Supernova, the latt Hollywood film to feature straight actors playg gay men. It's time for Hollywood to stop discrimatg gay people.
Contents:
- 10 STRAIGHT ACTORS WHO REFE TO PLAY GAY ROL (AND 10 WHO DON'T MD)
- LET’S SETTLE THIS: CAN STRAIGHT ACTORS PLAY GAY ROL?
- 23 CELEBS WHO WEREN'T AAID TO PLAY LGBT {MARG:12PX TO 0;}@MEDIA (M-WIDTH:980PX){{MAX-WIDTH:50%;}}{FONT:NORMAL 400 1.4REM/1.5 "SOEHNE",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;MARG:12PX TO 0;}@MEDIA (M-WIDTH:980PX){{MAX-WIDTH:50%;}}A LOOK AT SOME OF THE BT QUEER CHARACTERS ON FILM AND {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG-BOTTOM:54PX;OVERFLOW-X:HIDN;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;BACKGROUND:#FFFFFF;-WEBK-FLEX-DIRECTN:LUMN;-MS-FLEX-DIRECTN:LUMN;FLEX-DIRECTN:LUMN;BOX-SHADOW:0 4PX 8PX 0 RGBA(0,0,0,0.08);MARG-BOTTOM:54PX;}{WIDTH:100%;HEIGHT:TO;} IMG{HEIGHT:100%;WIDTH:100%;OBJECT-F:NTA;}{WIDTH:1600PX;HEIGHT:800PX;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:18PX 24PX;DISPLAY:GRID;GRID-GAP:18PX;TEXT-ALIGN:CENTER;}{LOR:#0A0A0A;}{FONT:NORMAL 700 2.0REM/1.25 "SOEHNE",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;LOR:#0A0A0A;}1 / {LOR:#0A0A0A;} A{FONT:HER;LOR:HER;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} STRONG, B{FONT-WEIGHT:BOLR;}{FONT:NORMAL 400 1.4REM/1.5 "SOEHNE",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;LOR:#0A0A0A;} A{FONT:HER;LOR:HER;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} STRONG, B{FONT-WEIGHT:BOLR;}AND SCENE - ONCE UPON A TIME, PLAYG AN LGBT CHARACTER ON SCREEN WAS REER SUICI. TODAY, PORTRAYG AN LGBT CHARACTER N LEAD TO AN OSR W. FEATURG A-LISTERS LIKE QUEEN LATIFAH, WILL SMH AND TAYE DIGGS, HERE IS A LOOK BACK AT SOME OF THE MOST FAMO LGBT ROL ON THE BIG AND SMALL SCREEN.(PHOTOS OM LEFT: FRAZER HARRISON/GETTY IMAG, PL ARCHULETA/FILMMAGIC, TONY BARSON/FILMMAGIC) {LOR:#818181;FONT-WEIGHT:400;}{FONT:NORMAL 600 1.4REM/1.2 "SOEHNE",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;LOR:#818181;FONT-WEIGHT:400;}PHOTO BY {LOR:HER;FONT:HER;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;}{LOR:HER;FONT:HER;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;}PHOTO BY FRAZER HARRISON/GETTY {WIDTH:4216PX;HEIGHT:2873PX;}2 / 24WILL SMH - IN 1993, WILL SMH PLAYED THE ROLE OF PL SIX DEGRE OF SEPARATN, BASED ON THE TE-LIFE STORY OF DAVID HAMPTON, AN OPENLY GAY N MAN WHO MANAGED TO NVCE MANY PEOPLE HE WAS THE SON OF SIDNEY POIER.(PHOTO: JASON MERRT/GETTY IMAG){WIDTH:2581PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}3 / 24FORT WHAKER - AMY AWARD-WNER FORT WHAKER, ALWAYS A WILLG PARTICIPANT TO PH THE ENVELOPE, PLAYED A FLAMBOYANT GAY FASHN SIGNER ROBERT ALTMAN'S PRêT-à-PORTER (1994). HE ALSO PLAYED A GAY CHARACTER THE CRYG GAME (1993).(PHOTO: JEFEY UFBERG/WIREIMAGE){WIDTH:2134PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}4 / 24WLEY SNIP - WLEY SNIP LAMPOONED HIS MACHO IMAGE TO WONG FOO, THANKS FOR EVERYTHG! JULIE NEWMAR (1995), WHICH HE, ALONG WH PATRICK SWAYZE AND JOHN LEGUIZAMO, PLAYED A DRAG QUEEN. SNIP'S NOXEEMA JACKSON PLETE WH A BLOND WIG AND RED HIGH-HEELED SHO. NOXEEMA IS THE -WNER OF A DRAG QUEEN BETY PAGEANT AND IS NOT AAID OF WIGGLG HER HIPS.