'Spoiler Alert' - Jim Parsons and Ben Aldridge on their gay 'Love Story' :: Bay Area Reporter

Contents:

• BIG BANG THEORY'S JIM PARSONS SCRIB HIS JOURNEY TO PUBLICLY G OUT AS GAY
• JIM PARSONS ON WHY BEG A GAY, ASPIRG ACTOR WHEN ELLEN DEGENER CAME OUT WAS ‘F—G SRY’
• JIM PARSONS, BEN ALDRIDGE ON WHY SPOILER ALERT’S GAY LOVE STORY IS UNIVERSAL
• JIM PARSONS SAYS 'IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME COMG' TO BE AN OUT GAY ACTOR HOLLYWOOD
• 'SPOILER ALERT' - JIM PARSONS AND BEN ALDRIDGE ON THEIR GAY 'LOVE STORY'
• SPOILER ALERT'S JIM PARSONS ON WHY MOVI NEED "EVERYDAY, BORG PEOPLE" WHO JT HAPPEN TO BE GAY
• JIM {LOR:#595959;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:600;MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:0.875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.2;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:1.25REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.2;}} A{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN-THICKNS:0.0625REM;TEXT-RATN-LOR:HER;TEXT-UNRLE-OFFSET:0.25REM;LOR:HER;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;} A:HOVER{LOR:#A00000;TEXT-RATN-LOR:BORR-LK-BODY-HOVER;}ACTOR JIM PARSONS ROSE TO FAME AS SHELDON ON THE POPULAR S 'THE BIG BANG THEORY' AND HAS RECEIVED PRAISE FOR HIS STAGE {MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;LOR:#323232;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;} SPAN{LE-HEIGHT:1.6;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;}{FONT-STYLE:NORMAL;PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;FONT-FAY:RALAS,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;LOR:#323232;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.3;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;TEXT-TRANSFORM:PALIZE;}{DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;MARG-LEFT:0.625REM;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;}UPDATED: JUN 23, {DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;}{MARG-BOTTOM:0.9375REM;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 64REM){{MAX-WIDTH:LC(100VW - (1REM * 2));MARG-LEFT:1REM;MARG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(-1 * 1REM);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{MARG-LEFT:TO;MARG-RIGHT:TO;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - (LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 2 * 1REM)) / -2);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 61.25REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 90REM){{MAX-WIDTH:LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM);MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 1REM - 20.625REM) / 2);PADDG-LEFT:1REM;PADDG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 1REM - 20.625REM) / -2) - 1REM);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 90REM){{MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 2);MAX-WIDTH:LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM);PADDG-LEFT:1REM;PADDG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 + 1REM)) / -2) - LC(2 * 1REM));}[DATA-HAS-SPONSOR] {MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 4);MARG-RIGHT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 4);}}{JTIFY-SELF:CENTER;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG-LEFT:-50VW;MARG-RIGHT:-50VW;WIDTH:100VW;LEFT:50%;RIGHT:50%;}}{HEIGHT:TO;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG:TO LC(50% - 50VW);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG:TO;}}{POSN:RELATIVE;HEIGHT:TO;}{POSN:RELATIVE;--POSN:ABSOLUTE;HEIGHT:TO;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;HEIGHT:TO;} A{POSN:ABSOLUTE;}{POSN:RELATIVE;WIDTH:100%;HEIGHT:100%;OBJECT-F:VER;VERTIL-ALIGN:TOP;}{BACKGROUND:#C92228;BOTTOM:0;PADDG:.5REM;RIGHT:0;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{PADDG:0.39REM;}}{DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:1REM;WIDTH:1REM;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{WIDTH:1.063REM;HEIGHT:1.063REM;}}{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:1.1875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.6;PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{PADDG-LEFT:3.5REM;PADDG-RIGHT:3.5REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{MAX-WIDTH:45.25REM;MARG-LEFT:TO;MARG-RIGHT:TO;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 