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Original poster

Do you think celebs really have 'showmances' purely for PR purposes?

128 replies

robotcartrainhat · 30/05/2018 18:52

This never occurred to me before...
I had thought that sometimes before a film comes out or something, that to create extra publicity the production company with the agreement of the actors might get a few pap photos of the stars looking vaguely like they were maybe on a date or whatever...

But whole relationships?
Surely thats a bit of a conspiracy thing?

But ive noticed otherwise reasonable friends saying it about Cumberbatch and his wife, Tom Hiddleston and Taylor Swift. actually Taylor Swift with anyone... and Tom Cruise with anyone, George and Amal Clooney....

And I just dont really buy it? That anyone would or could go to those lengths just for self promotion? Bring that type of attention on themselves?

If you think these relationships are fake can I ask why or if you have any concrete reason to believe that?

Not that in the grand scheme of things it really matters either way... but im just really curious as to why people seem to really believe that this goes on? maybe they know something I dont?

OP posts:
ThomasShelbysBunnet · 02/07/2018 18:43

Wasn't there always rumours of Cat Deeley being gay before she married that Irish fella? They've apparently got a child together too.

TabbyWheelwright · 02/07/2018 18:53

I

WipsGlitter · 02/07/2018 19:04

I think the TS and Tom H thing was a PR plan that turned into a disaster and damaged his career. He'd just done that mafia thing and was being touted as Bond so was trying to raise his profile in the US and instead made a tit of himself.

I think Leo is definitely gay!

HeresMeh · 02/07/2018 19:06

I know for a FACT that Gigi Hadid and Zayn Malik are a showmance!!!

LarryFreakinStylinson · 02/07/2018 19:15

Well as my username suggests (don’t worry MN in case there is a klaxon going off somewhere I’m not going to open THAT can of worms again) I absolutely believe in the likelihood that many ‘showmances’ are to cover sexuality.

SoNotaWendy · 02/07/2018 19:40

Cat and Patrick K have two children now I think. Some of the photos i've seen of them ambling along with a buggy look very unstaged imo

YY to Leo gay and Bradley - but singers don't need a cover in the same way as actors as they aren't playing parts.

LarryFreakinStylinson · 02/07/2018 19:49

Singers still need to sell a product and there are vast swathes of the world (sadly) where being gay or bi just won’t cut the mustard.

SoNotaWendy · 02/07/2018 19:57

So many boy bands have ''a gay one''.

These threads just get so ridiculous when posters start saying people like Patrick Kielty are gay. He was in a ltr with a woman before he was even well-know.

LarryFreakinStylinson · 02/07/2018 20:01

How do you mean a ‘gay one’? Like a pretend gay one? Or one who is gay who is pretending to be straight. Because I can’t think of any of the former - certainly not when a band has been at their peak.

IHaveBrilloHair · 02/07/2018 20:04

I absolutely believe in shoelaces, and beards.
Of course it happens.

LarryFreakinStylinson · 02/07/2018 20:07

What is a shoelace?!

SoNotaWendy · 02/07/2018 20:07

No like in BOyzone there was stephen gately. Marcus Feehily in Westlife.... I can't even think of any more boybands but I'm sure it's not unusual for one to be genuinely gay.

raisedbyguineapigs · 02/07/2018 20:13

I don't think Leo is gay. I think he has just got caught up in the 'every man's dream lifestyle' being surrounded by supermodels at all times but didn't thing about what he would feel like in his mid 40's surrounded by women 20 years younger who are clearly not there because they find him charming and attractive but because he offered them a weekend on his yacht.

SmashedMug · 02/07/2018 20:17

Boy bands can get away with a gay one because there's still four or so other straight ones to sell the product to girls and that bonus guy to sell the product to gay guys.

Saying that though, the Nsync fella didn't come out until they were well established. Westlife fella didn't come out until they were established. Stephen Gately didn't come out until they were established. The risk of it derailing their career is too high when they are unknown. No one will invest in a product that might not sell if they can go for the safe money making option.

LarryFreakinStylinson · 02/07/2018 20:18

Sonotawendy I’d argue that neither of those band members came out at the peak of their careers within the band and certainly with Stephen it was well known that he was to be outed in the press which is why he eventually came out himself.

I just agree with a pp that regardless of your field we still live in a world where in certain places being gay is a crime and therefore in order to appease certain markets you have to hide your real self. Which is utterly shit.

