This article was published on August 2nd, 2014
It seems a minor miracle that anyone can keep a secret in Hollywood. When the tabloid press seems to delight in reporting every bathing suit mishap, misconstrue every shared meal, and blatantly fabricate headlines whenever sales drop, it can be bewildering to even consider that some stars have managed to remain closeted long enough to come out.
Some actors, like Matt Bomer of White Collar fame, played it down; when he was honored by the Desert AIDS Fund in February of 2012, he thanked his partner, Simon, as well as their three kids. Others, like Ellen Page and Wanda Sykes, made their declarations more public, announcing their intentions at events where they felt their words would have the most impact.
Coming out is always an incredibly personal thing; for many people, including athletes like Jason Collins, the NBA center who came out in Sports Illustrated in 2013, they see may fear that their careers may suffer after their sexuality is made public. They may also fear the reactions of the people close to them.
Then there are the actors who come out, and the rest of the world says …uh-huh? Like Nathan Lane, Ellen DeGeneres, Ian McKellan, Ricky Martin, Jodie Foster. Their coming out stories feel like confirmation of what we already know, instead of shocker stories.
In history, there are so many figures about whom the full truth will probably never be known. No one can ask Cary Grant how he identified, after he lived with Randolph Scott for twelve years, or confirm the rumours regarding Eleanor Roosevelt.
A favorite coming out story, though, is that of Victor Garber, of Alias fame. In 2013, Garber spoke to blogger Greg Hernandez. Hernandez pressed Garber to confirm his long-term relationship with Rainer Andreesen. Hernandez later reported that Garber seemed surprised by the question. “I don’t really talk about it,” E!Online reported, “but everybody knows.”
It’s not just silver screen actors. Athletes, politicians, musicians and other well known public faces are coming out loud and proud, including Tyler Glenn, the lead singer of the hit alternative rock band, Neon Trees, who came out in the April 2014 edition of Rolling Stones magazine.
What’s your favorite celeb coming out tale?
