Chloë Moretz, star of new conversion therapy film, says her brothers tried to ‘pray the gay away’
NEW YORK, NY – JULY 31: Chloe Grace Moretz attends “The Miseducation Of Cameron Post” New York Screening at The William Vale on July 31, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)
Actor Chloë Moretz, the star of new gay conversion therapy movie The Miseducation of Cameron Post, has said that her brothers tried to “pray the gay away” when they struggled to accept their sexuality.
Speaking to the BBC, Moretz, explained that she was raised in the “very Christian baptist town” of Rome, Georgia.
“So, when my brothers came out it, was fairly jarring to the community. We were very blessed to have my mother who is incredibly progressive,” she said.
“But, nonetheless, they dealt with a lot of self-hate when they came out. And they tried to, which is very common within the community that we grew up in, ‘pray the gay away’ on their own before coming out to the family, which I was unaware of during the time.
Moretz, who described herself as an “advocate and ally” of the LGBT+ community, added that finding out that her brothers had done this was “shocking.”
The actor stars as the title character in The Miseducation of Cameron Post, who is sent of to a gay conversion therapy camp after getting caught having sex with the school prom queen, and is based on the 2012 novel of the same name by Emily M. Danfort.
The Miseducation of Cameron Post was released in the US on August 3, and is out in cinemas from September 7 in the UK.
The 21-year old recently said that “queer films should be made be queer people” while discussing a rival moviel release, Boy, Erased.
Moretz said that her film was directed by a bisexual woman—Desiree Akhavan—while Boy, Erased is directed and written by Hollywood star Joel Edgerton.
Boy Erased is, however, based on the memoirs of a gay man, Garrard Conley, who was forced to undergo ‘cure’ therapy as a teenager.
Moretz stars in an upcoming film about gay conversion therapy. (Getty)
Moretz also argued that Hollywood could do more to tell LGBT+ stories, saying: “Even though people want these movies to be told, they want these things to be said, they’re not backing it enough.
“They’re still backing first and foremost the straight white man who is going to be putting out the movie that’s the safer bet,” she went on.
“They want something that’s a pretty package, but that’s still tolerable and acceptable. And I think that’s unfair.”
Watch the trailer for The Miseducation of Cameron Post below:
A report published earlier this year found that LGBT+ representation was down in Hollywood in 2017.
The statistics, published by LGBT media advocacy association GLAAD, found that only 14 major studio releases had LGBT characters, making up only 12.8 percent of films.
“At a time when the entertainment industry is holding much-needed discussions about inclusion, now is the time to ensure the industry takes meaningful action and incorporates LGBTQ stories and creators as among priorities areas for growing diversity,” said GLAAD chief executive Sarah Kate Ellis.