SPOFS · 03/07/2018 01:03

Yes, Rupert Everett is the perfect example of why so many celebs hide their sexuality. He has said himself many times that work dried up once he came out. He also said that many producers have told him he can't be cast because he's gay. It's very sad.

Fair play to him for coming out. He was very grave to do that.

ExBbqQueen · 03/07/2018 06:19

I’m sure Rupert Everett said he regretted it.

100thousandreasons · 03/07/2018 08:08

I just cannot for the life of me get my head around why it matters or why actors wouldn't get jobs etc if they are gay. I'm not denying this happens, clearly it does. But the whole point of acting is that you're playing a part. Straight actors play gay people all the time so why the fuss of a gay actor played a straight person (or not). Who fucking cares? Does it equally affect how someone sings, or kicks a ball any more than it affects how a bin man empties a bin? No.

It's saddening that in 2018 being gay is even a 'thing' to be announced as a big deal - or to be hidden to the extent people fake relationships.

ThomasNightingale · 03/07/2018 09:01

Kevin Spacey’s abhorrent behaviour didn’t affect his acting ability either but we’re not seeing him on our screens much nowadays. Likewise other straight abusers now revealed. You will of course respond that Spacey’s behaviour was immoral whilst people engaging in consensual gay relationships are doing nothing wrong, and I’d agree.

But there are millions, maybe hundreds of millions of ticket buyers out there who do believe that homosexuality is a moral failing on the same level as sexual harassment or even worse, and who do not want gay people as role models for their children or to pay money to see them act, in the same way that a lot of people are not happy to have Johnny Depp as Grindelwald.

ThomasShelbysBunnet · 03/07/2018 09:06

@SoNotaWendy I never meant that Patrick K was gay, but there were many rumours over many years that Cat Deeley was.
It seemed to come out of nowhere when they got together, but I suppose she had never been linked to any men before him, of the real or the beard variety.

SmashedMug · 03/07/2018 09:52

Who fucking cares? Does it equally affect how someone sings, or kicks a ball any more than it affects how a bin man empties a bin? No.

Homophobic people care unfortunately. And they are a bigger chunk of the population than you'd think nowadays :(

And in show business employability, money is the main thing. If you can't sell to the majority, you don't get hired. If there's a risk you MIGHT not sell, they'll go with someone who definitely will. Of course being gay doesn't affect how a person does their job but it could affect who buys their work (especially in homophobic countries but also in big chunks of the US) and that's where it begins to affect their careers.

MrsChollySawcutt · 03/07/2018 10:08

Yes, I would like to think that sexuality is totally a non issue in 2018 but the reality is that if you are in the global public eye then it very much still is.

I think we forget in the UK that large parts of the world are still homophobic, and I don't just mean that there are homophobes living there more that there are still countries and states that have homophobic laws.

Rupert Everett is a great example, he had a stellar career in the early 80s but once he came out he disappeared from view and suffered years in the career wilderness. For current actors and musicians this is still a real fear in worldwide markets.

yogaginrepeat · 03/07/2018 10:12

@ThomasShelbysBunnet is it any wonder so much stuff is just made up online and spreads so quickly when people can sound so knowledgeable about matters they know nothing about?!

I can remember reading about several of Cat's relationships over the years. Also remember her and Patrick presenting together years ago and staying pals. And relationships "starting from nowhere" now causing suspicion - what does that even mean?!

OliviaStabler · 03/07/2018 10:55

Straight actors play gay people all the time so why the fuss of a gay actor played a straight person (or not). Who fucking cares?

Unfortunately a lot of people do mind and would not go and see an openly gay actor in a straight role.

Look at the marketing for Star Wars a few years ago. (I know it was about race but it shows how marketing is changed to appeal to different countries). The Star Wars poster in China caused controversy because they shrunk John Boyega’s character a lot and eliminated other non white characters.

IIRC Lady GaGa had to change some of the lyrics to Born This Way for some territories as they would not allow the use of some of the pro gay lyrics in the song.

Ohmeohmy1234 · 03/07/2018 12:25

I’ve heard women outwardly say that they wouldn’t fancy a male actor any more if he came out as gay, and therefore wouldn’t want to watch his shows/films any more. They would never describe themselves as homophobic and have no “problem” with gay people, but are very open in that if they know an actor is gay, they won’t find him believable in a romantic role. It’s very sad and narrow minded.

And these are young, supposedly “modern” western women. It’s not just oldies or people from less liberal cultures who have these views.

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