# Openly gay actors in openly straight roles **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 19, 2003, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/openly-gay-actors-in-openly-straight-roles/220025 "2003-12-19T19:11:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2003, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/openly-gay-actors-in-openly-straight-roles/220025/1 "2003-12-19T19:11:34Z")
I’m having a discussion with a friend about how damaging it is or isn’t to an actor’s career when s/he comes out (or is outed) as gay. Who are some **openly** (i.e. not just speculation) gay actors who’ve played straight roles (roles such as Gandalf, who was essentially asexual, don’t count)? [Nigel Hawthorne](http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0001329/) was openly gay when he played King George III (the married father of 15 children) in **Madness of King George**. [Rupert Everett](http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0000391/) (using the broadest definition of acting) has played straight roles including Valmont in the most recent update of [Liasons Dangereuses](http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0317875/) [Dan Butler](http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0124873/) has continued to play straight horndog Bulldog on Frasier. [Christopher Sieber](http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0796758/) is openly gay now, but I’m not sure if he came out before or after playing the Olsen twins straight single dad in “Two of a Kind”. I’ve read conflicting reports as to whether [Neil Patrick Harris](http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0000439/) and [Tom Hulce](http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0001371/) are openly gay, but would be interested to know as both have played straight roles. (Hulce is not only listed on several lists of “out” actors but has been very active in gay themed theater projects, yet his bio says he married in 1996 and has a daughter; while marriage doesn’t discount that he may be gay, it’s definitely an odd move for a gay man.) Can you think of any others? Also, in your opinion does it damage an actor’s credibility when you know that he’s gay in real life and he’s playing a character in a straight romance/marriage? Do you think that it’s for the best careerwise for a successful actor to stay in the closet? ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2003, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/openly-gay-actors-in-openly-straight-roles/220025/2 "2003-12-19T19:27:38Z")
[William Haines](http://imdb.com/name/nm0354313/) was openly gay, and he starred in more than 50 movies. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2003, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/openly-gay-actors-in-openly-straight-roles/220025/3 "2003-12-19T19:31:13Z")
Ian McKellen has played many roles that are not necessarily overtly sexual but assumed to be straight - in addition to Gandalf and Magneto, who never really go “Look at the fine ass on that elf princess”, he’s played a lot of married Shakespeare characters and I’m sure he’s played _somebody_ more openly straight in a long and distinguished acting career. I honestly didn’t know he was gay until I saw him at the Oscars, and then I found out how active he was in gay rights and how everybody else in the entire world thought I was a moron for not knowing that. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2003, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/openly-gay-actors-in-openly-straight-roles/220025/4 "2003-12-19T19:37:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sampiro \* > [Dan Butler](http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0124873/) has continued to play straight horndog Bulldog on Frasier. Speaking of _Frasier_, both John Mahoney (Marty) and David Hyde Pierce (Niles) are gay IRL. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2003, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/openly-gay-actors-in-openly-straight-roles/220025/5 "2003-12-19T19:58:13Z")
That’s why they call it “acting”. ---
**Author:** ![Mehitabel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@Mehitabel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mehitabel)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2003, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/openly-gay-actors-in-openly-straight-roles/220025/6 "2003-12-19T20:03:34Z")
Amanda Bearse, of course, playing the aggressively man-hungry Marcy Rhoades D’Arcy. Although to be fair she did play her own gay identical cousin on ‘Lez Be Friends’ in MWC’s last season. It always was a very gay-friendly show, even before she came out to the general public in '93. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2003, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/openly-gay-actors-in-openly-straight-roles/220025/7 "2003-12-19T20:14:04Z")
I’m not sure how long Lily Tomlin has been out, but I’m positive it was before she took the role of Murphy’s multi-married with children boss on Murphy Brown. Out Shakespearean actor Derek Jacoby played Claudius in Branagh’s HAMLET, while openly gay Stephen Fry played the married-with-children lead character in WILDE… oh wait, scratch that last one. ---
**Author:** ![Fiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e274bd/32.png) [@Fiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiver)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2003, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/openly-gay-actors-in-openly-straight-roles/220025/8 "2003-12-19T20:34:00Z")
I can’t find any evidence documenting the homosexuality of John Mahoney. He played a gay man in _Broken Hearts Club,_ are we sure we’re not just leaping to conclusions? ---
**Author:** ![Homebrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Homebrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homebrew)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2003, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/openly-gay-actors-in-openly-straight-roles/220025/9 "2003-12-19T20:38:25Z")
I did not know that Dan Butler was gay. So I searched for confirmation, and found it. I also found out he’s the voice of the teacher, Mr. Simmons, on **Hey! Arnold**. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2003, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/openly-gay-actors-in-openly-straight-roles/220025/10 "2003-12-19T20:43:05Z")
