"Wire" star will play the god Heimdall in Marvel pic.
The Gatekeepers at Hollywood's Closet Door
Exclusive: Director Todd Holland on gay actors coming out.
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Disney released a triptych of posters for this spring's "Alice in Wonderland" on Thursday. The posters give audiences a look at Johnny Depp's Mad Hatter, Helena Bonham Carter's Red Queen, Anne Hathaway's White Queen, and Mia Wasikowska's Alice. Take a look at the avant-garde art for Tim Burton's upcoming 3D fantasy flick.
Todd Holland has directed three feature films and more than 250 episodes of televison and has been honored with three Emmy Awards, five CableAce Awards, eight Emmy nominations, a DGA award and a WGA nomination. As a producer/director, he was a key creative force behind "The Larry Sanders Show," "Malcom in the Middle" and the critically acclaimed "Wonderfalls." He most recently executive produced and directed the 2009-2010 mid-season Fox comedy, "Sons of Tucson" and is currently nominated for a 2009 Emmy for directing "30 Rock."
A week ago, I participated in a panel discussion at Outfest: “Taking It to the Streets: Directors Get Political."
I confessed at the start that I felt I was the least political person there. Also I should explain, I’m a blogosphere virgin. I don’t read blogs. Blogs feels like they’re a dime a bushel. They’re endless. Like cockroaches, if you see one, you know there’s a hundred more behind your firewall. Who has time for that?
So when talking to the meager audience of 30 or so people in attendance, I was not guarded. And when asked a question about gay actors coming out in Hollywood, I answered, as I do most anything, honestly. I was not politic -- I was honest.
And for the past week, my response has been twisted and shoved back into my mouth over and over -- so that I appear to be a gay director telling all actors to “stay in the closet.” There are only a few things I allow to be shoved in my mouth -- my mangled words are not one of them.
"60 Minutes" journalist Morley Safer said in 2009, “I would trust citizen journalism as much as I would trust citizen surgery.” I now know what he means. And I feel an obligation to “citizen journalists” everywhere to muddy the record with a few facts.
I’m an out gay director and producer.
Coming out is the single most important event in my life. I came out in 1992 while directing and producing on "The Larry Sanders Show." I was scared, sure. But I did it -- because I needed to live authentically.
My parents were slow to come around. Being Republicans and big-time Christians, they love me, I know. But I think they still have a hard time accepting the gay me. That hurts but, hey, that’s the real world.
And for me, living authentically means living in the real world. And maybe that’s how I came to be the anti-queer poster child of the week.
See, I work in this factory called Hollywood. It’s a strange place. (But remember, we make dreams here -- so it’s bound to have a few quirks.) And here are a few of the things I’ve learned.
One: No one cares that I’m gay. Like ... no one.
Two: there are still prominent creative people living in the closet.
Comments
Dyke VanDick Says
To everyone that has such passionate beliefs about “truth” and the sexual identity of individuals paid to be enjoyable distractions, please turn your attention to REALITY. The only difference between your complaining about closeted gay actors and bugs bunny is residuals. Let your fingers loose across your keyboard about the closeted homophobic politicians, their sad and unfortunate wives, and their “gatekeepers” in the media. Start there and see what happens when you talk to them the way you have to Todd.
cg Says
[Quote]That said, I do find it interesting that the biggest audience for 'Brokeback Mountain' seemed to be women. Maybe it has to do with the fact that both actors were well documented as heterosexually identified.[/Quote]
Women LOVE movies about relationships. Even outer edge relationships. Men like shootem-ups. So they don't really care about the type of relationship. Just bring them beer - and don't try to talk during the movie.
Vic Says
"I do find it interesting that the biggest audience for 'Brokeback Mountain' seemed to be women. Maybe it has to do with the fact that both actors were well documented as heterosexually identified."
Jake Gyllenhaal is gay, people who follow gossip know that for a long time, even before 'Brokeback Mountain' .
