There are more and more roles for LGBT characters in television and movies, but there aren’t enough to go around for every gay. That means a queer star might play some of the straight characters on your favorite TV shows. Here are some gay movie stars who have made it into mainstream Hollywood playing straight roles.
These are some of the biggest stars who you may not have known were gay but came out.
6John Barrowman
Malcolm Merlyn – Arrow and Captain Jack Harkness – Torchwood / Doctor Who
John Barrowman’s character Captain Jack Harkness originally appeared in a Doctor Who episode, but later had his spin-off show in Torchwood. He was the first non-heterosexual character in the Doctor Who series. John Barrowman later became a recurring villain in the TV series, Arrow in 2012.
“I am gay because I have no control over it. I was the way I was born. So I embrace it. I want to embrace it. Because it’s who I am. It’s what I am. That’s the truth. That’s the truth about me.”
In real life he is married to Scott Gill. When he talked about the ceremony to Mirror, he said, “Scott and I could have done it any day but what struck me at that moment were these older couples who were desperate to marry and get their relationship legitimized. It was important to me but so vitally important to people like them who thought it would never happen in their lifetime.”
Now that they’re married his husband will not longer have to return to the UK to comply with immigration laws.
