DU List of the Day: Best Gay Character in TV/Movies played by a RL straight person

A few month ago I had a list of straight characters played by RL gay people. There's still alot of Hollywood folks who won't play a gay character because they feel it 'typecasts' them. Personally, I would think if the roll is a good one, who cares what the sexual orientation is.

Top on my list - Nelsan Ellis



The guy is so damn good at his role of Lafayette Reynolds that I was shocked to read not only is he straight but also a pretty serious Christian (but one who believes in marriage equality).

from "Angels in America" (now playing a hetero on Weeds).....




LOVE him.

Michael K Williams but I don't know his RL orientation. His character breaks down every stereotype. If not maybe Tom Hanks? :shrug: I don't know.

Kind of serious for the Lounge.

It stands to reason that being a minority within the larger population, GLBT people would have to have some means of identifying each other. Everyone has ways of identifying possible mates. For example - when I mentioned going to Easter services to my then future husband, it was a way of discretely finding out if he was also a Christian, because he responded by describing the Easter service he had attended.


Years ago, there was an urban myth about men wearing a single earring and what it meant. There were all kinds of meanings attached to wearing it in the right ear or the left ear, etc. Then as more and more men thought that wearing an earring looked cool, it lost that set of meanings.

But then I don't know their sexual orientation in real life.

Hal Sparks? Is he gay? I don't think so but :shrug:

Justin and Emmett - can't think of either of the actor's names right now!

...and he's very progressive and cool.

in both The Naked Civil Servant and an Englishman in New York.

If you didn't say anything I would have thought it was a woman

It was a REALLY stupid show, but he did a great job of shifting from horny dude to flaming faggot (only word that fits, sorry) in an instant. I'm not sure how the show survived as long as it did, but he was definitely the main reason.

High-larious.

:rofl:

I love Lafayette too.

Played by Michael Williams.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ngGFdlpQGDQ/TaIGXcCcd-I/AAAAAAAAHyw/EHvaeDveVQo/s1600/omar+12.jpg

Well written and superbly acted.

:applause:

Thread over.

In TV I'm right there with ya, Lynnesin.

He just acted gay but swore he was straight

PR Rep: "There's very few attractive, straight, single men out there."
Tobias: "Well that certainly leaves me out.
(blank states)
Tobias: "Wait... She did say single, right?"

On being Buster's wingman...

"Even if it means me taking a chubby, I will suck it up!"

God, Cross was hilarious in that role.

:rofl:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5posU08HjXg

I am a fan of Tru Blood though. Lafayette is pretty funny, hooker.

http://www.tvfanatic.com/quotes/characters/lafayette-reynolds/

you gotta put that twang on the end

:D

It's a small role, but one of the first I can remember where a gay man was depicted as a powerful, successful man in a non-campy way while his being gay was neither played for shock or hinted at.

At least I'm pretty sure that Hoffman is straight. He was incredible in that movie.

Nelsan Ellis is fantastic as Lafayette, though. I'm absolutely addicted to that show.

One of his best played roles, IMO.

His entrance in Boogie Nights is one of the highlights of the movie.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkpnIdrO2Lk

Can't believe no one else has mentioned him yet--for shame!



Edit: fixed link

What a talent.

I hate picking "bests" when there are so many good actors out there, but I'll never forget Gorman's entrance line (he played "Emory." The line, as he walks into a birthday party thrown by a circle of gay friends for one of their own, was: "Who do you have to fuck to get a drink around here?"
He was a wonderful actor, died in his sixties of leukemia, leaving behind a wife of some 40 years.
"Boys" was a trail blazer in many ways.

One of my favorite shows ever and he was fantastic and got some of the best lines.

Judging from his wives and kids he's straight.

One of the best performances I have ever seen.

Second favorite would be Robin Williams in "Birdcage"

All three male leads...

http://i2.listal.com/image/238123/600full-to-wong-foo-thanks-for-everything,-julie-newmar-screenshot.jpg

I can't believe Patrick Swayze & Wesley Snipes convinced me they're characters were gay. I was expecting the humor to come from the misfit casting. Instead they really embued their over the top characters with real depth. A great, positive, feel good movie.

Patrick Swayze was trying too hard to be an american version of Terrence Stamp



In some ways "To Woo Fong" was trying to be an American version of "Pricilla Queen of the Desert" with 3 big name American Actors now doing the cross country trip but their ancient vehicle dies somewhere in the heartland of the country where people aren't use to seeing drag.

I couldn't get enough of Wesley Snipe. I mean if I didn't know any better I would have though Snipes was a RL Drag Queen they hired for the movie. John Leguizimo(sp?) was adorable but that romance thing came across a bit creepy - talk about Love Bizarre Triangle. But Patrick Swayze just was trying to hard to recreate the Terrance Stamp part with the prim & proper woman. I mean "To Woo Fong" did try it's best to create it's own plot line and it and Swayze did a great drag - just wish he created his own style and not use someone elses.

It was a stage play, mostly unchanged, before Pricilla was a movie. I guess I mileage is gonna have to differ about Swayze in drag.

My only gripe is that John Leguizamo looks better in dresses than I do, and I'm NOT a drag queen!

I love Lafayette and glad they kept him on the show.

Back with the Hayes Code, they had to be a little more surreptitious with all the gayness, but his movement, demeanor, and manner were divinely inspired. Especially when he about fellated the umbrella handle.



Tim Curry...you know, I have a certain gaydar about me, and I think, but am not positive, that he may at least be bisexual. But, since I don't know for sure, for fuck's sake, Frank-N-Furter deserves a mention.

If not, Bette Porter.. aka Jennifer Beals..

Jesse Martin, Idina Menzel, Wilson Jermaine Heredia, and Tracie Thoms do an excellent job I thought in Rent. Of course Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhall were unbelievably good in Brokeback.

Haven't seen some of the other stuff listed.