(PHOTO: JIM SPELLMAN/WIREIMAGE){WIDTH:2149PX;HEIGHT:3235PX;}5 / 24QUEEN LATIFAH - QUEEN LATIFAH WAS UNFETTABLE HER ROLE AS CLEO SIMS, A TOUGH, LBIAN BANK ROBBER THE 1996 BOX-OFFICE H SET IT OFF. THE CHARACTER EARNED HER AN NAACP IMAGE AWARD NOMATN.(PHOTO: JASON MERRT/GETTY IMAG){MARG-BOTTOM:54PX;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG-BOTTOM:54PX;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:NONE;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;} + .E1IATVX90{DISPLAY:NONE;}(:EMPTY){DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;}(:EMPTY) + .E1IATVX90{DISPLAY:BLOCK;}{BACKGROUND-LOR:#0A0A0A;LOR:#FAFAFA;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;-WEBK-LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;-MOZ-LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;-MS-LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;PADDG:2PX 5PX;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;PADDG:3PX 5PX 4PX 5PX;LOR:#C4FF2C;BACKGROUND-LOR:#000000;LOR:#FFFFFF;DISPLAY:BLOCK;TEXT-ALIGN:CENTER;}{FONT:NORMAL 600 1.4REM/1.2 "SOEHNE",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;BACKGROUND-LOR:#0A0A0A;LOR:#FAFAFA;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;-WEBK-LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;-MOZ-LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;-MS-LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;PADDG:2PX 5PX;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;PADDG:3PX 5PX 4PX 5PX;LOR:#C4FF2C;BACKGROUND-LOR:#000000;LOR:#FFFFFF;DISPLAY:BLOCK;TEXT-ALIGN:CENTER;}{WIDTH:2063PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}6 / 24ISAIAH WASHGTON - IN 1996, FORMER GREY'S ANATOMY STAR ISAIAH WASHGTON PLAYED HALF OF A GAY UPLE ON THEIR WAY TO THE 1995 MILLN MAN MARCH WASHGTON, D.C., SPIKE LEE'S GET ON THE B. PLAYED BY HARRY LENNIX AND WASHGTON, THE GAY LOVERS ARE ON THE VERGE OF SEPARATN.(PHOTO: MATHEW IMAGG/FILMMAGIC){WIDTH:2456PX;HEIGHT:3500PX;}7 / 24GIANRLO ESPOSO - GIANRLO ESPOSO PLAYED JOSEPH, GLORIA MATTHEW'S (LORETTA DEVE) EX-HBAND AND FATHER OF HER CHILD (DONALD FAISON) WAG TO EXHALE. HE DROPS A BOMB ON GLORIA THE FILM WHEN HE OUT OF THE CLOSET AS A GAY MAN.(PHOTO: JASON MERRT/GETTY IMAG){WIDTH:2167PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}8 / 24ROCKMOND DUNBAR - ROCKMOND DUNBAR, BT KNOWN FOR HIS LEADG ROLE AS KENNY CHADWAY ON THE CRILLY-ACCLAIMED TELEVISN SERI SOUL FOOD, PLAYED A GAY MAN PUNKS (2000) AND DIRTY LNDRY (2006), WHICH HIS CHARACTER WAS A MAGAZE EDOR.(PHOTOS: MRY PHILLIPS/WIREIMAGE){WIDTH:2001PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}9 / 24VG RHAM - VG RHAM PORTRAYED A DRAG QUEEN THE TELEVISN MOVIE HOLIDAY HEART (2000) AND A GAY MAN I NOW PRONOUNCE YOU CHUCK & LARRY (2007).(PHOTO: LEE CELANO/WIREIMAGE){WIDTH:2500PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}10 / 24ANTHONY MACKIE - IN 2004, ANTHONY MACKIE WAS AN UP-AND-G ACTOR AND ALREADY EXPERIENCED BIG SUCCS FOR PLAYG EMEM'S BFF 8 MILE. HOWEVER, HE SHOWED OFF HIS JULLIARD-TRAED ACTG CHOPS AS THE LEAD RODNEY EVANS'S BROTHER TO BROTHER. MACKIE TACKLED THE ROLE OF PERRY — AN ART STUNT WHO WAS ON THE SEARCH FOR LOVE WHILE SIMULTANEOLY LEARNG THE ROOTS OF THE HARLEM RENAISSANCE VIA AN OLR GAY MAN — WH GRACE. THE RISK PAID OFF, EARNG MACKIE AN INPENNT SPIR AWARD FOR BT DEBUT PERFORMANCE.