Interview With Chad Allen

AE:I guess there are three options: You can be openly gay, you can be closeted and bearded, or you can try to avoid saying anything about your personal life.
CA: Yeah. I think that third option is one that's more available now than it used to be, and that's great. I don't think everybody needs to be out like me. I made a very clear decision that, even if I never worked again, I was going to be politically active. That's the kind of person I am, but I don't think it's necessarily the best choice for an actor.

If my paramount goal was to be the best actor possible and to be available for a wide range of roles, then I wouldn't be as open and vocal as I am, because your personal life can overshadow the role you're playing. It's the same thing with an actor who aligns himself with the NRA, or whatever. If you're mostly famous for your political beliefs, it's harder to disappear into a role.

AE: Does it surprise you that, in this day and age, many gay actors still profess to be straight and do whatever is necessary to make the public think they are?
CA: Does it surprise me? Not really. I don't know how many people still do the beard thing; if they're doing that, they're not talking to me about it! Obviously, there's still the perception that you can't be a leading man in the movies if you're gay. You can't be Tom Cruise and be openly gay.

I know a lot of young gay actors who feel they don't have to talk about it at all. Which is fine, but not if everyone makes that decision. How are we ever going to clear those final hurdles unless some people are willing to be openly gay?

AE: Fortunately, we have Neil Patrick Harris, T.R. Knight, and a few others to look to.
CA: Yes. Neil has always been out; the idea that Neil Patrick Harris just came out is sort of crazy. I love him to death, and T.R. I think their ability to handle themselves the way they have is a result of the success of the gay civil rights movement. It's f**king awesome that they can play straight characters and not have audiences give a damn who they're sleeping with.

AE: How do you feel about actors being “outed” by Perez Hilton and people of that ilk?
CA: I'm against it. If someone is living in fear and they're forced to come out, that's all about intimidation. When I was trying to decide whether to come out or not, someone said to me, “Don't do it until it's the good news about who you are.”

(The Little Dog Laughed photos courtesy of Lanny Nagler.)