73.75REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 100REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 90REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}} EM{FONT-STYLE:ALIC;FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;} STRONG{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;}{CLEAR:BOTH;NTENT:" ";DISPLAY:BLOCK;FONT-SIZE:0.7REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.5REM;HEIGHT:0REM;VISIBILY:HIDN;}{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:1.1875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.6;} STRONG{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;} EM{FONT-STYLE:ALIC;FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;}(1973-){LOR:#323232;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:800;LETTER-SPACG:0.02EM;MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;MARG-TOP:0.625REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:1.875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:2REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{FONT-SIZE:2REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}} B, STRONG{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;} EM, I{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-STYLE:ALIC;}WHO IS JIM PARSONS?ACTOR JIM PARSONS STUDIED HIS CRAFT AT THE UNIVERSY OF HOTON AND THE UNIVERSY OF SAN DIEGO. FOLLOWG A SERI OF SMALL FILM AND TV ROL, HE ROCKETED TO FAME AS THE SOCIALLY STUNTED BUT BRILLIANT THEORETIL PHYSICIST SHELDON COOPER ON THE BIG BANG THEORY, WNG FOUR LEAD ACTOR EMMY AWARDS DURG THE H S'S 12-YEAR N. ALONG WH APPEARG FILMS LIKE THE MUPPETS AND HIDN FIGUR, PARSONS HAS EARNED ACCLAIM FOR HIS PERFORMANC BROADWAY PRODUCTNS OF THE NORMAL HEART AND THE BOYS THE BAND.EARLY LIFE & EDUTNJAM JOSEPH PARSONS WAS BORN ON MARCH 24, 1973, HOTON, TEXAS. HE GREW UP HOTON WH HIS SISTER, JULIE, AS THE CHILDREN OF A SCHOOL TEACHER AND THE PRINT OF A PLUMBG SUPPLY PANY. PARSONS SHOWED AN TERT PERFORMG AT AN EARLY AGE, BEGNG WH STUDYG THE PIANO KRGARTEN. A BUDDG ACTOR NEARLY OM THE START, HE EVENTUALLY VELOPED HIS OWN SCRIPTS AND STAGED PRODUCTNS AT HOME. AT KLE OAK HIGH SCHOOL, PARSONS STOOD OUT SCHOOL PRODUCTNS. AFTER ATTENDG THE UNIVERSY OF HOTON, PARSONS NTUED TO STUDY HIS CRAFT AT THE UNIVERSY OF SAN DIEGO, S GRADUATE PROGRAM WH THE OLD GLOBE THEATER, PLETG HIS MASTER'S GREE 2001. MOVI AND TV SHOWS'JUDGG AMY,' 'GARN STATE'PARSONS THEN MOVED TO NEW YORK CY, WHERE HE TRIED TO LNCH HIS ACTG REER. AT FIRST, HE FOUND HIMSELF STGGLG TO FD WORK, APPEARG OFF-BROADWAY PLAYS. HE ALSO LAND A RECURRG ROLE ON THE TV SHOW JUDGG AMY AND A B PART THE 2004 FILM GARN STATE. PARSONS MANAGED TO W OVER CHUCK LORRE, THE -CREATOR OF THE BIG BANG THEORY, HIS DN FOR THE NEW S 2006. LORRE TOLD THE TORONTO STAR THAT PARSONS "NAILED OM THE MOMENT HE WALKED TO THE ROOM. HE NAILED SO MUCH, I HAD TO ASK HIM TO E BACK AND DO AGA, BEE I WASN'T SURE IF HE HAD SIMPLY GOTTEN LUCKY."'THE BIG BANG THEORY'IN SEPTEMBER 2007, PARSONS MA HIS FIRST APPEARANCE AS THEORETIL PHYSICIST SHELDON COOPER ON THE BIG BANG THEORY. HE AND -STAR JOHNNY GALECKI, SHELDON'S ROOMMATE LEONARD, HAD GREAT IC CHEMISTRY OM THE START, PLAYG IENDS AND SOMETIM CLASHG SCIENTISTS. THE S'S ENSEMBLE ST ALSO CLUD SIMON HELBERG, WHO PLAYED ENGEER HOWARD WOLOWZ, AND KUNAL NAYYAR, WHO PLAYED ASTROPHYSICIST RAJ KOOTHRAPALLI. {-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN-THICKNS:0.0625REM;TEXT-RATN-LOR:HER;TEXT-UNRLE-OFFSET:0.25REM;LOR:#A00000;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;}{LOR:#595959;TEXT-RATN-LOR:BORR-LK-BODY-HOVER;}KALEY CUO ROUND OUT THE ST AS THEIR MON SENSE NEIGHBOR AND LEONARD'S LOVE TERT, PENNY. MAYIM BIALIK JOED THE SHOW LATER ON, PLAYG SHELDON'S AFFECTN-STARVED SIGNIFINT OTHER, AS DID MELISSA RCH, AS BERNATTE. REAL-LIFE SCIENTISTS BILL