Does a gay actor or actress turn you off from a movie?

Question

I told a friend recently that Ian McKellen (Gandalf in LoTR and Magneto in X-Men) was gay. He blew his lid, couldn't believe that Gandalf and Magneto were played by a gay man. He told me that night that he now no longer likes those characters. Though he claims he is not homophobic, it seems a little weird to me. It does not bother me personally. But I wonder if others feel similar.

Could it be that it bothers you because Gandalf and Magneto aren't gay themselves? That he should be portrayed be a straight man because the characters are straight?

Answer 1

I don't understand that type of feeling at all. We rarely know whether an actor or actress is straight, bi or gay, so it's silly to judge if he admired those roles only to be upset that a gay actor plays them.

Jake Gyllenhaal played a gay man then followed up by playing a tough Marine. So, which is he supposed to be? He's also been Donnie Darko and the boy in the bubble.

So, only straights should play straight roles? That is just too weird a way of thinking. It reminds me of how upset some people were when the actor who played Bulldog in "Frasier" revealed that he is gay. There were tirades about that! Well, didn't Neil Patrick Harris "come out"? He plays a womanizer on "How I Met Your Mom". (I don't watch it, so I hope I remembered that correctly.) So, should these two "player" roles have been cast with straight guys? Then, there are those who assume that, if someone plays a gay role, he or she IS gay! One actress said that, after she did a same-sex kiss, she received dozens of scripts wanting her to portray lesbians!

It truly doesn't matter to most people I'll bet. I hope that your friend is in the minority.

Answer 2

I really like Ian McKellen, he is a great guy. I know quite a few gay people in hollywood. And I don't have a problem with it. A lot of my close friends are gay. What matters is the quality of the work that they do. And Ian does a really good job at acting.

Answer 3

Jake and Heath were strong enough in their own manhood to get the job done..Many men actors have taken this leap in movies.Leonardo DiCaprio even had scenes similar/more graphic to Brokeback in a movie called Total Eclipse..Some men are up to the challenge an actor acting for the art not the monetary gains is a pure actor..Some men are good actors just not strong enough in manhood or other reasons they wont do gay scenes

Answer 4

I don't have a problem with it at all. But I know someone who if he sees an actor playing a gay person, will never believe that they AREN'T gay. He thinks that no straight man would want to be portrayed as gay! I say "It's just good acting!" but he won't believe it...

People are SO strange about homosexuality!

Answer 5

If gay actors were restricted to playing gay characters, they would have precious little work!

Answer 6

l'm just surprised if l found out they're gay. They look so straight that you wouldn't suspect they are gay.
l know some who gets turned-off like your friend does.

Answer 7

have said most my years, "live and let live",,,,,,,,to me, a "gay" person must be an even better than most actors to appear "straight" and no one suspect anything else,,,,,,,,,,is that ACTING OR WHAT?????????
and I hate to be the bearer or bad news, but a reaction like your friends, can deny or not, IS HOMOPHOBIC!!!!!!!!!!!!! or why else such a reaction?????

Answer 8

Ones private lifestyle has no baring on ones occupation, period.

Answer 9

No but a bad actor will.

Answer 10

Keanu Reeves turns me off... He's gay and I wonder why girls love him...