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.
Contents:
- 6 STRAIGHT ACTORS HAVE WON OSRS FOR PLAYG GAY MEN
- THE FIVE GAYT MOMENTS IN AMY AWARDS HISTORY (SO FAR...)
- IAN MCKELLEN MA OSR HISTORY 1999—AND SHAMEFULLY, NO ONE ELSE HAS REPEATED ITA LOOK BACK AT GODS AND MONSTERS, TO THIS DAY, THE ONLY FILM TO EARN AN OSR NOMATN FOR AN OPENLY GAY MALE ACTOR. BY KATEY RICHJUNE 22, 2023© LNS GATE/EVERETT COLLECTN.SAVE THIS STORYSAVESAVE THIS STORYSAVEIAN MCKELLEN HOLDS TWO SURPRISG AND, QUE HONTLY, SHAMEFUL OSR RERDS. IN 1999, HE BEME THE FIRST OPENLY GAY MALE ACTOR TO EVER BE NOMATED FOR AN OSR, NOMATED AS BT ACTOR FOR HIS CHARISMATIC, HEARTBREAKG TURN THE DIE GODS AND MONSTERS. IN 2002, HE WAS NOMATED AGA FOR THE LORD OF THE RGS: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RG, MAKG HIM ALSO THE LAST OPENLY GAY ACTOR TO BE NOMATED. A GUI TO HOLLYWOOD’S BIGGT RACARROWBILL CONDON, WHO IS ALSO GAY, WON THE BT ADAPTED SCREENPLAY OSR FOR GODS AND MONSTERS, A FICTNALIZED TAKE ON THE FAL DAYS OF JAM WHALE, THE DIRECTOR OF THE ORIGAL FRANKENSTE AND A FIXTURE THE GAY SOCIAL CIRCL OF EARLY HOLLYWOOD. BY THE TIME MCKELLEN SIGNED ON TO PLAY WHALE, HE WAS A LEGENDARY SHAKPEAREAN ACTOR AND TONY WNER, HAVG PLAYED ANTON SALIERI THE BROADWAY PREMIERE OF AMA. BUT HE WAS NOT YET THE POP CULTURE IN “SIR IAN,” STILL A FEW YEARS AWAY OM PLAYG MAGO AND THEN GANDALF. BUT FOR A PRODUCTN AS TY AS GODS AND MONSTERS, HIS PARTICIPATN MA ALL THE DIFFERENCE, CONDON SAID AT THE TIME. “HE WAS ENOUGH TO BE A MAG FOR THE OTHER ACTORS,” CONDON TOLD INDIEWIRE. “IF IAN MCKELLEN’S AGREED TO DO , WHO IS SOMEBODY ELSE TO SAY…. AND THERE WAS SO MANY PEOPLE THAT WANTED TO WORK WH HIM. SO, YEAH, HE WAS THE BIGGT PIECE OF THE PUZZLE.”EVENTUALLY, LYNN REDGRAVE, ANOTHER BRISH THEATER LEGEND, WOULD SIGN ON TO PLAY WHALE’S VOTED HOEKEEPER HANNA, WHILE BRENDAN FRASER, PUTTG HIS DOPEY HUNK REPUTATN TOWARD SOMETHG TOTALLY DIFFERENT, WOULD PLAY CLAYTON BOONE, WHALE’S GARNER WHO BE HIS IEND. IT’S A TY FILM THAT PRENTS THE ILLN OF SOMETHG BIGGER, WH LAVISH FLASHBACKS TO WHALE’S TIME ON THE SET OF FRANKENSTE, AND HIS MEMORI OF THE TRENCH OF WORLD WAR I TERSPERSED BETWEEN LONG NVERSATNS BETWEEN WHALE AND BOONE. “IT WAS THAT EARLY MERCHANT IVORY TRICK THAT YOAVE ALL YOUR MONEY FOR ONE OR TWO SCEN,” CONDON EXPLAED, WHILE ADMTG THE TIGHT BUDGET DIDN’T ALWAYS SERVE HIS STAR. “I DO FEEL AS THOUGH IAN SERVED TO ALWAYS HAVE THAT EXTRA TAKE […] BUT OFTEN, WE DIDN’T GET TO DO THAT. THAT WAS VERY TRATG, PAFUL THAT WAY, TO KNOW HE’S EARNED AND SERV THAT AND ACTUALLY HAVE TO SAY WE N’T.”STILL, GODS AND MONSTERS WAS A CRIL H WHEN PREMIERED AT SUNDANCE EARLY 1998 AND, SPE SOME HATN OM WOULD-BE BUYERS—“ALL OF THEM ED THE SAME WORD THAT THEY THOUGHT WOULD BE A DIFFICULT SALE,” CONDON SAID— WAS PICKED UP BY THE NASCENT LNSGATE, WHICH ALSO RELEASED