Kate Winslet Knows Gay Male Actors Afraid To Come Out Because Of Their Careers

One of the more refreshingly honest portrayals of a gay love affair in 2020 happened in Harley Quinn

Here we are in 2021 and discrimination based on sexual orientation is still happening in Hollywood? According to Kate Winslet, at least mostly for men, it is.

“It’s bad news,” she added, “Hollywood has to drop that dated crap of, ‘Can he play straight because, apparently, he’s gay?’ ” “That should be almost illegal,” she said. “You would not believe how widespread it is. And it can’t just be distilled to the question about gay actors playing gay parts. Because actors, in some cases, are choosing not to come out for personal reasons. And it’s nobody’s business. Perhaps privacy. Perhaps conditioning and shame.”

Kate Winslet Says She Knows ‘at Least 4’ Actors ‘Hiding Their Sexuality’ Due to ‘Homophobia’ in Hollywood

Kate is partially wrong, discrimination in the workplace is illegal. An actor should be chosen based on his/her suitability for the part, never on his/her sexual orientation. I do understand if it’s for a gay part, that the actor should be able to convincingly be comfortable with same sex contact and affection. If s/he is not, then that’s a legitimate reason to give the part to another actor. I don’t buy for a second, however, that only gay men and women can play gay parts and they can’t play straight roles. Look at actors like Raymond Burr? He brilliantly played a straight part as Perry Mason. George Takei (Sulu on Star Trek) came out, but not until much later in his career. Heck, the rebooted Star Trek even showed his character as gay.

I can see this being an issue in the past, but in 2021 we should have moved past this type of discriminatory casting, yes/no?

It’s not only gay actors either. Look what’s happened on the Simpsons with voice actors (see: Kevin Michael Richardson to voice Dr. Hibbert instead of Harry Shearer on The Simpsons and Hank Azaria No Longer Voice of Apu on The Simpsons possibly being replaced by Indian Actor = Insanity)

Say that again: voice actors.

Hollywood is a strange, strange place.

This might be one small area where men are discriminated against more than women. Gay men in Hollywood. Male actors seem to get work into their senior ages more than aging female actresses. At least I’ve read that complaint over the years.