(PHOTO: LARS NIKI/GETTY IMAG FOR RONALD MCDONALD HOE NEW YORK){WIDTH:2150PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}11 / 24TAYE DIGGS - IN EARLY 2006, TAYE DIGGS GUT-STARRED FOR SEVERAL EPISOS AS WILL TMAN'S LOVE TERT, JAM, ON THE FAL SEASON OF WILL & GRACE.(PHOTO: MICHAEL ZORN/FILMMAGIC){WIDTH:2382PX;HEIGHT:3177PX;}12 / 24GABRIELLE UNN - GABRIELLE UNN ADD PLAYG A LBIAN TO HER FILMOGRAPHY 2006 WH A STANDOUT ROLE AS ANTE BENNG’S LOVER THE FILM ADAPTATN OF AUGTEN BURROUGH'S BT-SELLG MEMOIR RUNNG WH SCISSORS.(PHOTO: JON KOPALOFF/FILMMAGIC){WIDTH:2921PX;HEIGHT:4389PX;}13 / 24TARAJI P. HENSON - IN 2006'S SMOK' AC, TARAJI P. HENSON WAS SHARICE WATERS, A HARD-RE LBIAN ASSASS WHO HAD A CSH ON HER PARTER--CRIME GEIA SYK (ALICIA KEYS).(PHOTO: KEV MAZUR/GETTY IMAG){WIDTH:2103PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}14 / 24JADA PKETT-SMH - IN 2008, JADA PKETT SMH PLAYED A LBIAN THE WOMEN, WHICH ALSO STARRED ANTE BENNG AND EVA MENS. SMH SAID ABOUT THE ROLE, "I ENJOYED PLAYG A LBIAN AND I WISH I ULD HAVE BEEN MORE OF A LBIAN THE MOVIE, BUT I WASN'T ALLOWED TO DO THAT."(PHOTO: MICHAEL LOCCISANO/GETTY IMAG){WIDTH:3194PX;HEIGHT:4200PX;}15 / 24KERRY WASHGTON - IN 2009, KERRY WASHGTON WOWED DIENC PLAYG A TRANSGENR WOMAN LIFE IS HOT CRACKTOWN. SHE TOLD ABOUT THE ROLE, "ONE OF THE THGS I REALIZED APPROACHG THIS ROLE WAS THAT I ACTUALLY FIGURED OUT EARLY ON THAT I WAS GOG TO LEARN A LOT ABOUT BEG A WOMAN — PERD. BEE, REALLY, WHAT A TRANS WOMAN IS, IS SOMEBODY WHO IS A WOMAN BUT WHOSE BLOGY HAS BETRAYED THEM SOMEWAY."(PHOTO: AXELLE/BER-GRIFF/FILMMAGIC){WIDTH:2152PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}16 / 24GUN HILL ROAD AND PARIAH - THE TWO DIE FILMS DIDN'T HAVE MAJOR STAR POWER, BUT WERE CRIL DARLGS 2011. RASHAAD ERNTO GREEN'S GUN HILL ROAD STARRED HARMONY SANTANA AS A TRANSGENR TEEN LIVG THE BRONX. DEE RE'S PARIAH FEATURED APERO ODUYE AS A LBIAN TEENAGER OM BROOKLYN STGGLG WH INTY AND FAY. BOTH FILMS WERE HONORED WH VAR DIE AWARDS AND PROVED THAT LGBT STORI ARE NECCSARY. (PHOTO: JOHN LAMPARSKI/WIREIMAGE){WIDTH:2000PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}17 / 24LENNY KRAVZ - THE WORLD-FAMO ROCKER LOOKED FOR A PROVOTIVE CHARACTER TO PLAY FOR HIS RETURN TO THE BIG SCREEN AND HE FOUND HUNGER GAM' CNA, WHO IS BISEXUAL. TO PORTRAY THE FLAMBOYANT STYLIST, KRAVZ SAYS HE CHANNELED "A IEND WHO IS A DANCER WHO IS BISEXUAL, AND HE WAS A LOT OF SPIRATN FOR MY SPEECH PATTERN AND MY RHYTHM, AND KD OF THE WAY I SNTERED AND OUT A LTLE B." (PHOTO: CHELSEA LREN/WIREIMAGE){WIDTH:1300PX;HEIGHT:900PX;}18 / 24JEFEY WRIGHT - WRIGHT WAS NOMATED FOR A GOLN GLOBE AND WON AN EMMY FOR HIS PORTRAYAL OF A DRAG QUEEN MIKE NICHOLS'S TELEVISN ADAPTATN OF PULZER PRIZE-WNG PLAY ANGELS AMERI, ABOUT A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHOSE RELATNSHIPS AND LIV ARE AFFECTED BY AIDS. THE SERI WENT ON TO BREAK THE RERD PREVLY HELD BY ROOTS FOR WNG THE MOST EMMYS.