THE OSR-WNG AFFLICTN THE SAME YEAR. THE 1998 OSR RACE, HOWEVER, REMAS BT REMEMBERED FOR THE CLASH OF THE TANS BETWEEN DREAMWORKS—REPRENTG MEGA-H SAVG PRIVATE RYAN—AND MIRAMAX, WHICH EARNED THEIR REPUTATN FOR STRONG-ARMG OSR TACTICS WH THEIR SUCCSFUL LAST-MUTE PH FOR SHAKPEARE LOVE. MCKELLEN WOUND UP LOSG BT ACTOR TO ANOTHER MIRAMAX RELEASE, LIFE IS BETIFUL, DIRECTED BY AND STARRG THE BARNSTORMG ROBERTO BENIGNI. BUT HE DIDN’T FET WHAT HE WOULD HAVE SAID IF HE’D WON. ON OSR NIGHT 2002, AS CONDON TOLD VANY FAIR’S DAVID CANFIELD LAST YEAR, MCKELLEN BROUGHT HIS WOULD-BE GODS AND MONSTERS VICTORY SPEECH WHICH HE DITED HIS HISTORIC TRIUMPH TO OTHER YOUNG GAY ACTORS WHO MIGHT NOW FEEL MORE WELED BY THE DTRY. DURG A MERCIAL BREAK THE TELEST, MCKELLEN STOOD UP AND READ HIS SPEECH OM THE ONT ROW ANYWAY. “I’LL NEVER FET ,” CONDON, WHO WAS STG RIGHT THERE, REMEMBERS. “IT WAS ABOUT ALL THE WARNGS HE RECEIVED WHEN HE WAS CIDG TO E OUT, ALL THE THGS THAT WOULD HAPPEN.”WOULD HOLLYWOOD HISTORY BE DIFFERENT HAD MCKELLEN BROKEN THAT BOUNDARY THAT NIGHT? PROBABLY NOT, AS WE DISCS ON THIS WEEK’S LTLE GOLD MEN PODST. OSR HISTORY, AFTER ALL, IS LTERED WH HISTORIC VICTORI THAT YIELD NO STCTURAL CHANG THE DTRY. IN 2016, AS #OSRSSOWHE PHED THE AMY TOWARD MEANGFUL CHANGE AT LONG LAST, MCKELLEN WAS STILL REFLECTG ON HIS ODD HISTORY: “NO OPENLY GAY MAN HAS EVER WON THE OSR; I WONR IF THAT IS PREJUDICE OR CHANCE.”MORE GREAT STORI FROM VANY FAIRRILEY KEOUGH ON GROWG UP PRLEY, INHERG GRACELAND, AND MORETE CRIME, TE FAH: THE SERIAL KILLER AND THE TEXAS MOM WHO STOPPED HIMTHE TAN SUBMERSIBLE DISASTER WAS YEARS THE MAKG, NEW DETAILS REVEALWHY THE GEIA INDICTMENT AGAST TMP AND HIS ALLI IS THE MOST SWEEPG YETIVANKA TMP IS NOT LETTG HER DAD’S MOUNTG LEGAL WO RU HER SUMMER25 PERFECT TV EPISOS FROM THE LAST 25 YEARSA NEW SLIM AARONS BOOK CAPTUR A LOST WORLDFROM THE ARCHIVE: TOO HEPBURN FOR HOLLYWOOD (2006)MOST POPULAROUR FLAG MEANS DEATH SEASON 2: EXCLIVE FIRST LOOKBY SARAH CATHERALLFLORENCE PUGH SAYS CHRISTOPHER NOLAN “APOLOGIZED” FOR HER SMALL OPPENHEIMER ROLEBY SAVANNAH WALSHTHE GILD AGE WILL GET A LOT MORE OPERATIC SEASON 2BY RICHARD LAWSONKATEY RICH
- OSRS 2023: THE AMY STILL LOV NOMATG STRAIGHT ACTORS FOR GAY ROL
- 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 POPULAROUR FLAG MEANS DEATH SEASON 2: EXCLIVE FIRST LOOKBY SARAH CATHERALLFLORENCE PUGH SAYS CHRISTOPHER NOLAN “APOLOGIZED” FOR HER SMALL OPPENHEIMER ROLEBY SAVANNAH WALSHTHE GILD AGE WILL GET A LOT MORE OPERATIC SEASON 2BY RICHARD LAWSONCONDON, 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
6 STRAIGHT ACTORS HAVE WON OSRS FOR PLAYG GAY MEN
It's way past time for a gay actor to w an Amy Award! * oscar awards gay actor *
In the end, the famo gay in and Tim Rice won for "Can You Feel the Love Tonight? 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.