NYE, STEPHEN HAWKG AND NEIL GRASSE TYSON, AMONG OTHER GUT STARS, ALSO MA APPEARANC ON THE SERI. THE BIG BANG THEORY GREW TO BEE TV'S TOP-RATED S, THANKS PART TO PARSONS' BRILLIANT JOB OF HANDLG THE DIFFICULT SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNIL JARGON ED ON THE SHOW. HIS PELLG AND NVCG PORTRAYAL OF A QUIRKY BOY GENI HAD SOME FANS WONRG IF PARSONS BOASTED A SIAR IQ TO HIS CHARACTER'S. "PEOPLE ALWAYS WANT TO KNOW IF I'M AS SMART AS SHELDON," PARSONS EXPLAED TO THE TORONTO STAR. "IT'S SWEET THAT THEY FEEL PELLED TO ASK. BUT SADLY, NO." PARSONS RECEIVED HIS FIRST EMMY AWARD 2010, FOR HIS WORK ON THE BIG BANG THEORY, BEATG OUT SUCH TABLISHED STARS AS STEVE CARELL AND ALEC BALDW TO W ONE OF TV'S TOP HONORS. HIS WNG STREAK NTUED OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS, WH HIM TAKG HOME THREE MORE EMMYS FOR OUTSTANDG LEAD ACTOR A COMEDY SERI 2011, 2013 AND 2014.THE POPULARY OF HIS QUIRKY CHARACTER LED TO THE CREATN OF THE SPOFF YOUNG SHELDON 2016, WH IA ARMAGE STARRG AS THE NE-YEAR-OLD VERSN OF SHELDON HIGH SCHOOL, AND PARSONS VOLVED AS THE SHOW'S NARRATOR.IN AUGT 2018 WAS ANNOUNCED THAT THE BIG BANG THEORY WOULD SIGN OFF THE FOLLOWG MAY, AFTER AIRG S 12TH SEASON FALE. ENTERTAMENT WEEKLY REPORTED THAT THE SHOW WAS ENDG LARGELY DUE TO THE WISH OF PARSONS, WHO WAS LOOKG TO MOVE ON OM PLAYG SHELDON COOPER. THE BIG BANG THEORY WRAPPED S LONG N WH EPISO NO. 279 ON MAY 16, 2019.'THE MUPPETS,' 'WISH I WAS HERE'DURG PRODUCTN BREAKS ON HIS H S, PARSONS PURSUED OTHER CREATIVE OPPORTUNI. HE SURFACED AS THE HUMAN VERSN OF THE PUPPET WALTER THE MUPPETS (2011), AND 2014 HE APPEARED ZACH BRAFF'S DRAMATIC EDY WISH I WAS HERE AND LENT HIS VOICE TO THE LOVABLE ALIEN OH THE ANIMATED MOVIE HOME.'VISNS,' HIDN FIGUR,' 'A KID LIKE JAKE,' 'EXTREMELY WICKED' FOLLOWG HIS ROLE THE DARK THRILLER VISNS (2015), PARSONS WAS AMONG THE ST OF THE OSR-NOMATED BPIC HIDN FIGUR (2016). HE THEN -STARRED WH CLAIRE DAN THE DIE DRAMA A KID LIKE JAKE (2018), AS A PARENT ADAPTG TO HAVG A TRANSGENR CHILD.'EXTREMELY WICKED,' 'HOLLYWOOD'IN 2019 PARSONS PORTRAYED A PROSECUTG ATTORNEY THE TED BUNDY BPIC EXTREMELY WICKED, SHOCKGLY EVIL AND VILE. THE FOLLOWG YEAR HE LIVERED A WELL-RECEIVED TURN THE NETFLIX MISERI HOLLYWOOD AS HENRY WILLSON, AN AGENT WH MAFIA TI WHO HELPED LNCH THE SCREEN REERS OF CLOSETED GAY STARS LIKE ROCK HUDSON AND TAB HUNTER.THEATER WORK'THE NORMAL HEART' PARSONS HAS APPEARED ON BROADWAY SEVERAL TIM, CLUDG A 2011 REVIVAL OF LARRY KRAMER'S AIDS DRAMA, THE NORMAL HEART. A GAY MAN, PARSONS FOUND WORKG ON THE PLAY TO BE PECIALLY APPEALG. NOT LONG AFTER PERFORMG THE THEATER PRODUCTN, PARSONS WAS ST ALONGSI JULIA ROBERTS, MATT BOMER AND MARK RUFFALO THE TV ADAPTATN OF THE NORMAL HEART.'AN ACT OF GOD,' 'THE BOYS THE BAND'IN 2015 PARSONS RETURNED TO THE GREAT WHE WAY THE EDIC PLAY AN ACT OF GOD, STARRG AS THE TULAR CREATOR. IN 2018 HE JOED ANOTHER CELEBRATED BROADWAY PRODUCTN WH THE ROLE OF MICHAEL THE BOYS THE BAND, A REVIVAL OF THE GROUNDBREAKG 1968 PLAY ABOUT THE LIV OF GAY MEN. IN APRIL 2019 WAS ANNOUNCED THAT PARSONS AND THE RT OF THE BROADWAY ST WOULD JO A NETFLIX ADAPTATN OF THE PLAY.PARSONS RECEIVED A STAR ON THE HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME 2015. HE BEGAN HOSTG HIS OWN SHOW, JIM PARSONS IS TOO STUPID FOR POLICS, ON SIRIXM 2017.PERSONAL LIFE AND HBANDFOR MORE THAN A , PARSONS HAS BEEN A RELATNSHIP WH GRAPHIC SIGNER TODD SPIEWAK. IN SPEAKG ABOUT THEIR LIFE TOGETHER, PARSONS SAID 2013, "I'VE NEVER NSIRED MYSELF AN ACTIVIST. I'VE NEVER NSIRED MY RELATNSHIP WH TODD TO BE AN ACT OF ACTIVISM. RATHER SIMPLY, 'S AN ACT OF LOVE, FFEE THE MORNG, GOG TO WORK, WASHG THE CLOTH, TAKG THE DOGS [OUT] — A REGULAR LIFE, BORG LOVE.” PARSONS AND SPIEWAK MARRIED ON MAY 13, 2017, AT THE RABOW ROOM NEW YORK CY. {BORR:0;BORR-BOTTOM:TH SOLID BLACK;MARG:1.875REM 0;CLEAR:BOTH;}QUICK FACTS
• ‘SPOILER ALERT’ TRAILER: JIM PARSONS STARS IN A LIFE-AFFIRMG GAY LOVE STORY ABOUT INTIMACY, GRIEF, & REVERY
• JIM PARSONS SAYS 'IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME COMG' TO BE AN OUT GAY ACTOR HOLLYWOOD