(PHOTOS: MICHAEL LOCCISANO/GETTY IMAG)19 / 24MICHAEL K. WILLIAMS - AS GUN-TOTG STICK-UP MAN OMAR LTLE ON THE WIRE, WILLIAMS GAVE ONE OF THE MOST SUBTLE, HONT AND SURPRISG PORTRAYALS OF A GAY MAN ON TELEVISN. THE CHARACTER'S PERSONAL LIFE, AND THE NER LIFE WILLIAMS BROUGHT TO , WAS SO NUANCED AND UNIQUE THAT PRINT OBAMA LLED HIM HIS FAVORE CHARACTER ON TELEVISN.(PHOTOS: JOHN RIRD/BET)20 / 24DWAYNE "THE ROCK" JOHNSON - JOHNSON PLAYED A GAY BODYGUARD WH DREAMS OF STARDOM THIS SEQUEL TO THE H HEIST EDY GET SHORTY. THOUGH THIS CHARACTER'S JOB WAS NOT A STRETCH FOR THE ROCK, HIS PERSONAL LIFE CERTALY WAS. (PHOTOS: ALBERTO E. RODRIGUEZ/GETTY IMAG)ADVERTISEMENT21 / 24TONY BRAVADO - ON LET'S STAY TOGETHER, BRAVADO PLAYED DARKANIAN LE'JOHNSON, A CLOSETED PROFSNAL FOOTBALL PLAYER WHO OVERPENSAT FOR HIS SECRET RELATNSHIP WH A MAN BY LAYG ON THICK WH THE LADI.(PHOTOS: PERVIS PR){WIDTH:2274PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}22 / 24GAV HOTON - THIS ACTOR'S ACTG REER STARTED 1992 AN EPISO OF THE COSBY SHOW, BUT HIS BIG BREAK ME 2013 WHEN HE STARRED AS JEFEY HARRGTON, THE CLOSETED GAY SON OF A POLICIAN, TYLER PERRY'S THE HAV AND THE HAVE NOTS.(PHOTO: CHRIS MCKAY/WIREIMAGE)
- 12 ACTORS WHO HAVE A TOUGH TIME PLAYG GAY ROL (AND 3 OKAY WH IT)
10 STRAIGHT ACTORS WHO REFE TO PLAY GAY ROL (AND 10 WHO DON'T MD)
The bate over whether or not straight actors should play gay rol isn’t gog to die down any time soon. * gay role play roles *
John Benjam Hickey — whose Col “In Treatment” is heterosexual — has been outspokenly gay for years, but Emmy-nomated Emma Corr was not yet publicly queer when she was st as Prcs Diana “The Crown. 18, 2021A prev versn of this article said Jonathan Bailey was not yet publicly gay when he won the role of Visunt Anthony “Bridgerton. “Once they e out, lbian, gay and bisexual actors have rarely been nsired for straight leadg rol, ” says GLAAD director of entertament media Jeremy Blacklow.
Knight, Emmy-nomated 2007 for playg hetero heartthrob Gee “Grey’s Anatomy” and who now — alongsi fellow out “The Flight Attendant” st member Griff Matthews — plays gay that Emmy-nomated seri. ”“In the 22 years we’ve worked together, we’ve always brought gay and straight actors for straight and gay rol, ” says Emmy-nomated Sharon Bialy of Bialy/Thomas & Associat, speakg of herself, bs partner Sherry Thomas and associate Rsell Stt. “I would never not allow a gay person to play a straight role.
The bate over whether or not straight actors should play gay rol isn’t gog to die down any time soon.
LET’S SETTLE THIS: CAN STRAIGHT ACTORS PLAY GAY ROL?
* gay role play roles *
While we fely prefer that most gay rol go to gay actors, and we love the thenticy they brg to the rol and the projects they’re , we n’t help but have a special soft spot for a few straight stars, like Brendan Fraser, are great people and great at playg gay, but aren't really known for . We want a future where every talented queer actor n get whatever rol they want and where queer actors fally w awards for playg queer rol, but until then, the ten actors show that not every straight actor should be banned om playg gay on screen.