THE FIVE GAYT MOMENTS IN AMY AWARDS HISTORY (SO FAR...)
Peter Fch was the first to be regnized by the Amy for his role as a gay doctor the 1971 film Sunday Bloody Sunday and the groundbreakg nomatn paved the way for dozens of straight thpians to receive nods for takg on gay, lbian and transgenr rol. Before the 94th annual Amy Awards take place on Sunday March 27, here’s a look back at 10 standout performanc of LGBTQ+ characters that won Osr gold. * oscar awards gay actor *
"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.
It's way past time for a gay actor to w an Amy Award! 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.
IAN MCKELLEN MA OSR HISTORY 1999—AND SHAMEFULLY, NO ONE ELSE HAS REPEATED ITA LOOK BACK AT GODS AND MONSTERS, TO THIS DAY, THE ONLY FILM TO EARN AN OSR NOMATN FOR AN OPENLY GAY MALE ACTOR. BY KATEY RICHJUNE 22, 2023© LNS GATE/EVERETT COLLECTN.SAVE THIS STORYSAVESAVE THIS STORYSAVEIAN MCKELLEN HOLDS TWO SURPRISG AND, QUE HONTLY, SHAMEFUL OSR RERDS. IN 1999, HE BEME THE FIRST OPENLY GAY MALE ACTOR TO EVER BE NOMATED FOR AN OSR, NOMATED AS BT ACTOR FOR HIS CHARISMATIC, HEARTBREAKG TURN THE DIE GODS AND MONSTERS. IN 2002, HE WAS NOMATED AGA FOR THE LORD OF THE RGS: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RG, MAKG HIM ALSO THE LAST OPENLY GAY ACTOR TO BE NOMATED. A GUI TO HOLLYWOOD’S BIGGT RACARROWBILL CONDON, WHO IS ALSO GAY, WON THE BT ADAPTED SCREENPLAY OSR FOR GODS AND MONSTERS, A FICTNALIZED TAKE ON THE FAL DAYS OF JAM WHALE, THE DIRECTOR OF THE ORIGAL FRANKENSTE AND A FIXTURE THE GAY SOCIAL CIRCL OF EARLY HOLLYWOOD. BY THE TIME MCKELLEN SIGNED ON TO PLAY WHALE, HE WAS A LEGENDARY SHAKPEAREAN ACTOR AND TONY WNER, HAVG PLAYED ANTON SALIERI THE BROADWAY PREMIERE OF AMA. BUT HE WAS NOT YET THE POP CULTURE IN “SIR IAN,” STILL A FEW YEARS AWAY OM PLAYG MAGO AND THEN GANDALF. BUT FOR A PRODUCTN AS TY AS GODS AND MONSTERS, HIS PARTICIPATN MA ALL THE DIFFERENCE, CONDON SAID AT THE TIME. “HE WAS ENOUGH TO BE A MAG FOR THE OTHER ACTORS,” CONDON TOLD INDIEWIRE. “IF IAN MCKELLEN’S AGREED TO DO , WHO IS SOMEBODY ELSE TO SAY…. AND THERE WAS SO MANY PEOPLE THAT WANTED TO WORK WH HIM. SO, YEAH, HE WAS THE BIGGT PIECE OF THE PUZZLE.”EVENTUALLY, LYNN REDGRAVE, ANOTHER BRISH THEATER LEGEND, WOULD SIGN ON TO PLAY WHALE’S VOTED HOEKEEPER HANNA, WHILE BRENDAN FRASER, PUTTG HIS DOPEY HUNK REPUTATN TOWARD SOMETHG TOTALLY DIFFERENT, WOULD PLAY CLAYTON BOONE, WHALE’S GARNER WHO BE HIS IEND. IT’S A TY FILM THAT PRENTS THE ILLN OF SOMETHG BIGGER, WH LAVISH FLASHBACKS TO WHALE’S TIME ON THE SET OF FRANKENSTE, AND HIS MEMORI OF THE TRENCH OF WORLD WAR I TERSPERSED BETWEEN LONG NVERSATNS BETWEEN WHALE AND BOONE. “IT WAS THAT EARLY MERCHANT IVORY TRICK THAT YOAVE ALL YOUR MONEY FOR ONE OR TWO SCEN,” CONDON EXPLAED, WHILE ADMTG THE TIGHT BUDGET DIDN’T ALWAYS SERVE HIS STAR. “I DO FEEL