BIG BANG THEORY'S JIM PARSONS SCRIB HIS JOURNEY TO PUBLICLY G OUT AS GAY

"'The Normal Heart' ronated wh him on a few levels, " Patrick Healy wrote, referrg to a play about young gay men and the AIDS crisis that Parsons had prevly been . Parsons is gay and a 10-year relatnship, and workg wh an ensemble aga onstage was like nourishment, he said. The Hollywood Reporter lled this "sual reference" a "new era" for gay celebri, notg that Parsons had long been open about his sexualy Hollywood circl.

The Big Bang Theory star Jim Parsons has reflected on g out as gay at the height of his Emmy-wng s's Parsons's iends and fay knew he had been a relatnship wh partner Todd Spiewak for many years, the actor discsed his sexualy publicly for the first time 2012 after playg an HIV-AIDS advote The Normal a wi-rangg discsn on the new seri of ‎David Tennant Do a Podst Wh…, Parsons told the former Doctor Who star that his upbrgg the Bible Belt fluenced him to separate his personal and profsnal liv for years. I mean, I uld feel off her, and maybe she even said to different gre, of like, 'How would work to be a succsful actor… pay your bills wh , and be gay? "I'm not aaid to be my quirks on stage and brg who I am and my sensiv, but I am aaid of revealg [I'm] gay, " he said of that time Kle//Getty ImagRelated: Big Bang Theory star Jim Parsons adms he "wouldn't have been able to handle" fame if he was youngerTennant asked whether Parsons felt prsure bee he was qutng his sexualy at the time, but Parsons explaed: "That would have been around the time I was g out, so I don't thk there was much more hidg , as far as that go.

"I do thk I was aaid of not beg able to play anythg but gay parts, not only if I me out, but bee I would appear effemate. “The other thg that was really thrillg to me was that was such a full view of a gay relatnship. I wouldn’t necsarily ll a lot of LGBTQ+ ntent, but there are a lot of gay characters that I get offered.

JIM PARSONS ON WHY BEG A GAY, ASPIRG ACTOR WHEN ELLEN DEGENER CAME OUT WAS ‘F—G SRY’

The majory, I would say, that I get offered are gay. I thk that a ago, if you’d have told me I’d be an out actor, and that I would therefore get offered tons and tons of gay rol, I’d have been like, “Well, that seems like an easy, tired thg to have happen.

” But the gay characters I have played, pecially the past five or so years — between [HBO’s 2014 adaptatn of] ‘The Normal Heart, ’ ‘The Boys the Band, ’ and the agent Henry Willson  Ryan Murphy’s ‘Hollywood, ’ and now this — they have been such rich characters and such tertg storyl that I have had an awakeng of how much I love as an actor — and, if I may say, artist — brgg myself to the work. As much as helped ultimately, was also fuckg sry as a gay person who wanted…a reer for themselv, the same road, the same dtry. The film, based onTVLe founr Michael Aiello's memoir Spoiler Alert: The Hero Di, about his hband's ath om ncer, is a universal story of love and loss wh a gay uple at s Boys the Band's Parsons plays Aiello the film, while Aldridge (Pennyworth, Fleabag) stars as his hband, K Cowan, who is diagnosed wh nroendocre ncer.

JIM PARSONS, BEN ALDRIDGE ON WHY SPOILER ALERT’S GAY LOVE STORY IS UNIVERSAL

"Bill Irw, Sally Field, Ben Aldridge, and Jim ParsonsFor Parsons, who's played gay characters before projects cludg The Boys the Band and The Normal Heart, Spoiler Alert afford him an opportuny to play a gay character a film that was about more than queerns.

"From the moment I read Michael's book that 's based on, seemed very ak to the type of movi that I grew up watchg and lovg that were they weren't about gay upl. ""It's the first time that I've had the chance to play a story that -- 's hard to say that them beg homosexual is sendary -- but kd of is 's really jt about two people who love each other and this journey that they go on, " he adds.

