# Examples of straight actor playing gay role? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 24, 2003, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-straight-actor-playing-gay-role/157063 "2003-02-24T02:08:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![sundog66](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@sundog66](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sundog66)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2003, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-straight-actor-playing-gay-role/157063/1 "2003-02-24T02:08:28Z")
I’d like to do a linguistic analysis of gay identity in the media. Can anyone think of a movie in which a straight actor portrays an openly gay character, along with another movie in which the same actor plays a straight role, so that I can catalogue differences in vocabulary, pronunciation, etc.? I also need the movies to be devoid of regional dialects (at least for the actor in question), as it would add an unwanted variable. As many examples as everyone can think of would be most appreciated. Thank you for your help. ---
**Author:** ![Dignan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f07891/32.png) [@Dignan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dignan)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2003, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-straight-actor-playing-gay-role/157063/2 "2003-02-24T02:14:52Z")
Scott Bakula played one of the gay neighbors in _American Beauty_. He is straight in real life, as far as I know. He played a straight guy in _Necessary Roughness_ and the TV series he was in, _Quantum Leap_. ---
**Author:** ![USCDiver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uscdiver/32/354_2.png) [@USCDiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/USCDiver)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2003, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-straight-actor-playing-gay-role/157063/3 "2003-02-24T02:15:05Z")
Tom Hanks and Antonio Banderas in _Philadelphia_ as gay men and in many many other rolls as straight men. see www.imdb.com for filmographies I guess that Bandera has an accent in that movie, but there ya go. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2003, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-straight-actor-playing-gay-role/157063/4 "2003-02-24T02:15:48Z")
Eric McCormack, every week on _[Will and Grace](http://us.imdb.com/Title?0157246)_. Try _[Free Enterprise](http://us.imdb.com/Title?0141105)_ for a movie where he plays straight. Not for any big sociological break through … I just like that movie. And then there’s Michael Ontkean, in _[Making Love](http://us.imdb.com/Title?0084293)_. Try _[Slap Shot](http://us.imdb.com/Title?0076723)_ for a straight role, again, just because I like it. ---
**Author:** ![Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laughing_Lagomorph)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2003, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-straight-actor-playing-gay-role/157063/5 "2003-02-24T02:16:53Z")
Robin Williams played a gay man in _The Birdcage_. Most if not all of his other roles have been straights. ---
**Author:** ![Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laughing_Lagomorph)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2003, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-straight-actor-playing-gay-role/157063/6 "2003-02-24T02:22:52Z")
Speaking of Robin Williams reminded me of John Lithgow as a transexual in _The World According to Garp_. Not quite addresing the OP I know, but might make an interesting example on its own. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2003, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-straight-actor-playing-gay-role/157063/7 "2003-02-24T02:25:55Z")
Harry Hamlin and Michael Ontkean played gay in Making Love. Hamlin played Michael Kuzak on LA Law for several years and Ontkean appeared on Twin Peaks. John Hurt played gay in Partners. He appeared in 1984. Candice Bergin played gay in The Group. She played straight in Rich and Famous. Shelley Winters played gay in The Balcony. She played straight in Pete’s Dragon. Roy Scheider played gay in Marathon Man. He played straight in Jaws. Rex Harrison and Richard Burton played gay in Staircase. Harrison played straight in My Fair Lady and Burton in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf. Peter O’Toole played gay in Laurence of Arabia and straight in Creator. How many more do you need? ---
**Author:** ![ECJones29](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c77e96/32.png) [@ECJones29](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ECJones29)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2003, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-straight-actor-playing-gay-role/157063/8 "2003-02-24T02:28:59Z")
William Hurt won an Oscar for playing a gay man in “Kiss of the Spider Woman.” For contrast, I would point to his work in “One True Thing” or perhaps “Children of a Lesser God.” Tom Hanks also won an Oscar for playing a gay man, in “Philadelphia.” Compare with his work in just about anything else, particularly his surburban comedies. Ed Harris is convincing as a gay character in “The Hours,” as is Jeff Daniels. (But I do not know if Daniels’ true sexual orientation.) For comparison, see Harris in “Places in the Heart” or “The Right Stuff” or almost any other Ed Harris movie. I always assumed Daniels was straight, so look at his work in “Terms of Endearment” and “Something Wild.” Good luck! ---
**Author:** ![Protesilaus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Protesilaus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Protesilaus)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2003, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-straight-actor-playing-gay-role/157063/9 "2003-02-24T02:30:39Z")
Greg Kinnear played an openly gay character in _As Good As It Gets_. I haven’t seen most of [what he’s been in](http://us.imdb.com/Name?Kinnear,+Greg), but his characters in _Dear God_ and _You’ve Got Mail_ are straight. ---