Since he's bearding I bet he's hoping to be one of 0.002%
DTNY Says
Simply put... you are correct. I remember a friend of mine's wife heard about the instance of Matthew McConaughey playing bongos in the nude with a male friend. For her, it ruined whatever picture he had been in at the time. I explained to her... it was likely that he was drunk and that (most likely) it was nothing more than frat like behavior that was non-sexual. That seemed to satisfy her when she thought about it. She even named another actor (Woody Harrelson, I think) who was likely to do something as 'crazy'. Many many years ago classmates of mine were watching a George Michael video and a female classmate said she thought he was cute (or sexy). Another classmate said, 'he's gay'. Her attitude was like, 'so what, it's not like I'm going to meet him.' Until we reach that type of fantasy factor I would counsel that 0.002% male actor to stay in the closet too.
That said, I do find it interesting that the biggest audience for 'Brokeback Mountain' seemed to be women. Maybe it has to do with the fact that both actors were well documented as heterosexually identified.
Val Says
Damn, first Miss California, now Todd Holland. Shouldn't we always tell the truth when we get asked a question? My god people. This getting mad at people who tell the truth is getting epidemic.
adamblast Says
Todd, I've been very vocal and harsh about your comments on four or five of the biggest gay sites on the web. Cockroaches indeed. You seem to have felt the heat well enough, from whatever sources, and I'm glad. You're Sarah Palin, impervious to other opinions, playing the victim, rephrasing your quotes, dismissing your detractors as trivial while obsessing over them.
You *are* a gatekeeper. And if there's a thousand players more powerful than yourself, there's also half-a-million hot young men with stars in their eyes to whom you've just given very, very poor advice--assuming their mental health is at least as important as their ambition.
Tell The Truth, Then Run Says
Hey Todd, a very well-written and humorous commentary. You're getting jumped for telling the truth, which really sucks. Your comment was obviously meant as "brotherly advice," not a political statement. Rupert Everett has given the exact same advice, in reference to his own career.
I would urge any overly-political people to step back, take a breath and refrain from tainting near-flawless Todd's imdb profile with angry commentary. Isn't "Krippendorf's Tribe" punishment enough?
"Sons of Tucson" fucking rocks, by the way.
Oscar in Miami Beach Says
The problem is not coming out of the closet is that in Hollywood Jews help jews.Tom hanks and Steve Spielsberg as example.Blacks help blacks,black directors try to use black actors but gay directors and producers stay away from gay actors like the plague.It is not the public homophobia,it is the gay directors and producers homophobia.When they start using gay actors the public will be educated.Rock Hudson brought down the wall about AIDS.Gay GOOD actors will teach the public that a good performance is not just given by straight actors but that any actor gay oir straight can give a satisfying performance.This director is full of BS.
Joe.is.a.tv.junkie Says
You told the truth, which we should be able to do without repercussion. Unfortunately, the world doesn't always sync up with the truth.
At this link ...
http://iamatvjunkie.typepad.com/i_am_a_tv_junkie_a_blog_f/2009/07/the-po...
... some support from me.
Visit my blog at http://IAmATVJunkie.typepad.com
zoots Says
i don't think it's homophobia at all. here's the thing. being a character actor is being an actor just like any other job. most character actors are not tabloid fodder - people don't know or care what they're doing behind the scenes.
being a movie star is not the same as being a regular actor. movie stars are born at precisely the moment when the public begins to take an interest in the actor and not just the parts he or she is playing. it's when the paps come knocking. girls and boys have crushes and that's partly what drives people to love their movie stars - the real person - not the actor. if girls realize their crush would actually be more interested in getting it on with their brother, or boys realise their macho action star could be seeing them as a love interest, it's a turn off. maybe one day there will be enough teen gay boys out and proud to make their own gay movie star but, until then, to be a male movie star, you have to walk the straight line.
joe Says
Good for you. I have only one observation to add. In Hollywood, it seems that straight actors are praised and awarded for playing gay roles (Brokeback Mountain and Philadelphia come to mind). But, gays playing straight is shunned. Is it just the public's homophobia?
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