In an terview wh Variety for the outlet's Jt for Variety podst Wednday, Parsons, 49, noted that "the majory" of rol he is offered are gay characters.

JIM PARSONS SAYS 'IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME COMG' TO BE AN OUT GAY ACTOR HOLLYWOOD

"I wouldn't necsarily ll a lot of LGBTQ+ ntent, but there are a lot of gay characters that I get offered, " Parsons said when asked what kd of scripts he's sent. "The majory, I would say, that I get offered are gay.

'SPOILER ALERT' - JIM PARSONS AND BEN ALDRIDGE ON THEIR GAY 'LOVE STORY'

"I thk that a ago, if you'd have told me I'd be an out actor, and that I would therefore get offered tons and tons of gay rol, I'd have been like, 'Well, that seems like an easy, tired thg to have happen, ' ' he add. In recent years, Parsons — who quietly me out as gay via a 2012 profile The New York Tim — has played gay characters HBO's 2014 movie The Normal Heart, 2020's The Boys the Band and the miseri Hollywood, addn to his new role Spoiler Alert. Elsewhere durg the terview, Parsons noted that he "grew up a time where the first thg I thk of every time" on the topic of beg openly gay Hollywood "is when Ellen [DeGener] game out.

SPOILER ALERT'S JIM PARSONS ON WHY MOVI NEED "EVERYDAY, BORG PEOPLE" WHO JT HAPPEN TO BE GAY

As much as helped ultimately, was also f------ sry as a gay person who wanted…a reer for themselv, the same road, the same dtry, " the actor add. Funny, pellg, and emotnally ronant; "The Boys In The Band" sh and ntu to spire tons of viewers fifty years this drama based on the award-wng play, a birthday party tak place 1968 New York, when a surprise gut and a dnken game leave several gay iends reckong wh unspoken feelgs and unknown A+ st lead by an credible performance om Jim Parsons really puts the icg on the ke. It's an excellent look at gay men and the stggl they face daily.

25, 2022Ten years ago, the actor Jim Parsons, ridg high on the succs of the s that would lead to his eventually makg the Forb list as the hight paid actor televisn, sually told The New York Tim that he was gay and a long-term relatnship.

He remembers not wantg everythg om 2012 forward to be about his sexual starrg the romantic drama “Spoiler Alert” ( theaters), of which he was also one of the producers, and havg jt wrapped an Off Broadway n of the mil “A Man of No Importance” — both of which have him playg gay leads — he says he wouldn’t tra the work he’s been able to do for anythg. He add that he was happy not to end up pigeonholed as an actor who uld only do gay rol, even if more work me his way featurg gay characters. Growg up gay a Hoton suburb, he said he spent his first two s wh a “very real unrstandg that love would be lost” to him certa rners of his life.

