Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Hollywood 'resists gay US actors'
BBC ^

Posted on 02/13/2006 9:40:35 AM PST by Lunatic Fringe

Sir Ian McKellen has said openly gay US actors are prevented from having successful Hollywood careers.

"It is very, very, very difficult for an American actor who wants a film career to be open about his sexuality," the gay British actor said.

"And even more difficult for a woman if she's lesbian. It's very distressing to me that that should be the case."

The Lord of the Rings star added: "The film industry is very old fashioned in California."

He was speaking at the Berlin Film Festival, where he received a lifetime achievement award.


TOPICS: Culture/Society
KEYWORDS: hollywood; homosexualagenda; homowood
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 61-8081-100101-120 ... 181-191 next last
To: Lunatic Fringe
<<>> Is she gay, or does she just do that for film?
81 posted on 02/13/2006 10:25:06 AM PST by sandbar
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: Lunatic Fringe

. . .and of course. . .

Tom Cruise. . .

Hey Tom, come out of the closet!!!


82 posted on 02/13/2006 10:25:40 AM PST by Salgak (Acme Lasers presents: The Energizer Border: I dare you to try and cross it. . .)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Barb4Bush

They may be thinking of Monty Clift, who was gay.


83 posted on 02/13/2006 10:25:57 AM PST by durasell (!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 80 | View Replies]

To: Richard Kimball
"God and Monsters". Excellent film about Frankenstein movie maker, James Whale, in his final years (year?). Co-starred Brendan Fraser.

Excellent movie, if you have an interest in Whale.

84 posted on 02/13/2006 10:27:05 AM PST by Tanniker Smith (I didn't know she was a liberal when I married her.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 44 | View Replies]

To: dfwgator

Does that make Takei a man who is someone to. . .

. . .whom MANY men, have gone before. . . .

(diving for cover)


85 posted on 02/13/2006 10:27:34 AM PST by Salgak (Acme Lasers presents: The Energizer Border: I dare you to try and cross it. . .)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 58 | View Replies]

To: RebelBanker
Have a friend that lives across from Flynn's estate. On quite nights you can hear the squeals of high school girls.

Flynn and his buddies would send a driver or two to Hollywood High as it let out to corral the young ladies encouraged by their "stage door" mommies. Legend reports.

86 posted on 02/13/2006 10:27:56 AM PST by ncountylee (Dead terrorists smell like victory)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 72 | View Replies]

To: Tanniker Smith
Sigh. "Gods and Monsters".
Excuse the typo.
Check out info at http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120684/
87 posted on 02/13/2006 10:28:19 AM PST by Tanniker Smith (I didn't know she was a liberal when I married her.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 84 | View Replies]

To: Tanniker Smith

Brendan Fraser. A much under appreciated actor. He'll take one in the nads for a laugh and can really act. He was excellent in The Quiet American.


88 posted on 02/13/2006 10:28:41 AM PST by durasell (!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 84 | View Replies]

To: Richard Kimball

>>>Degeneres does a talk show that probably gets ratings similar to a Bowflex infomercial. >>>

Are you kidding? Her show is really good and quite successful.

I really like it. I don't care she's gay, she's funny as heck!


89 posted on 02/13/2006 10:28:44 AM PST by sandbar
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 44 | View Replies]

To: Horatio Gates

Michelle Williams is Ledger's fiance. They had a kid a few months ago.

BTW: As far as I can recall, David Hyde-Pierce doesn't talk about his sex life. So, while he's rumored to be gay, it's still not confirmed.


90 posted on 02/13/2006 10:28:54 AM PST by Starter (Step 1: Steal underpants. Step 3: Profit!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 69 | View Replies]

To: dropandgimme20
imagine if Steven Segal was gay. It would make his characters unbelievable, and the stories pointless.

LOL! A pointless Steven Seagal movie --- now that's a concept too terrifying to imagine!

I have to say, Under Siege 2: Dark Territory was one of the most meaningful cinematic works I have ever seen. I laughed, I cried, the pathos was overwhelming. When Seagal turns to the camera and says, "You think this is being shot? This ain't being shot," it was quite possibly the greatest movie moment since Citizen Kaine.

91 posted on 02/13/2006 10:30:25 AM PST by Alter Kaker ("Whatever tears one sheds, in the end one always blows one's nose." - Heine)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Barb4Bush

Gay?......I don't know..........I wasn't born yet.......

