Gay Actors Known for Their Straight Characters – AskMen

11 of Hollywood’s Leading Gay Men Who Crush Performances as Straight Characters

Straight actors playing gay characters (and vice versa) has been a topic of conversation in the entertainment industry for quite a while. It was just last November, timed with the release of her lesbian holiday rom-com Happiest Season, that actress Kristen Stewart spoke candidly about why there’s such a fine line when trying to influence accurate, authentic casting of roles we see on television and in movies.

“I would never want to tell a story that really should be told by somebody who’s lived that experience,” she told NBC News “Having said that, it’s a slippery slope conversation because that means I could never play another straight character if I’m going to hold everyone to the letter of this particular law. I think it’s such a gray area.”

RELATED: LGBTQ+ Community Members Share Their Personal Coming Out Stories

But just as we praised Jake Gyllenhaal in Brokeback Mountain and Timothee Chalamet in Call Me by Your Name — two very talented, albeit straight, guys in Hollywood — for their portrayal of LGBTQ+ characters, how about some recognition for the gay actors who left their mark by playing it straight as the iconic characters you’ll see below?

Jonathan Bailey as Anthony Bridgerton in Bridgerton

Swoon all you want, ladies, but in real life, the Bridgerton family’s eldest son is actually into boys. Jonathan Bailey just recently spoke with McKellen in Attitude about their respective experiences with expressing sexuality in the entertainment industry, noting that many advised against being forthcoming about being gay as it would only damage his career. “I hadn’t necessarily hidden it… but I’ve never not been honest about it,” the young English actor said.

Jonathan Groff as Jesse St. James in Glee

Groff’s Glee character was romantically linked to lead Rachel Berry (Lea Michele) since one of its first season episodes in 2010, just a few short months after he’d come out publicly. And despite his initial apprehension of typecasting, the powerhouse actor/singer later called the opportunity to take charge on HBO’s LGBT-focused show Looking as “truly life-altering.” “[It] made me so much more comfortable in my own skin in a way that I didn’t anticipate when I said yes to the show,” Groff told NPR. 

Russell Tovey as George Sands in Being Human

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Russell Tovey will forever be remembered as werewolf George Sands on Being Human, if only for showing us that it’s possible to be that hairy and lovable at the same time. But Tovey’s decision to move on from the supernatural world, while sad, was definitely a great one. He’s since become a queer icon of sorts, playing opposite Jonathan Groff in Looking, his LGBTQ+ role on Quantico, and Nazi-fighting superhero The Ray on The CW’s The Flash/Legends of Tomorrow crossover. And for that, we thank him.

Wentworth Miller as Michael Scofield in Prison Break

If you’re waiting for an announcement of Prison Break season six, you’re going to be waiting a really, really long time. Miller spoke out about his sexuality in response to an invitation to the Saint Petersburg International Film Festival, one he couldn’t “in good conscience participate in” because of how the Russian government treats members of the LGBTQ+ community. He has since stated firmly that he has no desire to take on another straight role for movies or television.

Jim Parsons as Sheldon Cooper on The Big Bang Theory

It’ll be hard for Jim Parsons to shake Sheldon Cooper, the senior theoretical physicist he played for a whopping 12(!) seasons of The Big Bang Theory. But while we’ll always be thankful for his character’s long awaited nuptials to on-screen girlfriend Amy Farrah Fowler, the Emmy-award winning actor is probably more excited when he gets to go home after filming to his husband, art director Todd Spiewak.

Neil Patrick Harris as Barney Stinson on How I Met Your Mother

NPH spent nine years of his life as smooth-talking lady killer Barney Stinson, but his ability to effortlessly bed women was purely fictional. Harris not only came out publicly back in November 2006, but is now just one half of the gorgeous family he’s shared with husband David Burtka since 2010. 

T.R. Knight as George O’Malley on Grey’s Anatomy

T.R. Knight’s time on Grey’s as George O’Malley will go down in television history, albeit for the controversy that surrounded his season five departure. After a co-star used a homophobic slur against the actor, leading to an untimely coming out announcement from Knight, the on-screen doc took his character’s reduced time in front of the camera as a sign to step away from the show. While it wasn’t the best way to go out, Knight has said he needed “to be fulfilled in my work,” something that the ABC drama just wasn’t providing anymore.

Matt Bomer as Neal Caffrey on White Collar

What’s one way to come out in Hollywood? Slip it into an acceptance speech, of course! Bomer casually thanked husband Simon Halls and their three children in the midst of receiving the Steve Chase Humanitarian Award back in 2012, proving that being gay in the industry doesn’t have to be this huge deal. The actor continued his suit and tie lifestyle as Neal Caffrey on White Collar for a few more seasons before tackling roles on American Horror Story, Will & Grace, and The Sinner.

Sir Ian McKellen as Magneto in X-Men

Sir Ian McKellen has been open about his sexuality since the late ‘80s, just about a decade before he was cast in 2000’s X-Men. As the iconic mutant known for his magnetic manipulation, the actor went on to reprise the role three more times before Michael Fassbender picked up the mantle as a younger iteration of the comic book character.

Luke Evans as Gaston in Beauty and the Beast

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Gossip blogs and tabloids would badger Luke Evans about his relationship status whenever he promoted a new project. It was his response to a line of questioning back in 2017 that really hit the nail on the head: “Talent, success, what you do in your personal life — I don’t see how one should have an effect on the other.” But yes, to set the record straight, Evans is openly gay. Questions?

Zachary Quinto as Sylar on Heroes

You might know Zachary Quinto from his monstrous moments on both Heroes and American Horror Story, but it’s his actions when the cameras are off, helping people, that should also be applauded. The actor was very outspoken after coming out back in 2011, citing the suicide of Jamey Rodemeyer as a big reason why he finally spoke out.

“Living a gay life without publicly acknowledging it is simply not enough to make any significant contribution to the immense work that lies ahead on the road to complete equality,” he said to New York Magazine. A quick Google search would show Quinto’s activism as a regular supporter of various gay organizations, including The Trevor Project and It Gets Better Project.

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