# Today, could an uncloseted gay male become a Hollywood superstar? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [May 17, 2006, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-could-an-uncloseted-gay-male-become-a-hollywood-superstar/357170 "2006-05-17T21:29:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2006, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-could-an-uncloseted-gay-male-become-a-hollywood-superstar/357170/1 "2006-05-17T21:29:00Z")
All “Who’s gay in Hollywood?” speculations are based on the not unreasonable assumption that a gay male actor would have no chance of achieving star status unless he kept it in the closet. Certainly that was true for most of Hollywood’s history, but is it true today? After all, the barrier is at least starting to break down for lesbians. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2006, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-could-an-uncloseted-gay-male-become-a-hollywood-superstar/357170/2 "2006-05-17T21:30:47Z")
Sir Ian McKellen has been both uncloseted and a movie star for several decades now. ---
**Author:** ![LiveOnAPlane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3d9bf3/32.png) [@LiveOnAPlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LiveOnAPlane)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2006, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-could-an-uncloseted-gay-male-become-a-hollywood-superstar/357170/3 "2006-05-17T21:41:29Z")
I am really serious here… Considering some of the absolute nut cases that currently have fame and riches, I don’t see why being openly gay would be that large a hurdle. So, my vote is yes, they could. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2006, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-could-an-uncloseted-gay-male-become-a-hollywood-superstar/357170/4 "2006-05-17T21:47:49Z")
Do you really need a list of uncloseted gay hollywood stars? That would be a pretty long list. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2006, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-could-an-uncloseted-gay-male-become-a-hollywood-superstar/357170/5 "2006-05-17T21:52:52Z")
Jack from Will and Grace…wasn’t he out when he got that job? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2006, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-could-an-uncloseted-gay-male-become-a-hollywood-superstar/357170/6 "2006-05-17T21:55:14Z")
> [@OneCentStamp](#): > > Sir Ian McKellen has been both uncloseted and a movie star for several decades now. Good point, but the issue is a little more nuanced than that. O’Reilly brought this up on his show recently (and it spawned a Pit thread by someone who didn’t understand his point). The idea is, could an openly gay male be a leading man type Hollywood start like Tom Cruise, Harrison Ford, Tom Hanks, or Nicholas Cage? I seriously doubt it. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2006, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-could-an-uncloseted-gay-male-become-a-hollywood-superstar/357170/7 "2006-05-17T21:59:35Z")
> [@Lemur866](#): > > Do you really need a list of uncloseted gay hollywood stars? That would be a pretty long list. I’m thinking superstars, on the Tom Cruise level. And not a one comes to mind. > [@Kalhoun](#): > > Jack from Will and Grace…wasn’t he out when he got that job? TV don’t count. ---
**Author:** ![i\_am\_a\_scientist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f07891/32.png) [@i\_am\_a\_scientist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/i_am_a_scientist)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2006, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-could-an-uncloseted-gay-male-become-a-hollywood-superstar/357170/8 "2006-05-17T22:01:48Z")
> [@Kalhoun](#): > > Jack from Will and Grace…wasn’t he out when he got that job? I’m pretty sure that guy (Sean Hayes, I think is his name) never came out - or is not out, or whatever. Ruppert Evrett and Ian Cumming are both way gay ---
**Author:** ![Malodorous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47774/32.png) [@Malodorous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malodorous)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2006, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-could-an-uncloseted-gay-male-become-a-hollywood-superstar/357170/9 "2006-05-17T22:11:58Z")
> [@OneCentStamp](#): > > Sir Ian McKellen has been both uncloseted and a movie star for several decades now. Dunno if a British shakespearian actor mainly known in movies from supporting rolls in a few sci-fi/fantasy pictures really counts as a hollywood superstar. I think the most likely route for this to happen is for a closeted actor to make it big and then come out of the closet. Becoming a superstar is largely about marketing oneself, and the fact is that a large chunk of the movie going public is not yet comfortable with a gay man being a sex symbol. An openly gay hollywood star will happen eventually, but not in the immediate future without some subterfuge at least at the beginning of their career. ---
