Jennifer Ehle+Colin Firth - how the film industry has treated them...

[Tensmumym]

Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth were famously in Pride and Prejudice as partners. I've just discovered that the 45 year old Jennifer played the mother of the 25 year old Dakota Johnson in the film Fifty Shades of Grey. here Meanwhile, the 54 year old Colin played as the love interest opposite the 26 year old Emma Stone. here

[JAPAB]

Can't say I know any men who were bothered by whether Meg Tilly and Gina Gershon were straight in real life, when they were watching the film Bound.

Most of the time I don't even know what the sexuality of the actor I am watching is. I don't think it would matter to me to positively know that an actor is gay but playing a man in a heterosexual relationship, although I can't remember any specific examples of this ever happening off the top of my head.

I suppose for some people, rightly or wrongly, being gay is more of A Thing than being straight is, so knowledge that someone is gay in real life might be more likely to be further in the forefront of their mind and place more of an immersion-breaking barrier in the way, when they are watching them as a heterosexual man on screen.

Whereas being straight is so routinely dull it can not even register in the forefront of the consciousness that the actor playing a gay man, is straight in real life.

[WhirlpoolGalaxyM51]

I don't know what that film is, but I'm guessing it was about lesbians and had bondage in it. If that's the case, then I find your comment unhelpful.

Obviously lots of men don't have a problem with women in same sex sexual situations, it is featured heavily in porn aimed at men.

If you are suggesting that lots of straight men would similarly have no problem over the sexuality of male actors when watching a film about gay men and bondage, then it might be a reasonable point. But, oh look, strangely there aren't loads of straight men watching films with that plot in mainstream films, are there.

Why you feel the need to bring the point that men are comfortable watching women have sex with each other into this is beyond me. I can't see anywhere, that I suggested that heterosexual men don't like to see that. I said that lots of heterosexual men seem to have a lot of discomfort / an odd attitude to gay men.

I suppose talking about women fucking is maybe more interesting than talking about why Hollywood men stay in the closet and then the reason given for this blames movie-going women when in fact that explanation looks a bit iffy when you examine it.

[JAPAB]

"I can't see anywhere, that I suggested that heterosexual men don't like to see that. I said that lots of heterosexual men seem to have a lot of discomfort / an odd attitude to gay men."

You didn't. I mentioned that there are men who are not concerned watching straight women as lesbians or straight men as gays, but there are some who might find it a slight issue watching gay men as heterosexuals. Just made a possible suggestion as to why this might be in some cases, but no doubt other explanations are available.

[YonicScrewdriver]

Whirlpool, of course the film industry is global and so some cultures watching American films may be less liberal in their view of gay/lesbian actors than others; this may partly account for the "closeting"

[YonicScrewdriver]

Wasn't there some consternation around Anne Heche playing against Harrison Ford? Her sexuality making it all less believable than the huge age gap, natch (rolls eyes).

I don't think Portia de Rossi was out when she was in Ally McBeal in a relationship with a man.

Sorry to use lesbian examples but apart from Rupert Thingimmy, who is gay and played gay in My Best Friend's Wedding, I can't think of any other gay men.

[tribpot]

Jodie Foster has played straight throughout her career but has only recently formally come out, although I don't think regarded herself as closeted either.

The dreamsome Matt Bomer has played straight in White Collar and likewise Sean Maher from Firefly. He came out after Firefly was made. Neil Patrick Harris plays a straight guy in How I Met Your Mother too - note that this is all TV and not film, however. In film there is Zachary Quinto (new Spock) but Spock is not a romantic lead unless you are a real dweeb

As Hollywood rarely seems interested in making films that might actually appeal to women (the Bechdel test demonstrating this) it does seem more likely to be anti-gay prejudice from straight men, wrapped up as 'women won't idolise gay men'.

[YonicScrewdriver]

Kirk/Spock is the original slash though, right?!

[YonicScrewdriver]

More seriously, I agree with your last para.

I also think America can be v strange about homosexuality. Thinking of American Idol where Adam Lambert did a Rolling Stone interview post the show which they billed as "coming out" and he billed as "err, duh?"

[ATravellingCircusCame]

I don't think it's got anything to do with 'buying the character' or not. I think there are a lot of homophobic people globally (male and female) and the fear is they just won't take to a gay actor. They won't even get to the point of watching the film, rather than watching it and finding the character unbelievable because of the actor's sexuality. And then there is sponsorship/advertisement etc., some brands won't want a gay spokesperson.

When you're starting out as an actor and it's hard to find work you have to do whatever you can to appeal to the broadest market and that includes staying in the closet. There comes a point where you could 'come out' and keep your core audience, but it must become more and more tricky to 'come out' as time goes on. If you're very well known the press intrusion would be a consideration etc.

There are increasingly openly gay actors on television (Portia de Rossi, Jim Parsons, NPH, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Jane Lynch, Wanda Sykes, Sarah Paulson, several of the cast of OITNB), hopefully this will bleed into film eventually.

[Dervel]

Oh god I remember when they were filming The Lord of The Rings and there was an actual contingent of Tolkien fans who spazzed out at Gandalfs actor (Ian McKellan) being gay, not that that's in the least bit relevant, but it happens. I don't recall any of the dissenting voices being women though.

[YonicScrewdriver]

That's pants!

You maybe want to rephrase your post though...

[Tensmumym]

Luke Evans is openly gay and has played straight parts. I can't think of any other examples at the moment.

[Trills]

Gandalf has no sexuality.

[Duckdeamon]

Hang on a minute! "Spock is not a romantic lead unless you are a real dweeb"



Many many Trekkies disagree!

[LassUnparalleled]

Has John Barrowman played a straight romantic lead ? I know he does in pantos with the Krankies but that probably doesn't count

[YonicScrewdriver]

No I don't think so - and he's not been in a film at all AFAIK.

[OneHandFlapping]

Re Tolkien fans objecting to Gandalf being played by a gay actor - I take it they've not read much fanfic then?

[Tensmumym]

Yay!! Kate Winslet stars oppposite Liam Hemsworth in a new film She's 39 and he is 25.

[BreakingDad77]

Its interesting the mention earlier about america, when i was in nevada a caricaturist drew DW and me and gushed about how he loved Dr Who, but didn't like Torchwood "as i dont like it shoved down my throat".

Agree with the comment earlier about Dr Doogie howser (Neil patrick harris) is gay but I think he plays a completely plausible straight guy in How i met your mother.

With age gaps, there was Susan Sarandon with James spader in White Palace and also she is married to a younger man, though is the rarer. And antonio banderas and melanie griffith (tho think they have divorced).

[Tensmumym]

And so it continues. Robert Redford, 79 and Emma Thompson, 56, plays his wife. Good article here

[YonicScrewdriver]

I like that.

Tell me that The Intern, with Hathaway and De Niro, isn't what I think it is...

[YonicScrewdriver]

Sarandon is 13 years older than spader. So that's a start, but lots of gaps much bigger the other way.

[YonicScrewdriver]

Awesome! It isn't! He's working for her and she has a husband and child.

[YonicScrewdriver]

Griffith is 3 years older than banderas. Guess even that is unusual enough to have registered with you as an older woman, BD77

[BreakingDad77]

Sorry Yonic I thought there was a near ten yr difference between them, must have got my sources wrong, scratch them as an example.