Theron won an Osr for playg queer serial killer Aileen Wuornos Monster, and then played gay aga the next year 2004’s Head the Clouds. But we really loved her as a bisexual actn star Atomic Blon, and as a gay in rol like Fura Mad Max: Fury Road, and Andy The Old Guard. Firth was nomated for an Osr and won the BAFTA for his role as a gay Brish profsor livg 1960’s California the film A Sgle Man.
He’s also played gay oppose Stanley Tucci Supernova, and plays Harry Bright, one of Sophia’s potential fathers (and a gay man) the Mamma Mia!
23 CELEBS WHO WEREN'T AAID TO PLAY LGBT {MARG:12PX TO 0;}@MEDIA (M-WIDTH:980PX){{MAX-WIDTH:50%;}}{FONT:NORMAL 400 1.4REM/1.5 "SOEHNE",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;MARG:12PX TO 0;}@MEDIA (M-WIDTH:980PX){{MAX-WIDTH:50%;}}A LOOK AT SOME OF THE BT QUEER CHARACTERS ON FILM AND {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG-BOTTOM:54PX;OVERFLOW-X:HIDN;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;BACKGROUND:#FFFFFF;-WEBK-FLEX-DIRECTN:LUMN;-MS-FLEX-DIRECTN:LUMN;FLEX-DIRECTN:LUMN;BOX-SHADOW:0 4PX 8PX 0 RGBA(0,0,0,0.08);MARG-BOTTOM:54PX;}{WIDTH:100%;HEIGHT:TO;} IMG{HEIGHT:100%;WIDTH:100%;OBJECT-F:NTA;}{WIDTH:1600PX;HEIGHT:800PX;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:18PX 24PX;DISPLAY:GRID;GRID-GAP:18PX;TEXT-ALIGN:CENTER;}{LOR:#0A0A0A;}{FONT:NORMAL 700 2.0REM/1.25 "SOEHNE",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;LOR:#0A0A0A;}1 / {LOR:#0A0A0A;} A{FONT:HER;LOR:HER;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} STRONG, B{FONT-WEIGHT:BOLR;}{FONT:NORMAL 400 1.4REM/1.5 "SOEHNE",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;LOR:#0A0A0A;} A{FONT:HER;LOR:HER;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} STRONG, B{FONT-WEIGHT:BOLR;}AND SCENE - ONCE UPON A TIME, PLAYG AN LGBT CHARACTER ON SCREEN WAS REER SUICI. TODAY, PORTRAYG AN LGBT CHARACTER N LEAD TO AN OSR W. FEATURG A-LISTERS LIKE QUEEN LATIFAH, WILL SMH AND TAYE DIGGS, HERE IS A LOOK BACK AT SOME OF THE MOST FAMO LGBT ROL ON THE BIG AND SMALL SCREEN.(PHOTOS OM LEFT: FRAZER HARRISON/GETTY IMAG, PL ARCHULETA/FILMMAGIC, TONY BARSON/FILMMAGIC) {LOR:#818181;FONT-WEIGHT:400;}{FONT:NORMAL 600 1.4REM/1.2 "SOEHNE",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;LOR:#818181;FONT-WEIGHT:400;}PHOTO BY {LOR:HER;FONT:HER;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;}{LOR:HER;FONT:HER;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;}PHOTO BY FRAZER HARRISON/GETTY {WIDTH:4216PX;HEIGHT:2873PX;}2 / 24WILL SMH - IN 1993, WILL SMH PLAYED THE ROLE OF PL SIX DEGRE OF SEPARATN, BASED ON THE TE-LIFE STORY OF DAVID HAMPTON, AN OPENLY GAY N MAN WHO MANAGED TO NVCE MANY PEOPLE HE WAS THE SON OF SIDNEY POIER.(PHOTO: JASON MERRT/GETTY IMAG){WIDTH:2581PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}3 / 24FORT WHAKER - AMY AWARD-WNER FORT WHAKER, ALWAYS A WILLG PARTICIPANT TO PH THE ENVELOPE, PLAYED A FLAMBOYANT GAY FASHN SIGNER ROBERT ALTMAN'S PRêT-à-PORTER (1994). HE ALSO PLAYED A GAY CHARACTER THE CRYG GAME (1993).