JIM {LOR:#595959;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:600;MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:0.875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.2;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:1.25REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.2;}} A{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN-THICKNS:0.0625REM;TEXT-RATN-LOR:HER;TEXT-UNRLE-OFFSET:0.25REM;LOR:HER;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;} A:HOVER{LOR:#A00000;TEXT-RATN-LOR:BORR-LK-BODY-HOVER;}ACTOR JIM PARSONS ROSE TO FAME AS SHELDON ON THE POPULAR S 'THE BIG BANG THEORY' AND HAS RECEIVED PRAISE FOR HIS STAGE {MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;LOR:#323232;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;} SPAN{LE-HEIGHT:1.6;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;}{FONT-STYLE:NORMAL;PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;FONT-FAY:RALAS,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;LOR:#323232;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.3;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;TEXT-TRANSFORM:PALIZE;}{DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;MARG-LEFT:0.625REM;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;}UPDATED: JUN 23, {DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;}{MARG-BOTTOM:0.9375REM;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 64REM){{MAX-WIDTH:LC(100VW - (1REM * 2));MARG-LEFT:1REM;MARG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(-1 * 1REM);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{MARG-LEFT:TO;MARG-RIGHT:TO;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - (LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 2 * 1REM)) / -2);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 61.25REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 90REM){{MAX-WIDTH:LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM);MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 1REM - 20.625REM) / 2);PADDG-LEFT:1REM;PADDG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 1REM - 20.625REM) / -2) - 1REM);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 90REM){{MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 2);MAX-WIDTH:LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM);PADDG-LEFT:1REM;PADDG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 + 1REM)) / -2) - LC(2 * 1REM));}[DATA-HAS-SPONSOR] {MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 4);MARG-RIGHT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 4);}}{JTIFY-SELF:CENTER;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG-LEFT:-50VW;MARG-RIGHT:-50VW;WIDTH:100VW;LEFT:50%;RIGHT:50%;}}{HEIGHT:TO;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG:TO LC(50% - 50VW);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG:TO;}}{POSN:RELATIVE;HEIGHT:TO;}{POSN:RELATIVE;--POSN:ABSOLUTE;HEIGHT:TO;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;HEIGHT:TO;} A{POSN:ABSOLUTE;}{POSN:RELATIVE;WIDTH:100%;HEIGHT:100%;OBJECT-F:VER;VERTIL-ALIGN:TOP;}{BACKGROUND:#C92228;BOTTOM:0;PADDG:.5REM;RIGHT:0;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{PADDG:0.39REM;}}{DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:1REM;WIDTH:1REM;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{WIDTH:1.063REM;HEIGHT:1.063REM;}}{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:1.1875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.6;PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{PADDG-LEFT:3.5REM;PADDG-RIGHT:3.5REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{MAX-WIDTH:45.25REM;MARG-LEFT:TO;MARG-RIGHT:TO;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 73.75REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 100REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 90REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}} EM{FONT-STYLE:ALIC;FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;} STRONG{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;}{CLEAR:BOTH;NTENT:" ";DISPLAY:BLOCK;FONT-SIZE:0.7REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.5REM;HEIGHT:0REM;VISIBILY:HIDN;}{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:1.1875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.6;} STRONG{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;} EM{FONT-STYLE:ALIC;FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;}(1973-){LOR:#323232;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:800;LETTER-SPACG:0.02EM;MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;MARG-TOP:0.625REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:1.875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:2REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{FONT-SIZE:2REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}} B, STRONG{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;} EM, I{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-STYLE:ALIC;}WHO IS JIM PARSONS?ACTOR JIM PARSONS STUDIED HIS CRAFT AT THE UNIVERSY OF HOTON AND THE UNIVERSY OF SAN DIEGO. FOLLOWG A SERI OF SMALL FILM AND TV ROL, HE ROCKETED TO FAME AS THE SOCIALLY STUNTED BUT BRILLIANT THEORETIL PHYSICIST SHELDON COOPER ON THE BIG BANG THEORY, WNG FOUR LEAD ACTOR EMMY AWARDS DURG THE H S'S 12-YEAR N. ALONG WH APPEARG FILMS LIKE THE MUPPETS AND HIDN FIGUR, PARSONS HAS EARNED ACCLAIM FOR HIS PERFORMANC BROADWAY PRODUCTNS OF THE NORMAL HEART AND THE BOYS THE BAND.EARLY LIFE & EDUTNJAM JOSEPH PARSONS WAS BORN ON MARCH 24, 1973, HOTON, TEXAS. HE GREW UP HOTON WH HIS SISTER, JULIE, AS THE CHILDREN OF A SCHOOL TEACHER AND THE PRINT OF A PLUMBG SUPPLY PANY. PARSONS SHOWED AN TERT PERFORMG AT AN