**Author:** ![Loopydude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e56c9b/32.png) [@Loopydude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopydude)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2006, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-could-an-uncloseted-gay-male-become-a-hollywood-superstar/357170/10 "2006-05-17T23:00:30Z")
> [@i am a scientist](#): > > I’m pretty sure that guy (Sean Hayes, I think is his name) never came out - or is not out, or whatever. > > Ruppert Evrett and Ian Cumming are both way gay Do you mean Alan Cumming? My understanding is he sleeps with humans. Rupert Everett is, I think, about as close as it gets to the successful gay hunk, and he’s really more of an art-house idol than a Hollywood big-hitter. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2006, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-could-an-uncloseted-gay-male-become-a-hollywood-superstar/357170/11 "2006-05-17T23:06:48Z")
> [@Malodorous](#): > > Dunno if a British shakespearian actor mainly known in movies from supporting rolls in a few sci-fi/fantasy pictures really counts as a hollywood superstar. Well, by the time _The Da Vinci Code_ finishes its run, he’ll have been in four of the top 50 grossing movies of all time. Supporting roles (key supporting roles) or not, that’s got to count for something. > [@](#): > > I think the most likely route for this to happen is for a closeted actor to make it big and then come out of the closet. Becoming a superstar is largely about marketing oneself, and the fact is that a large chunk of the movie going public is not yet comfortable with a gay man being a sex symbol. An openly gay hollywood star will happen eventually, but not in the immediate future without some subterfuge at least at the beginning of their career. I do agree that it will be a while before we see an openly gay guy in the traditional “good looking, tough, gets the girl” leading man role, especially in “guy movies.” Vin Diesel and The Rock may be slightly more sensitive, nuanced and brainy than their 80s counterparts Arnold, Jean-Claude and Seagal, but we’re still a long way from seeing a steroind enhanced Sean Hayes as The Gay Terminator. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![samm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/858c86/32.png) [@samm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samm)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2006, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-could-an-uncloseted-gay-male-become-a-hollywood-superstar/357170/12 "2006-05-17T23:08:27Z")
What about Vin Diesel? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2006, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-could-an-uncloseted-gay-male-become-a-hollywood-superstar/357170/13 "2006-05-17T23:13:45Z")
> [@i am a scientist](#): > > I’m pretty sure that guy (Sean Hayes, I think is his name) never came out - or is not out, or whatever. Is he even gay? The IMDB bio on him doesn’t make it clear one way or another; neither does the Wikipedia article. But both include a telling quote – [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean\_Hayes#Quotes:](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_Hayes#Quotes:) > [@](#): > > When you see me play Jack, I want you to believe that that’s a gay character. After Will & Grace is over, when I play a straight character, I want you to believe that, too." - Etcetera interview (As with his convincing early work in the Doritos ad). ---
**Author:** ![Malodorous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47774/32.png) [@Malodorous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malodorous)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2006, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-could-an-uncloseted-gay-male-become-a-hollywood-superstar/357170/14 "2006-05-17T23:14:51Z")
> [@samm](#): > > What about Vin Diesel? Is rumored to be gay, right? Even if the rumors are true it doesn’t make him fit the description in the OP. > [@OnceCentStamp](#): > > Supporting roles (key supporting roles) or not, that’s got to count for something. It counts for a lot (I’m sure Gandalf is counting all the money he’s making), but I think to even debatably count as a “superstar” you have to have the leading roll in atleast a few blockbusters. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2006, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-could-an-uncloseted-gay-male-become-a-hollywood-superstar/357170/15 "2006-05-17T23:16:19Z")
> [@Malodorous](#): > > Dunno if a British shakespearian actor mainly known in movies from supporting rolls in a few sci-fi/fantasy pictures really counts as a hollywood superstar. Maybe, but Sir Ian is a hell of a lot more respected, more talented, and probably a lot happier than Tom Cruise. And he’s done a lot more movies than just the _X-Men_ and _Lord of the Rings_. ---