AS THOUGH IAN SERVED TO ALWAYS HAVE THAT EXTRA TAKE […] BUT OFTEN, WE DIDN’T GET TO DO THAT. THAT WAS VERY TRATG, PAFUL THAT WAY, TO KNOW HE’S EARNED AND SERV THAT AND ACTUALLY HAVE TO SAY WE N’T.”STILL, GODS AND MONSTERS WAS A CRIL H WHEN PREMIERED AT SUNDANCE EARLY 1998 AND, SPE SOME HATN OM WOULD-BE BUYERS—“ALL OF THEM ED THE SAME WORD THAT THEY THOUGHT WOULD BE A DIFFICULT SALE,” CONDON SAID— WAS PICKED UP BY THE NASCENT LNSGATE, WHICH ALSO RELEASED THE OSR-WNG AFFLICTN THE SAME YEAR. THE 1998 OSR RACE, HOWEVER, REMAS BT REMEMBERED FOR THE CLASH OF THE TANS BETWEEN DREAMWORKS—REPRENTG MEGA-H SAVG PRIVATE RYAN—AND MIRAMAX, WHICH EARNED THEIR REPUTATN FOR STRONG-ARMG OSR TACTICS WH THEIR SUCCSFUL LAST-MUTE PH FOR SHAKPEARE LOVE. MCKELLEN WOUND UP LOSG BT ACTOR TO ANOTHER MIRAMAX RELEASE, LIFE IS BETIFUL, DIRECTED BY AND STARRG THE BARNSTORMG ROBERTO BENIGNI. BUT HE DIDN’T FET WHAT HE WOULD HAVE SAID IF HE’D WON. ON OSR NIGHT 2002, AS CONDON TOLD VANY FAIR’S DAVID CANFIELD LAST YEAR, MCKELLEN BROUGHT HIS WOULD-BE GODS AND MONSTERS VICTORY SPEECH WHICH HE DITED HIS HISTORIC TRIUMPH TO OTHER YOUNG GAY ACTORS WHO MIGHT NOW FEEL MORE WELED BY THE DTRY. DURG A MERCIAL BREAK THE TELEST, MCKELLEN STOOD UP AND READ HIS SPEECH OM THE ONT ROW ANYWAY. “I’LL NEVER FET ,” CONDON, WHO WAS STG RIGHT THERE, REMEMBERS. “IT WAS ABOUT ALL THE WARNGS HE RECEIVED WHEN HE WAS CIDG TO E OUT, ALL THE THGS THAT WOULD HAPPEN.”WOULD HOLLYWOOD HISTORY BE DIFFERENT HAD MCKELLEN BROKEN THAT BOUNDARY THAT NIGHT? PROBABLY NOT, AS WE DISCS ON THIS WEEK’S LTLE GOLD MEN PODST. OSR HISTORY, AFTER ALL, IS LTERED WH HISTORIC VICTORI THAT YIELD NO STCTURAL CHANG THE DTRY. IN 2016, AS #OSRSSOWHE PHED THE AMY TOWARD MEANGFUL CHANGE AT LONG LAST, MCKELLEN WAS STILL REFLECTG ON HIS ODD HISTORY: “NO OPENLY GAY MAN HAS EVER WON THE OSR; I WONR IF THAT IS PREJUDICE OR CHANCE.”MORE GREAT STORI FROM VANY FAIRRILEY KEOUGH ON GROWG UP PRLEY, INHERG GRACELAND, AND MORETE CRIME, TE FAH: THE SERIAL KILLER AND THE TEXAS MOM WHO STOPPED HIMTHE TAN SUBMERSIBLE DISASTER WAS YEARS THE MAKG, NEW DETAILS REVEALWHY THE GEIA INDICTMENT AGAST TMP AND HIS ALLI IS THE MOST SWEEPG YETIVANKA TMP IS NOT LETTG HER DAD’S MOUNTG LEGAL WO RU HER SUMMER25 PERFECT TV EPISOS FROM THE LAST 25 YEARSA NEW SLIM AARONS BOOK CAPTUR A LOST WORLDFROM THE ARCHIVE: TOO HEPBURN FOR HOLLYWOOD (2006)MOST POPULAROUR FLAG MEANS DEATH SEASON 2: EXCLIVE FIRST LOOKBY SARAH CATHERALLFLORENCE PUGH SAYS CHRISTOPHER NOLAN “APOLOGIZED” FOR HER SMALL OPPENHEIMER ROLEBY SAVANNAH WALSHTHE GILD AGE WILL GET A LOT MORE OPERATIC SEASON 2BY RICHARD LAWSONKATEY RICH
From William Hurt and Tom Hanks to The Whale's Brendan Fraser, here are six straight actors who won an Osr for playg gay. * oscar awards gay actor *
Here are 11 gay male actors we thk serve an Osr the years to e. 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.