**Author:** ![Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laughing_Lagomorph)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2003, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-straight-actor-playing-gay-role/157063/10 "2003-02-24T03:11:30Z")
Dennis Quaid plays a gay man in _Far from Heaven_ and straights in many other films, including _The Right Stuff_ and _Inner Space._ ---
**Author:** ![El\_Elvis\_Rojo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@El\_Elvis\_Rojo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Elvis_Rojo)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2003, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-straight-actor-playing-gay-role/157063/11 "2003-02-24T03:20:14Z")
I don’t know the actor’s name, but he place Greg in _Dharma and Greg_\* and played a gay man in the movie **Love, Sex, and Human Remains**. Also, I don’t know if this would add anything fun to the story, but what about looking at Anne Hache? I mean, she was straight, then gay, played both straight and gay characters in movies (examples include **Women in Prison** and **Wild Side** ), and then became straight again. Could just add an interesting dynamic to your study, but maybe completely useless. ---
**Author:** ![Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/angel_of_the_lord/32/2949_2.png) [@Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angel_of_the_Lord)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2003, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-straight-actor-playing-gay-role/157063/12 "2003-02-24T03:40:22Z")
Several of the actors on **Queer as Folk** are straight, though they play gay characters. [Cite](http://the-goddess.org/QAF/WhyQAF.html). ---
**Author:** ![LifeOnWry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/96bed5/32.png) [@LifeOnWry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LifeOnWry)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2003, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-straight-actor-playing-gay-role/157063/13 "2003-02-24T03:42:39Z")
Probably not on anyone’s list of serious actors, but George Carlin played gay in **Prince of Tides** very well. The only other roles I’ve seen him in were broadly comic, so I don’t know if they’re comparable, but he was in **Outrageous Fortune** for one example. ---
**Author:** ![scablet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@scablet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scablet)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2003, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-straight-actor-playing-gay-role/157063/14 "2003-02-24T03:42:45Z")
Al Pacino as gay bank robber Sonny in _Dog Day Afternoon_, Mike Corleone in _The Godfather_. Guy Pearce: drag queen Adam Whitely/Felicia Jollygoodfellow in _Priscilla, Queen of the Desert_, then Lieutenant Exley in _LA Confidential_. [Tim](http://us.imdb.com/Title?0073629) [Curry](http://us.imdb.com/Title?0088930)? 😃 (…wait, Wadsworth _was_ straight, wasn’t he?) ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2003, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-straight-actor-playing-gay-role/157063/15 "2003-02-24T03:51:39Z")
Rod Steiger in **The Sargeant.** ---
**Author:** ![SC\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@SC\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SC_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2003, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-straight-actor-playing-gay-role/157063/16 "2003-02-24T05:01:07Z")
This wasn’t a movie, but WWF’s (I refuse to call it the WWE, despite the Panda-huggers getting their settlement) The Rock had a sketch on his apearance of Saturday Night Live where he played a gay bartender. ---
**Author:** ![Innanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ecd19e/32.png) [@Innanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Innanna)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2003, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-straight-actor-playing-gay-role/157063/17 "2003-02-24T05:18:54Z")
Wesley Snipes, Patrick Swayzee, and John, Leguizamo in To Wong Foo vs. pretty much everything else they’ve ever done. ---
**Author:** ![SC\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@SC\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SC_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2003, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-straight-actor-playing-gay-role/157063/18 "2003-02-24T05:33:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Innanna \* > \*\*Wesley Snipes, Patrick Swayzee, and John, Leguizamo in To Wong Foo vs. pretty much everything else they’ve ever done. \*\* Cute story about the filming of To Wong Foo: First day of filming, the guys all put on their wardrobe in their respective trailers, and John and Wesley come wobbling out, as it was their first time ever wearing heels. They hear Patrick come out of his trailer, and he confidently strides in the direction of the set. They both give him this strange look and he has to explain to them that back when he taught dance, he had to learn how to walk in heels, so he could teach how to dance in heels. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2003, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-straight-actor-playing-gay-role/157063/19 "2003-02-24T05:38:20Z")
Arnold Schwarzenegger in _Running Man_. Oh, wait, the _movie_ was gay, not him. ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2003, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-straight-actor-playing-gay-role/157063/20 "2003-02-24T06:06:37Z")
**sundog:** [This book will help.](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-form/103-6557680-4715018) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-straight-actor-playing-gay-role/157063.md?page=2)