milk, a lol polician San Francis who fought for gay rights before beg assassated.

OSR’S GAY AMY AWARD WNERS

"To all the gay and lbian kids out there tonight who have been told they are ls than by their church or by ernment or by their fai, you are betiful, wonrful creatur, " he add. The openly gay filmmaker won another Amy Award 2003 for bt origal screenplay for his film "Talk to Her. In 1985, Epste won the Amy Award for directg "The Tim of Harvey Milk, " a documentary that follows the gay polician's life before his assassatn.

While both Kristen Stewart (for Spencer) and Ariana DeBose (for Wt Si Story) were nomated, makg for the first time two out actors have been nomated the same year, no out gay male actors were nomated at all, spe some stellar fact, 's been twenty years sce an out male actor was nomated for an actg Osr, the last one beg Ian McKellan's Bt Supportg Actor nod 2002 for Lord of the Rgs: The Fellowship of the Rg. An out gay male actor has yet to w an actg Osr -- and we thk that needs to of today's bt actors are gay, and they serve the rol and the attentn that n get them nomatns, and ws.

Ever sce he burst onto the scene as gay teen Rickie Vasquez on My So-Called Life, Cz has been one of the bt actors Hollywood. Deemed the “gay Super Bowl” by s many fans, the Amy Awards telest has long been a bastn of over-the-top queer energy rolled up the drama of the secret, gay ner-workgs of the Hollywood system. Many a gay in has had their moment the sun durg the Osr show, om Judy Garland sgg “Somewhere Over the Rabow” to Rock Hudson duetg wh Mae Wt to Barbra Streisand and Madonna each vampg on the Osr stage to the light of their queer fans.

OSRS 2022: AMY SCHUMER, REGA HALL AND WANDA SYK SG THE WORD ‘GAY’ DIG AT FLORIDA’S ‘DON’T SAY GAY’ BILL

This year the ftivi will be hosted by the send openly gay host, Neil Patrick Harris, who promis to brg the same sassy twkle that he’s brought to the Tony and the Emmy Awards.

OSRS HOSTS TAKE ON FLORIDA'S 'DON'T SAY GAY' BILL AND GOLN GLOB NTROVERSY

Whether you plan on watchg om your livg room on Sunday or htg up a viewg party — like the Denver Film Society’s ee fete at the Sie FilmCenter, where the awards will light up their big screens and you n plete a ballot for a donatn and get a chance to w some big priz — you might notice that this year’s show appears to be short on gay power. But while no out actors are nomated and only one nomated role is gay, there’s always a chance that the world’s most fabulo celebratn will fd a way to let our LGBTQ rabow she.

As proof, here are five moments om the long history of the Amy Awards where thgs got pretty gay:. Ellen’s schtick has never been particularly edgy or polil but that’s the gay b her joke. Her character’s ma song, “And I Am Tellg You I’m Not Gog, ” is the Star Spangled Banner of drag queens and gay sgg petn hopefuls everywhere.

Actor William Hurt took home an Osr 1986 for his role Kiss of the Spir Woman, which he played an obvly gay character. This was a first Osr history, and opened up the Hollywood closet jt a teency b for future gay rol to emerge — yet acceptg the award, the heterosexual Hurt said only, “I’m very proud to be an actor. In 1994 Tom Hanks took home the Bt Actor Osr for his role as a gay lawyer dyg of AIDS Jonathan Demme’s Philalphia.

AT OSRS, FLORIDA’S ‘DON’T SAY GAY’ BILL TARGET OF JOKE

The moment was another watershed moment for gay visibily Hollywood; Hanks livered a passnate and historic speech g the public platform to acknowledge those who had lost their liv to AIDS. Amazg as that was, Hanks’s speech was remembered for somethg very different: He acknowledged his high school drama teacher, Rawley Farnsworth, and a former classmate as “two of the ft gay Amerins, two wonrful men that I had the good fortune to be associated wh. ” It was a touchg tribute, but there was a problem: The retired Farnsworth had never publicly acknowledged his homosexualy, and his home town of Oakland was rocked as one of the world’s biggt stars let loose his teacher's secret to billns of people.

Farnsworth reluctantly me out and, buoyed by posive public opn, found a muny of gay teachers wag for him and a send life brgg his teachg skills to children fected wh HIV. The 2003 telest wasn’t particularly gay sence, sce was hosted by straight edian Steve Mart.

'WE'RE GOG TO HAVE A GAY NIGHT.' FLORIDA'S SO LLED 'DON'T SAY GAY' BILL MENTNED DURG OSR'S OPENG MONOLOGUE

Along wh that w, openly gay talent was on open display as three of the Bt Director nome — Pedro Almodovar, Stephen Daldry and Marshall – were out and proud.

Nile Kidman took home a trophy for playg known queer personaly Virgia Woolf, and three of the Bt Screenplay nomee wrers were gay: Almodovar, Condon and Todd Hayn. Nearly every wner was able to acknowledge their same-sex partners speech, and other gay talent me btg out acknowledgement. The homoerotic subtext was perhaps not as obv to viewers then as is to viewers now (serly, watch the clip above) but the passn between the two actors was unniable.

(Myung Chun / Los Angel Tim) Osrs -hosts Amy Schumer, Wanda Syk and Rega Hall end their openg speech Sunday by throwg some sha at Florida legislatn wily known as the “Don’t Say Gay” tr of edy stars are the latt of several Hollywood figur to speak out agast the bill, which would rtrict classroom stctn on sexual orientatn and genr inty. ”“Gay, gay, gay, gay, gay, gay, gay, ” Syk, Hall and Schumer ntued unison, drawg cheers and applse om the star-studd crowd.