EARLY AGE, BEGNG WH STUDYG THE PIANO KRGARTEN. A BUDDG ACTOR NEARLY OM THE START, HE EVENTUALLY VELOPED HIS OWN SCRIPTS AND STAGED PRODUCTNS AT HOME. AT KLE OAK HIGH SCHOOL, PARSONS STOOD OUT SCHOOL PRODUCTNS. AFTER ATTENDG THE UNIVERSY OF HOTON, PARSONS NTUED TO STUDY HIS CRAFT AT THE UNIVERSY OF SAN DIEGO, S GRADUATE PROGRAM WH THE OLD GLOBE THEATER, PLETG HIS MASTER'S GREE 2001. MOVI AND TV SHOWS'JUDGG AMY,' 'GARN STATE'PARSONS THEN MOVED TO NEW YORK CY, WHERE HE TRIED TO LNCH HIS ACTG REER. AT FIRST, HE FOUND HIMSELF STGGLG TO FD WORK, APPEARG OFF-BROADWAY PLAYS. HE ALSO LAND A RECURRG ROLE ON THE TV SHOW JUDGG AMY AND A B PART THE 2004 FILM GARN STATE. PARSONS MANAGED TO W OVER CHUCK LORRE, THE -CREATOR OF THE BIG BANG THEORY, HIS DN FOR THE NEW S 2006. LORRE TOLD THE TORONTO STAR THAT PARSONS "NAILED OM THE MOMENT HE WALKED TO THE ROOM. HE NAILED SO MUCH, I HAD TO ASK HIM TO E BACK AND DO AGA, BEE I WASN'T SURE IF HE HAD SIMPLY GOTTEN LUCKY."'THE BIG BANG THEORY'IN SEPTEMBER 2007, PARSONS MA HIS FIRST APPEARANCE AS THEORETIL PHYSICIST SHELDON COOPER ON THE BIG BANG THEORY. HE AND -STAR JOHNNY GALECKI, SHELDON'S ROOMMATE LEONARD, HAD GREAT IC CHEMISTRY OM THE START, PLAYG IENDS AND SOMETIM CLASHG SCIENTISTS. THE S'S ENSEMBLE ST ALSO CLUD SIMON HELBERG, WHO PLAYED ENGEER HOWARD WOLOWZ, AND KUNAL NAYYAR, WHO PLAYED ASTROPHYSICIST RAJ KOOTHRAPALLI. {-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN-THICKNS:0.0625REM;TEXT-RATN-LOR:HER;TEXT-UNRLE-OFFSET:0.25REM;LOR:#A00000;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;}{LOR:#595959;TEXT-RATN-LOR:BORR-LK-BODY-HOVER;}KALEY CUO ROUND OUT THE ST AS THEIR MON SENSE NEIGHBOR AND LEONARD'S LOVE TERT, PENNY. MAYIM BIALIK JOED THE SHOW LATER ON, PLAYG SHELDON'S AFFECTN-STARVED SIGNIFINT OTHER, AS DID MELISSA RCH, AS BERNATTE. REAL-LIFE SCIENTISTS BILL NYE, STEPHEN HAWKG AND NEIL GRASSE TYSON, AMONG OTHER GUT STARS, ALSO MA APPEARANC ON THE SERI. THE BIG BANG THEORY GREW TO BEE TV'S TOP-RATED S, THANKS PART TO PARSONS' BRILLIANT JOB OF HANDLG THE DIFFICULT SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNIL JARGON ED ON THE SHOW. HIS PELLG AND NVCG PORTRAYAL OF A QUIRKY BOY GENI HAD SOME FANS WONRG IF PARSONS BOASTED A SIAR IQ TO HIS CHARACTER'S. "PEOPLE ALWAYS WANT TO KNOW IF I'M AS SMART AS SHELDON," PARSONS EXPLAED TO THE TORONTO STAR. "IT'S SWEET THAT THEY FEEL PELLED TO ASK. BUT SADLY, NO." PARSONS RECEIVED HIS FIRST EMMY AWARD 2010, FOR HIS WORK ON THE BIG BANG THEORY, BEATG OUT SUCH TABLISHED STARS AS STEVE CARELL AND ALEC BALDW TO W ONE OF TV'S TOP HONORS. HIS WNG STREAK NTUED OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS, WH HIM TAKG HOME THREE MORE EMMYS FOR OUTSTANDG LEAD ACTOR A COMEDY SERI 2011, 2013 AND 2014.THE POPULARY OF HIS QUIRKY CHARACTER LED TO THE CREATN OF THE SPOFF YOUNG SHELDON 2016, WH IA ARMAGE STARRG AS THE NE-YEAR-OLD VERSN OF SHELDON HIGH SCHOOL, AND PARSONS VOLVED AS THE SHOW'S NARRATOR.IN AUGT 2018 WAS ANNOUNCED THAT THE BIG BANG THEORY WOULD SIGN OFF THE FOLLOWG MAY, AFTER AIRG S 12TH SEASON FALE. ENTERTAMENT WEEKLY REPORTED THAT THE SHOW WAS ENDG LARGELY DUE TO THE WISH OF PARSONS, WHO WAS LOOKG TO MOVE ON OM PLAYG SHELDON COOPER. THE BIG BANG THEORY WRAPPED S LONG N WH EPISO NO. 279 ON MAY 16, 2019.'THE MUPPETS,' 'WISH I WAS HERE'DURG PRODUCTN BREAKS ON HIS H S, PARSONS PURSUED OTHER CREATIVE OPPORTUNI. HE SURFACED AS THE HUMAN VERSN OF THE PUPPET WALTER THE MUPPETS (2011), AND 2014 HE APPEARED ZACH BRAFF'S DRAMATIC EDY WISH I WAS HERE AND LENT HIS VOICE TO THE LOVABLE ALIEN OH THE ANIMATED MOVIE HOME.'VISNS,' HIDN FIGUR,' 'A KID LIKE JAKE,' 'EXTREMELY WICKED' FOLLOWG HIS ROLE THE DARK THRILLER VISNS (2015), PARSONS WAS AMONG THE ST OF THE OSR-NOMATED BPIC HIDN FIGUR (2016). HE THEN -STARRED WH CLAIRE DAN THE DIE DRAMA A KID LIKE JAKE (2018), AS A PARENT ADAPTG TO HAVG A TRANSGENR CHILD.'EXTREMELY WICKED,' 'HOLLYWOOD'IN 2019 PARSONS PORTRAYED A PROSECUTG ATTORNEY THE TED BUNDY BPIC EXTREMELY WICKED, SHOCKGLY EVIL AND VILE. THE FOLLOWG YEAR HE LIVERED A WELL-RECEIVED TURN THE NETFLIX MISERI HOLLYWOOD AS HENRY WILLSON, AN AGENT WH MAFIA TI WHO HELPED LNCH THE SCREEN REERS OF CLOSETED GAY STARS LIKE ROCK HUDSON AND TAB HUNTER.THEATER WORK'THE NORMAL HEART' PARSONS HAS APPEARED ON BROADWAY SEVERAL TIM, CLUDG A 2011 REVIVAL OF LARRY KRAMER'S AIDS DRAMA, THE NORMAL HEART. A GAY MAN, PARSONS FOUND WORKG ON THE PLAY TO BE PECIALLY APPEALG. NOT LONG AFTER PERFORMG THE THEATER PRODUCTN, PARSONS WAS ST ALONGSI JULIA ROBERTS, MATT BOMER AND MARK RUFFALO THE TV ADAPTATN OF THE NORMAL HEART.'AN ACT OF GOD,' 'THE BOYS THE BAND'IN 2015 PARSONS RETURNED TO THE GREAT WHE WAY THE EDIC PLAY AN ACT OF GOD, STARRG AS THE TULAR CREATOR. IN 2018 HE JOED ANOTHER CELEBRATED BROADWAY PRODUCTN WH THE ROLE OF MICHAEL THE BOYS THE BAND, A REVIVAL OF THE GROUNDBREAKG 1968 PLAY ABOUT THE LIV OF GAY MEN. IN APRIL 2019 WAS ANNOUNCED THAT PARSONS AND THE RT OF THE BROADWAY ST WOULD JO A NETFLIX ADAPTATN OF THE PLAY.PARSONS RECEIVED A STAR ON THE HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME 2015. HE BEGAN HOSTG HIS OWN SHOW, JIM PARSONS IS TOO STUPID FOR POLICS, ON SIRIXM 2017.PERSONAL LIFE AND HBANDFOR MORE THAN A , PARSONS HAS BEEN A RELATNSHIP WH GRAPHIC SIGNER TODD SPIEWAK. IN SPEAKG ABOUT THEIR LIFE TOGETHER, PARSONS SAID 2013, "I'VE NEVER NSIRED MYSELF AN ACTIVIST. I'VE NEVER NSIRED MY RELATNSHIP WH TODD TO BE AN ACT OF ACTIVISM. RATHER SIMPLY, 'S AN ACT OF LOVE, FFEE THE MORNG, GOG TO WORK, WASHG THE CLOTH, TAKG THE DOGS [OUT] — A REGULAR LIFE, BORG LOVE.” PARSONS AND SPIEWAK MARRIED ON MAY 13, 2017, AT THE RABOW ROOM NEW YORK CY. {BORR:0;BORR-BOTTOM:TH SOLID BLACK;MARG:1.875REM 0;CLEAR:BOTH;}QUICK FACTS