**Author:** ![Malodorous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47774/32.png) [@Malodorous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malodorous)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2006, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-could-an-uncloseted-gay-male-become-a-hollywood-superstar/357170/16 "2006-05-17T23:39:18Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Maybe, but Sir Ian is a hell of a lot more respected, more talented, and probably a lot happier than Tom Cruise. Gandalf is a _much_ better actor the Harrison Ford, Tom Cruise and Will Smith all put togeather. But that’s sort of the problem, being a good actor isn’t really what makes a well known “superstar”. If it was, then it would just be a matter of time before a talented gay actor starred in a popular move, got on the cover of a few magazines and started drawing 50 million dollar per movie paychecks and the conditions of the OP would be met. Sadly, as I said before, becoming an acting celebrity appears to be only loosely linked to one’s talent in acting. > [@](#): > > And he’s done a lot more movies than just the _X-Men_ and _Lord of the Rings_. Yeah, but that’s what he’s know for amonst us Joe Schmoes in the street. I’ve seen Apt Pupil twice and I didn’t even know that was him in it till I looked at IMDB ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2006, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-could-an-uncloseted-gay-male-become-a-hollywood-superstar/357170/17 "2006-05-17T23:53:48Z")
I think you need to start by defining Superstar. Box office draw. Large salary demand. Long term career. Do they need “heartthrobability” (Tom Hanks is cute, but seldom shows up in “my celebrity crush” threads). Do they need to be able to act? (i.e. did George Clooney cross some threshhold with Oscar nominations?) I think fewer and fewer superstars are being made now. The system isn’t set up for it the way it once was. Its been a long time since the demise of the studio system, where superstars were manufactured like car parts - the decline has been long and steady. But with the current environment feels different. And with fewer and fewer superstars being made, the chances that one of them will be out and gay - slim. Not impossible, just slim. Gay will hold them back and make it less likely - they will be less possible to market as heartthrobs - but that is only one component of stardom. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2006, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-could-an-uncloseted-gay-male-become-a-hollywood-superstar/357170/18 "2006-05-18T00:16:58Z")
> [@Malodorous](#): > > Yeah, but that’s what he’s know for amonst us Joe Schmoes in the street. I’ve seen Apt Pupil twice and I didn’t even know that was him in it till I looked at IMDB That’s one sign of a really good actor. E.g., Gary Oldman, who has been called “the disappearing actor.” Who would watch _Bram Stoker’s Dracula_ and recognize Dracula as Lee Harvey Oswald in _JFK?_ And at the other end of that spectrum you have, say, Michael J. Fox, who has spent his entire career playing Alex Keaton. Not that he’s a bad actor. He’s a very good actor within his limited range. But we all know which one’s the superstar. A Michael J. Fox cover story will sell a lot more issues of _People_ than a Gary Oldman cover story. Partly **because** of the above. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2006, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-could-an-uncloseted-gay-male-become-a-hollywood-superstar/357170/19 "2006-05-18T00:52:11Z")
Add me to the list. No, not the list of gay actors. I can’t see why being openly gay would eternally handcuff a male actor. I CAN see a problem with a gay male actor playing the alpha male in an action movie, unless he’s rather convincing. I’m not gonna mention Tom Cruise, I’m not gonna mention Tom Cruise, I’m not gonna mention Tom Cruise, I’m not gonna mention Tom Cruise, I’m not gonna mention Tom Cruise, ---
**Author:** ![Ensign\_Edison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ab992/32.png) [@Ensign\_Edison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ensign_Edison)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2006, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-could-an-uncloseted-gay-male-become-a-hollywood-superstar/357170/20 "2006-05-18T01:54:42Z")
> [@Least Original User Name Ever](#): > > I CAN see a problem with a gay male actor playing the alpha male in an action movie, unless he’s rather convincing. I just :dubious: 'd so hard I think I sprained something. Please, please do explain this fascinating statement. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-could-an-uncloseted-gay-male-become-a-hollywood-superstar/357170.md?page=2)