Jane Lynch says gay actors will never get the straight leading roles
Glee star Jane Lynch says that while she does not think Hollywood is homophobic, gay actors will never get to play straight leads.
The lesbian actress, who married her partner in 2010, told AfterElton.com that mainly straight audiences want to pin their “hopes and dreams” on straight actors.
When asked if she thought film studios would begin casting gay or lesbian stars in lead roles, she said: “I don’t know when or if that will ever happen.
“I think because since most of the world is straight – and maybe we’ll get to a place where this will happen – most of the world is straight and we want the audience to project their hopes and dreams for love and romance onto those actors.
“And if it’s not in some way possible, maybe never probably, in their mind that it could never happen, then they’re not going to do it. You know, most people are straight, and I think that’s probably why.”
But unlike Rupert Everett, she said she did not find Hollywood anti-gay.
“Look, I’ve never – as far as I know, it’s been behind my back if it has – I’ve never been turned down for a role because I’m gay. I’m a character actor, and that’s probably why,” she said.
“I don’t find Hollywood, in my own experience, to be homophobic. Have I ever been turned down? I don’t know because you never know when you don’t get something or why you didn’t get it. But I do think the straight folks will continue to play the straight roles.”
Last month, Everett, who is gay, claimed that straight actors were taking over gay roles, while veteran actor Richard Chamberlain said it would be safer for gay actors to stay in the closet.
US commentator Ramin Setoodeh also weighed in, claiming that Hollywood “doesn’t even allow gay actors to play gay”.
