By Elizabeth Snead
May 27, 2010 11:11 AM ET
Does the name Rock Hudson ring a bell with anyone...of course gays can play straight characters and in his case, very well!!!
Why is this pathetic article being rehashed? The entire idea of it is absurd, from the writer himself to the basic premise. There have been gay men playing straight characters since early theater productions, from Shakespeare up through to Andrew Lloyd Webber, so why does anyone think the possibility is unlikely?
Personally, I've thought all along that the point of the article was misrepresented, probably because of poor writing on the part of the author. What I CAN believe is somebody not being able to completely believe an actor's portrayal (which takes the viewer out of the "moment"), knowing that the actor is gay. This is less a symptom of homophobia than it is a lack of imagination.
Take an actor such as Rock Hudson, who played a number of very manly characters during his career. Until it was revealed that he was gay, nobody would have had an inkling, which means that it didn't matter. Even if Hudson's sexuality had been front-page news, he was a good enough actor that he could pull off any role he chose to play.
Perhaps it's more an indication that modern actors are nowhere near as good as those from the earlier part of the twentieth century, who knows? Whatever the reason, the premise behind this article is ludicrous and should be buried in the same landfill as the Bell Curve and the books penned by people who thought you could determine a person's personality based on the shape of their skull. Oh, and the author should be fired and sent over to FOX News, where they believe that sort of tripe.
It shocks me that we still have to ask such inane questions. I have a problem with Lindsay Lohan trying to play a character with range and depth. I don't have a problem with Sean Hayes playing it straight on Broadway. That author should have his press pass revoked. The piece was trifling at best.
if the actor is good at his/her craft, we the audience will forget anything about their personal life and just buy into their character. Neil Patrick Harris is a prime example of this. On How I Met Your Mother, he IS Barney...I'm not sitting there thinking he's a gay man playing a straight guy.
Has Newsweek fired this poor excuse of a writer yet? I have a Journalism degree, Newsweek, not that it matter, apparently!
I thought Portia was much more believable playing a straight character on "Arrested Development" than a lesbian on "Nip/Tuck"
If she actually read the article she would have seen the discussion was about gay actors that are "out". Maybe she disagrees with that too, and she'd be a good counterexample. But saying "there have been gay actors playing straight characters as long as there has been a Hollywood. And you know, maybe the general public didn't know that they were gay. But they were very convincing" just says to me she read the headline and not the article.
Just in case people want a convincing argument, the guy who played Patrick Logan on Desperate Housewives is AN OPLENLY GAY MAN!!!! I am a homosexual male myself who watches DH and was amazed when I found out. VERY CONVINCING!!
Actors have been successful playing character since the beginning of theater.
No, it doesn't matter what their orientation is. If they are good in the role, they are good. End of discussion.
Sexual orientation doesn't matter. Interestingly enough, the first time I saw her character on HBO, I said, "That actor is gay. She's totally a lesbian." It doesn't take away from the character she's playing at all. If you can stomach the dialogue, sexual orientation should be the least of your worries. The show is pure narcisissm. Pure drivel. Irrelevant.
Does the name Rock Hudson ring a bell with anyone...of course gays can play straight characters and in his case, very well!!!
Why is this pathetic article being rehashed? The entire idea of it is absurd, from the writer himself to the basic premise. There have been gay men playing straight characters since early theater productions, from Shakespeare up through to Andrew Lloyd Webber, so why does anyone think the possibility is unlikely?
Personally, I've thought all along that the point of the article was misrepresented, probably because of poor writing on the part of the author. What I CAN believe is somebody not being able to completely believe an actor's portrayal (which takes the viewer out of the "moment"), knowing that the actor is gay. This is less a symptom of homophobia than it is a lack of imagination.
Take an actor such as Rock Hudson, who played a number of very manly characters during his career. Until it was revealed that he was gay, nobody would have had an inkling, which means that it didn't matter. Even if Hudson's sexuality had been front-page news, he was a good enough actor that he could pull off any role he chose to play.
Perhaps it's more an indication that modern actors are nowhere near as good as those from the earlier part of the twentieth century, who knows? Whatever the reason, the premise behind this article is ludicrous and should be buried in the same landfill as the Bell Curve and the books penned by people who thought you could determine a person's personality based on the shape of their skull. Oh, and the author should be fired and sent over to FOX News, where they believe that sort of tripe.
It shocks me that we still have to ask such inane questions. I have a problem with Lindsay Lohan trying to play a character with range and depth. I don't have a problem with Sean Hayes playing it straight on Broadway. That author should have his press pass revoked. The piece was trifling at best.
if the actor is good at his/her craft, we the audience will forget anything about their personal life and just buy into their character. Neil Patrick Harris is a prime example of this. On How I Met Your Mother, he IS Barney...I'm not sitting there thinking he's a gay man playing a straight guy.
Has Newsweek fired this poor excuse of a writer yet? I have a Journalism degree, Newsweek, not that it matter, apparently!
I thought Portia was much more believable playing a straight character on "Arrested Development" than a lesbian on "Nip/Tuck"
If she actually read the article she would have seen the discussion was about gay actors that are "out". Maybe she disagrees with that too, and she'd be a good counterexample. But saying "there have been gay actors playing straight characters as long as there has been a Hollywood. And you know, maybe the general public didn't know that they were gay. But they were very convincing" just says to me she read the headline and not the article.
Just in case people want a convincing argument, the guy who played Patrick Logan on Desperate Housewives is AN OPLENLY GAY MAN!!!! I am a homosexual male myself who watches DH and was amazed when I found out. VERY CONVINCING!!
Actors have been successful playing character since the beginning of theater.
No, it doesn't matter what their orientation is. If they are good in the role, they are good. End of discussion.
Sexual orientation doesn't matter. Interestingly enough, the first time I saw her character on HBO, I said,
"That actor is gay. She's totally a lesbian."
It doesn't take away from the character she's playing at all. If you can stomach the dialogue, sexual orientation should be the least of your worries. The show is pure narcisissm. Pure drivel. Irrelevant.