Peter Fch was the first to be nomated by the Amy for his role as a gay doctor the 1971 film Sunday Bloody Sunday and the groundbreakg nomatn paved the way for dozens of straight thpians to receive nods for takg on gay, lbian and transgenr rol.
OSRS 2023: THE AMY STILL LOV NOMATG STRAIGHT ACTORS FOR GAY ROL
The Amy Awards are great gay viewg — here are five of our favore moments om the ceremoni. * oscar awards gay actor *
William Hurt for Kiss of the Spir Woman(Released: 1985)William Hurt was the first actor to w an Osr for playg a gay character on the big screen.
Hurt portrayed Luis Mola, an rcerated gay man, the 1985 film Kiss of the Spir Woman. The film was one of the first mastream Hollywood films to explicly addrs HIV/AIDS and homophobia. The historilly sketchy film ncentrated on the gay thor as he was rearchg his te-crime masterpiece, In Cold Blood.
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 POPULAROUR FLAG MEANS DEATH SEASON 2: EXCLIVE FIRST LOOKBY SARAH CATHERALLFLORENCE PUGH SAYS CHRISTOPHER NOLAN “APOLOGIZED” FOR HER SMALL OPPENHEIMER ROLEBY SAVANNAH WALSHTHE GILD AGE WILL GET A LOT MORE OPERATIC SEASON 2BY RICHARD LAWSONCONDON, 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 film's historic w at the 89th annual Amy Awards giv hope to the black and gay muni. * oscar awards gay actor *
Sean Penn for Milk(Released: 2008) Sean Penn took home the Osr for bt actor 2009 for his portrayal of sla San Francis gay rights activist Harvey Milk the movie Milk and ed his w to ll for equal rights for the LGBTQ+ muny sayg, “We’ve got to have equal rights for everyone. ” He also ed his speech to ment on gay marriage sayg, “I thk is a good time for those who voted for the ban agast gay marriage to s and reflect and anticipate their great shame and the shame their grandchildren’s ey if they ntue that way.
A look back at Gods and Monsters, to this day, the only film to earn an Osr nomatn for an openly gay male actor. * oscar awards gay actor *
Christopher Plummer for Begners(Released: 2010)Christopher Plummer was award the Bt Supportg Actor statue for his portrayal of a gay senr the film, Begners. Mahershala Ali for Green Book(Released: 2018)Mahershala Ali took home the Bt Actor Osr 2019 after playg gay pianist Dr. It’s been s sce an openly gay man was nomated for Bt Actor, but sce then, half a dozen straight men have won that veted trophy for portrayg people – eher real or ma up – who intify as gay.
Here’s a look at the six straight men who have won Bt Actor for playg gay men.
Hollywood heartthrob William Hurt ma history when he won the Bt Actor Osr 1986 for portrayg “effemate” gay man Luis Mola, who f a relatnship wh his cellmate a Brazilian prison. Jt a few years later, Tom Hanks beme the send person to w the Bt Actor Osr for playg a gay male character.