17 Celebrities Who Were Forced To Hide Their Sexualities To Protect Their Careers

Nobody knew, but they said kissing could be one of the ways that you could catch it, possibly. After his death, the donations to AIDS research reportedly doubled from the previous year.

Additionally, a month before the actor died, President Reagan — who was friends with him but had refused to help him get treatment at a military hospital — spoke about AIDS publicly for the first time. I'm eternally grateful to the handful of gay.

What Happened

When I was closeted, I beat out straight guys to play straight roles, and I played them well. Now, the only auditions I get are for gay characters, which remain sparse.

• He also willed $250K to support the research.

• Finally, in the days following Rock's death, Congress designated $221 million toward the search for a cure.

• To be a gay actor in Hollywood, even in 2021, is to be inundated with mixed messages: Consumers are mostly straight, so don't alienate them.

Key Details

It’s no different for the young gay actors I see coming up today, trying to make it in a system that isn't built for them. But lots of the decision-makers are gay, so play that game!

• But to say that didn't cost me certain things in my career would be a lie.

• I wasn't trying to be a role model, nor am I now, but I thought if it could help just one person, then it would be worth it.

• But to me, it was more important to be my most authentic self, both for my family and for myself.

Why It Matters

Now that I'm older and sober, I'm trying to square who I am with the inauthentic version of myself I invested in for years. I apologize for not doing so if this is what was expected!

• I came out at a time when it was very risky to do so — I had a studio film that was about to premiere, and a television series coming out.

• But without a question, there's a tradeoff, in my experience.

What Reports Say

Coverage of the story so far points to:

• Continued reporting by BuzzFeed as more details emerge