'I'm Not a Hetero, But I Play One On TV': 12 Gay Actors Who Took on Straight Roles....

'I'm Not a Hetero, But I Play One On TV': 12 Gay Actors Who Took on Straight Roles - and Proved the Naysayers Wrong"

http://www.afterelton.com/tv/gay-actors-playing-straight-jonathan-groff-glee-neil-patrick-harris-russell-tovey?page=0%2C3

Though openly-gay Newsweek journalist Ramin Setoodeh’s infamous 2010 article “Straight Jacket” was certainly a misguided piece of criticism, it unfortunately brought to light an all-too-common misconception held by both Hollywood decision makers and members of the public at large – that gay actors are incapable of adequately portraying straight characters on-screen.

History, of course, shows that ludicrous assertion to be entirely false – particularly considering the number of closeted gay actors from earlier eras who vaulted to stardom specifically because they were able to convincingly portray straight romantic leads.

Of course, those were much more intolerant times – times in which actors were continuously pressured to hide their sexuality for fear they’d be rejected if the truth came out (a sadly valid point in those days). Now, however – while we still have a long way to go – there’s an emerging crop of openly-gay actors who are proving it’s possible to thrive in Hollywood despite the public’s awareness of their sexual orientation.