(PHOTO: JEFEY UFBERG/WIREIMAGE){WIDTH:2134PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}4 / 24WLEY SNIP - WLEY SNIP LAMPOONED HIS MACHO IMAGE TO WONG FOO, THANKS FOR EVERYTHG! JULIE NEWMAR (1995), WHICH HE, ALONG WH PATRICK SWAYZE AND JOHN LEGUIZAMO, PLAYED A DRAG QUEEN. SNIP'S NOXEEMA JACKSON PLETE WH A BLOND WIG AND RED HIGH-HEELED SHO. NOXEEMA IS THE -WNER OF A DRAG QUEEN BETY PAGEANT AND IS NOT AAID OF WIGGLG HER HIPS.(PHOTO: JIM SPELLMAN/WIREIMAGE){WIDTH:2149PX;HEIGHT:3235PX;}5 / 24QUEEN LATIFAH - QUEEN LATIFAH WAS UNFETTABLE HER ROLE AS CLEO SIMS, A TOUGH, LBIAN BANK ROBBER THE 1996 BOX-OFFICE H SET IT OFF. THE CHARACTER EARNED HER AN NAACP IMAGE AWARD NOMATN.(PHOTO: JASON MERRT/GETTY IMAG){MARG-BOTTOM:54PX;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG-BOTTOM:54PX;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:NONE;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;} + .E1IATVX90{DISPLAY:NONE;}(:EMPTY){DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;}(:EMPTY) + .E1IATVX90{DISPLAY:BLOCK;}{BACKGROUND-LOR:#0A0A0A;LOR:#FAFAFA;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;-WEBK-LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;-MOZ-LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;-MS-LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;PADDG:2PX 5PX;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;PADDG:3PX 5PX 4PX 5PX;LOR:#C4FF2C;BACKGROUND-LOR:#000000;LOR:#FFFFFF;DISPLAY:BLOCK;TEXT-ALIGN:CENTER;}{FONT:NORMAL 600 1.4REM/1.2 "SOEHNE",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;BACKGROUND-LOR:#0A0A0A;LOR:#FAFAFA;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;-WEBK-LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;-MOZ-LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;-MS-LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;PADDG:2PX 5PX;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;PADDG:3PX 5PX 4PX 5PX;LOR:#C4FF2C;BACKGROUND-LOR:#000000;LOR:#FFFFFF;DISPLAY:BLOCK;TEXT-ALIGN:CENTER;}{WIDTH:2063PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}6 / 24ISAIAH WASHGTON - IN 1996, FORMER GREY'S ANATOMY STAR ISAIAH WASHGTON PLAYED HALF OF A GAY UPLE ON THEIR WAY TO THE 1995 MILLN MAN MARCH WASHGTON, D.C., SPIKE LEE'S GET ON THE B. PLAYED BY HARRY LENNIX AND WASHGTON, THE GAY LOVERS ARE ON THE VERGE OF SEPARATN.(PHOTO: MATHEW IMAGG/FILMMAGIC){WIDTH:2456PX;HEIGHT:3500PX;}7 / 24GIANRLO ESPOSO - GIANRLO ESPOSO PLAYED JOSEPH, GLORIA MATTHEW'S (LORETTA DEVE) EX-HBAND AND FATHER OF HER CHILD (DONALD FAISON) WAG TO EXHALE. HE DROPS A BOMB ON GLORIA THE FILM WHEN HE OUT OF THE CLOSET AS A GAY MAN.(PHOTO: JASON MERRT/GETTY IMAG){WIDTH:2167PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}8 / 24ROCKMOND DUNBAR - ROCKMOND DUNBAR, BT KNOWN FOR HIS LEADG ROLE AS KENNY CHADWAY ON THE CRILLY-ACCLAIMED TELEVISN SERI SOUL FOOD, PLAYED A GAY MAN PUNKS (2000) AND DIRTY LNDRY (2006), WHICH HIS CHARACTER WAS A MAGAZE EDOR.(PHOTOS: MRY PHILLIPS/WIREIMAGE){WIDTH:2001PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}9 / 24VG RHAM - VG RHAM PORTRAYED A DRAG QUEEN THE TELEVISN MOVIE HOLIDAY HEART (2000) AND A GAY MAN I NOW PRONOUNCE YOU CHUCK & LARRY (2007).