92 posted on 02/13/2006 10:31:23 AM PST by Red Badger (...Never forget, Jimmy Carter can be elected president AGAIN!........)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 80 | View Replies]

To: durasell

No there were rumors of it but no ever proved it and no one ever dared to say while he was living. It's only after the old time actors, like Randolph Scott, John Wayne and Cary Grant die and can't speak for themselves that people start these rumors.


93 posted on 02/13/2006 10:31:26 AM PST by Barb4Bush
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 83 | View Replies]

To: Lunatic Fringe

I'm not really gay, I just play one in the movies.


94 posted on 02/13/2006 10:31:47 AM PST by The Great RJ ("Mir wölle bleiwen wat mir sin" or "We want to remain what we are." ..Luxembourg motto)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Rummyfan

With her 'wedding' Ellen, yeah, I think that classifies her. *hide* I can't even tell anymore. It must just not matter... but to be a really good actor, no one can tell. Just ask Tom.


95 posted on 02/13/2006 10:31:52 AM PST by Jhohanna (Born Free)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 52 | View Replies]

To: Yossarian
Yeah, imagine if Tom Cruise was gay - it would make his characters unbelievable, and the stories pointless. That's totally beyond my comprehention, so Tom Cruise must not be gay.

Sounds like a corollary to the famed "Chewbaca" defense.

96 posted on 02/13/2006 10:32:50 AM PST by TC Rider (The United States Constitution © 1791. All Rights Reserved.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: One Proud Son

Actually, neither Heath nor Jake are gay. Period. Or, maybe like in Britain, they went to all-boy schools and just weren't particular. Um, but no, neither are gay. Jake just broke up with Kirsten Dunst after several years, and I believe Heath married sometime last year. Again, if they were British, they would just be 'growing up'. Bisexuality is practically bred into them over there.


97 posted on 02/13/2006 10:33:20 AM PST by Jhohanna (Born Free)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 53 | View Replies]

To: Lunatic Fringe
The Queen of England has spoken.
98 posted on 02/13/2006 10:35:48 AM PST by Mike Darancette (Condimaniac)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Chickensoup
I used to know a guy who is a professional (not gay) actor. He was involved in a production at the Nat'l Theatre of Great Britain. At the time, (Miss) Sir Ian was making a big show of leaving the Nat'l Theatre so as to go back to touring, and "get back to his theatrical roots".

However, my friend told me the real reason Sir Ian left was that the head of the theate (I think it was Trevor Nunn) had decide not to offer a contract to a young male actor that Sir Ian had his eye on, so in a huff, Sir Ian decided to leave the Nat'l Theatre after that season.

That being said, Sir Ian is correct about gay actors not coming out in Hollywood. However, that is because of differences in what makes a star in Hollywood as opposed to Great Britain. In GB, actors like Sir Ian, Derek Jacobi, etc are well-know theatrical stars who do lots of classics and are considered consummate actors. People go to see them do Shakespeare, and do not think of them as "matinee idols". A big stage star over there can have the theatrical world at his feet, and receive a knighthood, but not be near the star a Tom Cruise is (had McKellan not landed Magneto and Gandalf, he'd still be largely unknown on these shores).

In Hollywood, they are not actor so much as stars. They play types rather than complex characters, and their public identifies so much with them that the line blurs between actor and role. Women loved Richard Chamberlain in his romantic roles, but I doubt he would have made such an impact had he come out at the height of his fame. It's easy for Sir Ian to throw a hissy over this, but if more actors came out, they'd have the same sort of careers that many great, though unknown English actors have.

99 posted on 02/13/2006 10:36:19 AM PST by Sans-Culotte (Meadows Place, TX-"Tom DeLay Country")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 71 | View Replies]

To: Rummyfan

>>>And Jodie Foster!

iS Jodie Foster gay?

I know she was VERY tomboyish as an adolescent. I remember watching her as a kid (5-10) when she was about 12 or so and back in that day, a boy's hair was long and swept to the side. For the longest time I didn't know she wasn't a boy, especially with that voice.


100 posted on 02/13/2006 10:36:29 AM PST by sandbar
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 54 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 61-8081-100101-120 ... 181-191 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson