A Tale of Two Cities: How New York and Los Angeles Treat Their Out Actors

According to Christopher Sieber, there are many, many gay people in Los Angeles’ entertainment community, just as in New York. And yet, the sensibility isn’t the same. “It’s kind of like New York except different,” he says with a laugh. Mostly, he says, the stakes are higher, and the acting jobs are much more about public relations.

Ironically, gay people may be our own worst enemies. “Traditionally, the reps and managers, most of whom are gay, tell [gay actors] not to come out,” says Open Secret’s Ehrenstein. Meanwhile, the Brokeback Mountain Oscar debacle, where the movie that was the clear frontrunner for Best Picture seemed to experience a backlash because of its gay content, suggests at least some industry folks, gay and straight, are still wary of being associated too closely with homosexuality.

And Neil Patrick Harris notwithstanding, things may not have changed that much for the mega-stars. “Obviously, there's still the perception that you can't be a leading man in the movies if you're gay,” says Allen. “You can't be Tom Cruise and be openly gay.”

“Name one out gay leading man,” agrees Bryan Batt. “There’s also a huge business aspect to [the TV and movie industry]. These people are investing millions and millions of dollars, and if they think, say, Will Smith was gay, would people buy him as [a heterosexual character]? You’re talking about housewives in the hinterlands that have big crushes on these guys and if they know too much about them, they’re not going to have those crushes and buy those tickets.”

Keep It Gay

Meanwhile, over in New York City, gay visibility is, again, years ahead of Hollywood. In 2006, for example, Raúl Esparza, a major Broadway star, came out as bisexual in a splashy profile in the New York Times.

“This is an exciting time for out actors on Broadway,” says Wayman Wong, a former Playbill.com columnist and editor for the New York Daily News. “This season alone, we’ve had at least a half-dozen openly gay actors in romantic leads.” Wong cites Ben Daniels (Les Liaisons Dangereuses), Daniel Evans (Sunday in the Park With George), David Hyde Pierce (Curtains), Cheyenne Jackson (Xanadu), Paulo Szot (South Pacific) and Howie Michael Smith (who plays both gay and straight in Avenue Q). Other performances by prominent out actors include Harvey Fierstein’s featured turn as a gay uncle in A Catered Affair and Nathan Lane’s comic lead role in November.

Paulo Szot (left) & Raúl Esparza

“It’s great news that an increasing number of out leading men are willing to stand up and be counted,” Wong says. Wong notes that of the six actors he’s singled out as romantic leads, all won rave reviews, and two-thirds of them got Tony Awards or Tony nominations.

By contrast, in Hollywood, only one openly gay man — Ian McKellen — has been nominated for an acting Oscar in the last ten years.

“That’s not to say there still aren’t a lot of closeted actors, even in theater,” Wong continues. “One major reason why many actors fear coming out is that they fear they won’t be cast in straight roles. And let’s face it: that’s where most of the parts are. [Closeted actors] were told in drama school that if they wanted to have a career, they should stay in the closet. Throw in the self-loathing, shame and homophobia that’s ingrained in this society, and is it any wonder?“

Bryan Batt says that some of these concerns are real, even in New York. “There’s still some homophobia, often in the casting,” he says. “I would love to believe it doesn’t matter. I’m going to put that out that there and maybe it’ll convince me.”

Indeed, former Avenue Q puppeteer John Tartaglia, now in rehearsals for Shrek: The Musical, told Playbill.com in 2005, “A lot of people didn’t want me to come out. They said: ‘You’re going to ruin your career. It’ll ruin the show.’ Well, I’m proud and happy with who I am. You’d be surprised, but there are shows in town with gay characters that celebrate being gay, and they told me: ‘We can’t hire you. You’re too gay.’ What?!...A casting director asked me if I could play straight roles, and I said: ‘What do you think I play every night [in Avenue Q]?’"

John Tartaglia

Wong, who broke the story of Xanadu star Cheyenne Jackson’s coming out in 2004, singles that actor out for particular praise. “Cheyenne easily could’ve sidestepped the whole matter, but he’s too honest and open to do that,” Wong says. “Ever since he came out, Cheyenne’s career has thrived playing romantic leads, and that’s a tribute to his talent, charisma and looks.”

Next Page! The bottom line! And Cheyenne speaks!