**Fiver** , he isn’t very open about it, so cites are difficult to come by. I have a gay friend that said that he and his partner attended an event in SF together. I can’t search for this from work, but IIRC you should be able to find out on [http://groups.google.com/groups?group=alt.tv.frasier](http://groups.google.com/groups?group=alt.tv.frasier). ---
**Author:** ![eman77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f04885/32.png) [@eman77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eman77)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2003, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/openly-gay-actors-in-openly-straight-roles/220025/11 "2003-12-19T20:52:12Z")
I’ve even heard Vin Diesel was gay or bisexual at least. Sorry no links. ---
**Author:** ![GraceTX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c4cdca/32.png) [@GraceTX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GraceTX)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2003, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/openly-gay-actors-in-openly-straight-roles/220025/12 "2003-12-19T21:04:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sampiro \* > \*\*[Rupert Everett](http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0000391/) (using the broadest definition of acting) has played straight roles including Valmont in the most recent update of [Liasons Dangereuses](http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0317875/) \*\* Rupert definitely played a very straight rogue in “An Ideal Husband.” ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2003, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/openly-gay-actors-in-openly-straight-roles/220025/13 "2003-12-19T21:12:00Z")
Were Cary Grant and Randolph Scott really lovers? ---
**Author:** ![Homebrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Homebrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homebrew)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2003, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/openly-gay-actors-in-openly-straight-roles/220025/14 "2003-12-19T21:13:04Z")
Following **Dooku** ’s suggestion we [this discussion](http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&threadm=34f34fb5.1388929%40news.jps.net&rnum=35&prev=/groups%3Fq%3DJohn%2BMahoney%26start%3D30%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26ie%3DUTF-8%26selm%3D34f34fb5.1388929%2540news.jps.net%26rnum%3D35) [quote] In article \<[34F32848.F9FAC94@mail.house.gov](mailto:34F32848.F9FAC94@mail.house.gov)\> Joe Novotny \<[Joe.Novotny@mail.house.gov](mailto:Joe.Novotny@mail.house.gov)\> writes: \>Can anyone confirm that actor John Mahoney (who plays Frasier’s father) \>is gay? I heard this from a friend but wasn’t sure. Consider it confirmed. –Lee[/qutoe]Not really authorative, but interesting. ---
**Author:** ![WIGGUM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ce7236/32.png) [@WIGGUM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WIGGUM)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2003, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/openly-gay-actors-in-openly-straight-roles/220025/15 "2003-12-19T21:13:11Z")
How about **Richard Chamberlain** in Shogun and The Thorn Birds? ---
**Author:** ![Fiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e274bd/32.png) [@Fiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiver)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2003, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/openly-gay-actors-in-openly-straight-roles/220025/16 "2003-12-19T21:33:44Z")
…Or in most other roles **Richard Chamberlain** has played. (Straight) heartthrobs were the bread and butter of his career. How recently did he formally out himself, though? I’m pretty sure he wasn’t out when he was in _Shogun._ ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2003, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/openly-gay-actors-in-openly-straight-roles/220025/17 "2003-12-19T21:39:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by dropzone \* > \*\*Were Cary Grant and Randolph Scott really lovers? \*\* Unless someone comes up with the photos, we’ll never know. (And if they do come up with the photos, I wanna see 'em!) ---
**Author:** ![Duderdude2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cdc98d/32.png) [@Duderdude2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duderdude2)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2003, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/openly-gay-actors-in-openly-straight-roles/220025/18 "2003-12-19T21:48:45Z")
I thought that it wasn’t confirmed if the actor who plays Marty from Fraiser is gay? ---
**Author:** ![wolf\_meister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf_meister/32/15202_2.png) [@wolf\_meister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_meister)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2003, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/openly-gay-actors-in-openly-straight-roles/220025/19 "2003-12-19T22:19:43Z")
**sampiro** part of your OP was: **does it damage an actor’s credibility when you know that he’s gay in real life and he’s playing a character in a straight romance/marriage?** I don’t think it makes any differenece. However… Remember the brouhaha when **Anne Heche** made **Six Days Seven Nights (1998)**? The plot involved she and **Harrison Ford** crashlanding on an island and ending up as lovers. At the time, Ms Heche claimed to be gay (but now is married with 1 child). Still, everyone said how cinematically unbelievable that would be since she is (was) a lesbian. That is ridiculous. Last time I checked, **Harrison Ford** does not have a doctorate in archaeology, has never flown spacecraft to help defend the rebels against the Empire, has never been President of the United States, etc. OR to take another stab at my favorite target: **JOHN WAYNE** never served one day in the military, yet made countless films in which he portrayed the archetypal American war hero in all branches of the military. Not much of a “flap” over that. :: stepping off the soapbox :: ---
**Author:** ![lembranca](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/838e76/32.png) [@lembranca](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lembranca)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2003, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/openly-gay-actors-in-openly-straight-roles/220025/20 "2003-12-19T22:26:12Z")
What about Chad Allen? Does he count [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/openly-gay-actors-in-openly-straight-roles/220025.md?page=2)