(PHOTO: LEE CELANO/WIREIMAGE){WIDTH:2500PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}10 / 24ANTHONY MACKIE - IN 2004, ANTHONY MACKIE WAS AN UP-AND-G ACTOR AND ALREADY EXPERIENCED BIG SUCCS FOR PLAYG EMEM'S BFF 8 MILE. HOWEVER, HE SHOWED OFF HIS JULLIARD-TRAED ACTG CHOPS AS THE LEAD RODNEY EVANS'S BROTHER TO BROTHER. MACKIE TACKLED THE ROLE OF PERRY — AN ART STUNT WHO WAS ON THE SEARCH FOR LOVE WHILE SIMULTANEOLY LEARNG THE ROOTS OF THE HARLEM RENAISSANCE VIA AN OLR GAY MAN — WH GRACE. THE RISK PAID OFF, EARNG MACKIE AN INPENNT SPIR AWARD FOR BT DEBUT PERFORMANCE.(PHOTO: LARS NIKI/GETTY IMAG FOR RONALD MCDONALD HOE NEW YORK){WIDTH:2150PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}11 / 24TAYE DIGGS - IN EARLY 2006, TAYE DIGGS GUT-STARRED FOR SEVERAL EPISOS AS WILL TMAN'S LOVE TERT, JAM, ON THE FAL SEASON OF WILL & GRACE.(PHOTO: MICHAEL ZORN/FILMMAGIC){WIDTH:2382PX;HEIGHT:3177PX;}12 / 24GABRIELLE UNN - GABRIELLE UNN ADD PLAYG A LBIAN TO HER FILMOGRAPHY 2006 WH A STANDOUT ROLE AS ANTE BENNG’S LOVER THE FILM ADAPTATN OF AUGTEN BURROUGH'S BT-SELLG MEMOIR RUNNG WH SCISSORS.(PHOTO: JON KOPALOFF/FILMMAGIC){WIDTH:2921PX;HEIGHT:4389PX;}13 / 24TARAJI P. HENSON - IN 2006'S SMOK' AC, TARAJI P. HENSON WAS SHARICE WATERS, A HARD-RE LBIAN ASSASS WHO HAD A CSH ON HER PARTER--CRIME GEIA SYK (ALICIA KEYS).(PHOTO: KEV MAZUR/GETTY IMAG){WIDTH:2103PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}14 / 24JADA PKETT-SMH - IN 2008, JADA PKETT SMH PLAYED A LBIAN THE WOMEN, WHICH ALSO STARRED ANTE BENNG AND EVA MENS. SMH SAID ABOUT THE ROLE, "I ENJOYED PLAYG A LBIAN AND I WISH I ULD HAVE BEEN MORE OF A LBIAN THE MOVIE, BUT I WASN'T ALLOWED TO DO THAT."(PHOTO: MICHAEL LOCCISANO/GETTY IMAG){WIDTH:3194PX;HEIGHT:4200PX;}15 / 24KERRY WASHGTON - IN 2009, KERRY WASHGTON WOWED DIENC PLAYG A TRANSGENR WOMAN LIFE IS HOT CRACKTOWN. SHE TOLD ABOUT THE ROLE, "ONE OF THE THGS I REALIZED APPROACHG THIS ROLE WAS THAT I ACTUALLY FIGURED OUT EARLY ON THAT I WAS GOG TO LEARN A LOT ABOUT BEG A WOMAN — PERD. BEE, REALLY, WHAT A TRANS WOMAN IS, IS SOMEBODY WHO IS A WOMAN BUT WHOSE BLOGY HAS BETRAYED THEM SOMEWAY."(PHOTO: AXELLE/BER-GRIFF/FILMMAGIC){WIDTH:2152PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}16 / 24GUN HILL ROAD AND PARIAH - THE TWO DIE FILMS DIDN'T HAVE MAJOR STAR POWER, BUT WERE CRIL DARLGS 2011. RASHAAD ERNTO GREEN'S GUN HILL ROAD STARRED HARMONY SANTANA AS A TRANSGENR TEEN LIVG THE BRONX. DEE RE'S PARIAH FEATURED APERO ODUYE AS A LBIAN TEENAGER OM BROOKLYN STGGLG WH INTY AND FAY. BOTH FILMS WERE HONORED WH VAR DIE AWARDS AND PROVED THAT LGBT STORI ARE NECCSARY. (PHOTO: JOHN LAMPARSKI/WIREIMAGE){WIDTH:2000PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}17 / 24LENNY KRAVZ - THE WORLD-FAMO ROCKER LOOKED FOR A PROVOTIVE CHARACTER TO PLAY FOR HIS RETURN TO THE BIG SCREEN AND HE FOUND HUNGER GAM' CNA, WHO IS BISEXUAL. TO PORTRAY THE FLAMBOYANT STYLIST, KRAVZ SAYS HE CHANNELED "A IEND WHO IS A DANCER WHO IS BISEXUAL, AND HE WAS A LOT OF SPIRATN FOR MY SPEECH PATTERN AND MY RHYTHM, AND KD OF THE WAY I SNTERED AND OUT A LTLE B." (PHOTO: CHELSEA LREN/WIREIMAGE){WIDTH:1300PX;HEIGHT:900PX;}18 / 24JEFEY WRIGHT - WRIGHT WAS NOMATED FOR A GOLN GLOBE AND WON AN EMMY FOR HIS PORTRAYAL OF A DRAG QUEEN MIKE NICHOLS'S TELEVISN ADAPTATN OF PULZER PRIZE-WNG PLAY ANGELS AMERI, ABOUT A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHOSE RELATNSHIPS AND LIV ARE AFFECTED BY AIDS. THE SERI WENT ON TO BREAK THE RERD PREVLY HELD BY ROOTS FOR WNG THE MOST EMMYS.