Was Rock Hudson gay? Here is how he indirectly revealed his sexual orientation – Republic World

January 19, 2021 Kim Martel

Rock Hudson was a popular actor who enjoyed stardom in the 1950s. The actor is most popularly known for his character portrayal in films like Magnificent Obsession, All That Heaven Allows, Giant, and Pillow Talks. However big a star Hudson was, his revelation about his sexuality was a big turning point for the AIDS epidemic.

Pillow Talk’s Rock Hudson’s sexuality

According to a report in Biography.com, Rock Hudson was discreet about his sexuality. Though there were several rumours about him being gay, the actor never addressed them as, at the time, homosexuality was illegal. He was even married to Phyllis Gates but their marriage could last only for three years, after which they got divorced.

Reportedly, Rock Hudson suffered a series of diseases in the early 1980s. But soon, he discovered that he was HIV positive and earlier it was believed that only homosexuality can spread the disease. AIDS at the time was considered to be a gay-related immune deficiency and those diagnosed with it, faced moral scorn. So for a long time, he kept his treatment a secret.

Rock Hudson’s AIDS revelation

However, after some time, Hudson released a press release in which he claimed that he has AIDS. The actor did not formally announce that he is gay, but he knew that revealing his disease would send a message about his sexuality. This declaration made him one of the first public faces of the AIDS epidemic.

Back in the day, even though homosexuality was looked down upon and the actor had feared an immense backlash, he got immense love from everyone. Hudson received plenty of support and warm wishes from his fans and fellow stars from the industry. According to a report in the media portal, Hudson wrote a message that was to be read at a fundraiser hosted by friend and early AIDS activist Taylor. The note read, “I am not happy that I am sick. I am not happy that I have AIDS; but if that is helping others, I can at least know that my own misfortune has had some positive worth”.

Pillow Talk cast

Pillow Talk is a popular American romantic comedy film that released in the year 1959. The film was directed by Michael Gordon and banked by Ross Hunter and Martin Melcher. The film starred Rock Hudson and Doris Day in the lead roles. Other cast members of the movie were Tony Randall and Thelma Ritter. The movie was a massive hit at the box office and was immensely liked by the critics as well. The movie shot Rock Hudson to stardom and he remained one of the top Hollywood actors for the next three years.

Rock Hudson’s net worth

According to a report in Celebrity Net Worth portal, Rock Hudson had an estimated net worth of $ 10 million at the time of his death. The actor passed away in the year in 1985. $ 10 million converted in INR is roughly estimated at Rs 73 crores.

(Disclaimer: The above information about Rock Hudson’s net worth is sourced from various websites/ media reports. The website does not guarantee a 100% accuracy of the figures.)

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