”His last stage outg before that, the 2018 Broadway revival of “The Boys the Band” (a 2020 film adaptatn followed), saw him play oppose Matt Bomer, who also attaed mastream regnn through televisn before g out as gay 2012.

"Spoiler Alert, " based on gay TV journalist Michael Aiello's 2017 memoir, ncerns his 14-year love affair wh his photographer partner, K Cowan, who died of a rare nroendocre ncer 2015. Obssed wh televisn at an early age, he fds a fense mechanism to al wh the trma of beg gay and the grief of his mother's ath. Gay scriptwrers David Marshall Grant (the actor bt known as gay Rsell the landmark 1989 episo of TV's "thirtysomethg, " shown bed wh another male character after havg had sex) and sex advice lumnist/relatnship gu Dan Savage, make the gimmicky choice of portrayg Aiello's childhood as a fantasy 1980s fay s plete wh a phony livg-room set and nned lgh track as a means of downplayg the pathos/prsg elements of the plot.

‘SPOILER ALERT’ TRAILER: JIM PARSONS STARS IN A LIFE-AFFIRMG GAY LOVE STORY ABOUT INTIMACY, GRIEF, & REVERY

Director Michael Showalter, who skillfully mixed edy and drama the hospal soap opera "The Big Sick" falters here, so we are left wh a gay tear-jerker imatn of the 1970 "Love Story.

At age 30 he fally tells them he's gay. Field is the mother every gay man wish he had and vts the role wh exuberance.

Gay shorthandIn an terview wh Parsons and Aldridge three weeks ago at the Rz Carlton Hotel when they vised San Francis for the film's promotnal screeng at the Castro Theatre, both men were asked if beg out gay actors was an advantage tellg this story.

JIM PARSONS SAYS 'IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME COMG' TO BE AN OUT GAY ACTOR HOLLYWOOD

"I feel my beg gay wasn't the most important nnectn bee the film is so much about lovg another person and the risks that volv, " Parsons mented.

"However, makg the film wh another gay actor and lots of queer people on our creative team fely add somethg... There don't have to be l that only gay actors should play gay characters, but those tellg the story really do unrstand what's gog on, which help gui and protect the stori. "Life-affirmgWh the box office failure of "Bros, " a gay rom- wh an all-queer st that was heavily promoted, were they worried if LGBTQ dienc would show up for "Spoiler, " pecially sce the film uld be seen as a downer pared to the upbeat "Bros?