(PHOTOS: MICHAEL LOCCISANO/GETTY IMAG)19 / 24MICHAEL K. WILLIAMS - AS GUN-TOTG STICK-UP MAN OMAR LTLE ON THE WIRE, WILLIAMS GAVE ONE OF THE MOST SUBTLE, HONT AND SURPRISG PORTRAYALS OF A GAY MAN ON TELEVISN. THE CHARACTER'S PERSONAL LIFE, AND THE NER LIFE WILLIAMS BROUGHT TO , WAS SO NUANCED AND UNIQUE THAT PRINT OBAMA LLED HIM HIS FAVORE CHARACTER ON TELEVISN.(PHOTOS: JOHN RIRD/BET)20 / 24DWAYNE "THE ROCK" JOHNSON - JOHNSON PLAYED A GAY BODYGUARD WH DREAMS OF STARDOM THIS SEQUEL TO THE H HEIST EDY GET SHORTY. THOUGH THIS CHARACTER'S JOB WAS NOT A STRETCH FOR THE ROCK, HIS PERSONAL LIFE CERTALY WAS. (PHOTOS: ALBERTO E. RODRIGUEZ/GETTY IMAG)ADVERTISEMENT21 / 24TONY BRAVADO - ON LET'S STAY TOGETHER, BRAVADO PLAYED DARKANIAN LE'JOHNSON, A CLOSETED PROFSNAL FOOTBALL PLAYER WHO OVERPENSAT FOR HIS SECRET RELATNSHIP WH A MAN BY LAYG ON THICK WH THE LADI.(PHOTOS: PERVIS PR){WIDTH:2274PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}22 / 24GAV HOTON - THIS ACTOR'S ACTG REER STARTED 1992 AN EPISO OF THE COSBY SHOW, BUT HIS BIG BREAK ME 2013 WHEN HE STARRED AS JEFEY HARRGTON, THE CLOSETED GAY SON OF A POLICIAN, TYLER PERRY'S THE HAV AND THE HAVE NOTS.(PHOTO: CHRIS MCKAY/WIREIMAGE)
We loved when McGregor played a gay mate Phillip Morris the dark edy I Love You Phillip Morris, and aga when he played real-life legendary fashn signer Halston the Netflix miseri Halston. He then played multiple gay and trans rol the 2004 film Bad Edutn.
This year, he returns to playg gay Cassandro, a film about the legendary gay lucha libre wrtler.
Gyllenhaal broke all of our hearts as a gay wboy Brokeback Mounta and then played an eccentric queer art cric Velvet Buzzsaw. He’s also producg and starrg an upg film adaptatn of the mil Fun Home as Alison Bechl’s gay dad.
12 ACTORS WHO HAVE A TOUGH TIME PLAYG GAY ROL (AND 3 OKAY WH IT)
Early her reer, Lyonne played the inic role of the cheerlear the semal lbian movie But I’m a Cheerlear, and sce then, she’s never stopped playg gay. From smaller movi like The Daytrippers and Ltle Chaos, to his inic gay rol The Devil Wears Prada, Burlque, and Supernova (oppose fellow straight-actor-we-love Col Firth), he always do the gay muny right. Chalamet hasn’t had as many gay rol as the rt of the people on this list (he’s only 27, after all), but he ma que the imprsn on the queer muny wh his touchg and realistic performance as a lovtck teen Lu Guadagno’s classic g-of-age romance Call Me by Your Name.
As of today, many Hollywood stars cludg top draws refe to play the role of a gay man. Some want to protect an image they have spent years buildg, while some are simply homophobic. Even 2017, tak urage for a straight actor to portray gay characters, as uld be reer alterg.