How many openly gay actors are in Hollywood?

Answer 1

There are many openly gay actors in Hollywood. You could expect close to the same ratio as openly gay citizens of the USA. Reasons for being 'closetted' include fear of rejection, and in Hollywood that rejection may result in the fall of your career, so one could conclude that the ratio would be less. However there are some very successful and openly gay professionals in Hollywood.

There have been claims and rumours circulating for many years around many big Hollywood names being 'closetted' gays, such as: Paul Newman, James Dean, Marlon Brando, Burt Lancaster, Sal Mineo, Richard Jaeckel, Steve McQueen, Brandon de Wilde, Tony Curtis, Montgomery Clift, among many.

Since views and societal beliefs have changed in recent years, many gay people in general, including those high profile, feel more comfortable and safe in being openly gay. Certainly Rupert Everett (British) is very openly gay and happy to confirm it to anyone. There are also a lot of Brit actors who've been in 'Hollywood' films, who are openly gay and live quiet personal lives. Derek Jacobi, John Sessions, Iain MacKellar, Stephen Fry.

There were quite a few in silent movies, including Rudolph Valentino. There will always be more gays than people know of and lets hope they have happy lives.

One point to these lists is to shake up peoples ideas of whom they approve of by showing a lot of closed minded people that there are a good proportion of people they had always rather admired who are gay. Now they have come to terms with the fact that gays are okay and can do admirable things and sometimes it genuinely surprises elderly people that they know so many of these names and you can see the wheels turning. Don't think it accomplishes anything claiming dubious gayness. I went to Melbourne for a holiday once but it's never been my voting address.