So it doesn't matter, yeah?
While promoting the start of Torchwood on BBC America, John Barrowman made the following statements regarding being gay as an actor in Hollywood. The full and very interesting interview is at seattlepi.com. No, I'm not cutting this!
But Barrowman has only a limited track record in the U.S. because of a disappointing barrier that remains in force in Hollywood. It doesn't matter than Barrowman looks like a cross between Chris Noth and a sane Tom Cruise. He happens to be gay -- a fact that has no bearing on his acting ability or personality, but in terms of his American career, means everything.
Barrowman came close to being Will to Debra Messing's Grace, but lost the role because producers said he acted too straight. They then gave the role to Eric McCormack -- a straight man.
[...]
Well, given what you know about Hollywood versus British television, do you think a character like Captain Jack would ever fly here?
No, because they would never allow a gay man to play a hero. I firmly believe that. Because no actor who is playing a leading man would come out as saying he's gay. It's OK to be a secondary character in a show and be openly gay and play a character, but most gay, flouncy characters are played by gay men. One of the great things that (executive producers) Russell T. Davies and Julie Gardner and the BBC and everyone involved with "Doctor Who" and "Torchwood," they have given a heroic leading man character to a gay man.
Who, I might add, is appealing not just to a gay audience, but to children, to women, to straight men -- they have proved that the audience doesn't care. Maybe it's the people who are the heads of networks here -- who, most of them are gay or lesbian themselves -- maybe, again, they're underestimating the intelligence of the audience.
So at this moment in time, I don't think it would happen in this country on one of the mainstream networks. Perhaps on an HBO, or a Showtime, one of those networks, because they can push the envelope a little bit. Because that's a specific audience that'll watch it and pay to watch it, you know what I mean?
BBC America is at this point where many more people are watching it, and it's very likely that "Torchwood" will be a hit. And the sci-fi genre is increasingly popular, even on mainstream networks. Don't you think there's an opportunity to say, 'Look, lots of people are watching me on this show -- men, women, kids, everybody. Don't you think this might be an opportunity to make that transition and break that barrier?'"
Absolutely. I think I'm breaking a barrier already by doing that. But I can't walk into a network and go, "I want you to put me in a show where I'm a leading man," you know, as a gay man. One of the things I remember they said to me when I did "Central Park West" for CBS, they told me not to talk about my personal life.
I found that insulting, particularly since the man who created the program was gay himself.
... That's where people like yourselves who are doing these articles and writing about it, you have to get across to the public that it's no big deal. That it's not an issue. Let them know that it's OK to like characters like that.
And don't make it an issue when somebody does come out! It's a good thing, but it doesn't have to be like, "Oh my God! They're gay!" It's just another part of (his) life.
Or when someone, if they are openly gay and people know they're up for a role and someone says, "Well they can't play it, they're gay." We need the help from the media to help open those doors with the audience. Because the audience is ready for it. Come on.
Eat this, people who claim being gay in Hollywood doesn't have any influence on career chances at all! Not that they're likely to read this entry anyway...
Dammit I need a JB/Captain Jack icon!!!! Must find time to go look for suitable pics!
But Barrowman has only a limited track record in the U.S. because of a disappointing barrier that remains in force in Hollywood. It doesn't matter than Barrowman looks like a cross between Chris Noth and a sane Tom Cruise. He happens to be gay -- a fact that has no bearing on his acting ability or personality, but in terms of his American career, means everything.
Barrowman came close to being Will to Debra Messing's Grace, but lost the role because producers said he acted too straight. They then gave the role to Eric McCormack -- a straight man.
[...]
Well, given what you know about Hollywood versus British television, do you think a character like Captain Jack would ever fly here?
No, because they would never allow a gay man to play a hero. I firmly believe that. Because no actor who is playing a leading man would come out as saying he's gay. It's OK to be a secondary character in a show and be openly gay and play a character, but most gay, flouncy characters are played by gay men. One of the great things that (executive producers) Russell T. Davies and Julie Gardner and the BBC and everyone involved with "Doctor Who" and "Torchwood," they have given a heroic leading man character to a gay man.
Who, I might add, is appealing not just to a gay audience, but to children, to women, to straight men -- they have proved that the audience doesn't care. Maybe it's the people who are the heads of networks here -- who, most of them are gay or lesbian themselves -- maybe, again, they're underestimating the intelligence of the audience.
So at this moment in time, I don't think it would happen in this country on one of the mainstream networks. Perhaps on an HBO, or a Showtime, one of those networks, because they can push the envelope a little bit. Because that's a specific audience that'll watch it and pay to watch it, you know what I mean?
BBC America is at this point where many more people are watching it, and it's very likely that "Torchwood" will be a hit. And the sci-fi genre is increasingly popular, even on mainstream networks. Don't you think there's an opportunity to say, 'Look, lots of people are watching me on this show -- men, women, kids, everybody. Don't you think this might be an opportunity to make that transition and break that barrier?'"
Absolutely. I think I'm breaking a barrier already by doing that. But I can't walk into a network and go, "I want you to put me in a show where I'm a leading man," you know, as a gay man. One of the things I remember they said to me when I did "Central Park West" for CBS, they told me not to talk about my personal life.
I found that insulting, particularly since the man who created the program was gay himself.
... That's where people like yourselves who are doing these articles and writing about it, you have to get across to the public that it's no big deal. That it's not an issue. Let them know that it's OK to like characters like that.
And don't make it an issue when somebody does come out! It's a good thing, but it doesn't have to be like, "Oh my God! They're gay!" It's just another part of (his) life.
Or when someone, if they are openly gay and people know they're up for a role and someone says, "Well they can't play it, they're gay." We need the help from the media to help open those doors with the audience. Because the audience is ready for it. Come on.
Eat this, people who claim being gay in Hollywood doesn't have any influence on career chances at all! Not that they're likely to read this entry anyway...
Dammit I need a JB/Captain Jack icon!!!! Must find time to go look for suitable pics!