Matt Damon Suggests Gay Actors Should Stay in the Closet

[Delete 258]

I kind of agree. Once you come out as an openly gay actor, Hollywood begins to type cast you. A lot of times they won't consider you for roles that they feel you can't play because your gay, and also if their trying to market the film to a specific audience they don't want poor sales or boycotts. It's stupid for sure but that really is how it is. 

Gay actors shouldn't hide their s-xuality, but not mentioning it or using it as a disclaimer isn't bad. It's not like they are any less of a person. In fact the mystery may make them all the more appealing. 

[Creyk 17,980]

Another day, another pointless issue for the tumblr population to get mad about

It's a personal choice, there isn't a should or should not lol

[Warholian 6,880]

All of you guys getting angry somehow thinking that he's homophobic 

I agree with him. Making your s-xuality something of large public interest can easily distrupt your acting career for completely valid reasons. Studios don't want audiences to automatically make the connotation between a character and their s-xuality, nor do they want them to assume the actor is lying to play a role. 

[Desperado 2,439]

I agree, no one should care about their personal life including their s-xual preferences, of anyone. It shouldnt be a topic of discussion (unless its being treated wrongly by people).

[Spock 20,291]

Please post this in the appropriate Matt Damon quotes thread.

Thanks

[Nicole 1,809]

 

I agree in theory but actors aren't to blame for that ridiculous standard and they sure aren't gonna change it by being forced to come out to break that paradigm. And actors coming out doesn't even break that paradigm, let's be real

yeah I understand that - issues regarding being type casted and hence reducing the potential roles they are offered may be an issue. I never meant to imply that all actors coming out would break the heteronormativity society promotes nor should any LBGT actors feel obliged to come out against their wishes. Idk. It's a complex issue, I can understand both sides of the argument. 

[craig 680]

I think it's easier to be an openly gay pop star or talk show host than an actor.

[Redstreak 6,653]

All of you guys getting angry somehow thinking that he's homophobic 

I agree with him. Making your s-xuality something of large public interest can easily distrupt your acting career for completely valid reasons. Studios don't want audiences to automatically make the connotation between a character and their s-xuality, nor do they want them to assume the actor is lying to play a role. 

I'm confused, I'm not seeing any angry posts or anyone labeling him as homophobic in this thread?

[Hexxx 2,244]

 I agree with him but not the part where everyone should go BACK into the closet lol. I mean you can be gay without letting the world know. Just be yourself. If someone asks than be truthful. 

I haven't made any statements about my s-xuality cause if feel that it is my business 

[Bradley 59,407]

I love Matt Damon but I gotta disagree. You are entitled to let people know who you love and love in the eyes of the public if you want, there's no need to hide this.

But maybe he's right, I'm not an actor, he is, he surely knows how the public react to this matter better than I do.

[Bradley 59,407]

"People shouldn't know anything about your s-xuality".Damon, who played Liberace's lover in HBO's 2013 film Behind the Candelabra, told The Guardian that he imagines "it must be really hard for actors to be out publicly."

"But in terms of actors, I think you're a better actor the less people know about you, period," he continued. "And s-xuality is a huge part of that. Whether you're straight or gay, people shouldn't know anything about your s-xuality because that's one of the mysteries that you should be able to play.

I was just trying to say actors are more effective when they’re a mystery," he told Ellen DeGeneres. "And somebody picked it up and said I said gay actors should get back in the closet. (Laughs.) I mean, it’s stupid, but it is painful when things get said that you don’t believe, and then it gets represented that that's what you believe."

 

 

Read the full article here-

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/matt-damon-gay-actors-closet-827767?utm_source=twitter

Thoughts on this ? 

hi

[Supersonic 49,376]

I guess that's true, but I still think the priority should be to just destroy this idea that gay people need to have gay role models. You don't hear a straight guy having a straight role model, now I know that obviously it's not that simple, but I do hope that people want to make it happen in the future. Matt's obviously an idealist so I agree that practically his suggestion is stupid right now, but as a model for the future I think it's spot on.

But we're not gonna get to that future without some proper s-xual education for the smallest of our next generations first. It'd be nice to see people not caring so much if someone was gay or not because in the acting world it's just sickening Nearly every actor has a gay rumor connected to him at one point.

I think any young person that comes from a minority NEEDS to have some representation and figure they can identify themselves with because misrepresentation and the erasure of s-xual, racial & gender identities is not gonna go away any time soon. I mean people have been saying "The US Republicans are dying out" for DECADES and here they are, stronger and scarier than ever, ready to take a sweep with Donald Trump at the next election. Matter of fact, it feels like they multiplied.  

I agree that this whole concept would not be needed at all if we lived in an ideal society but ours is so very far from being ideal and it probably never will be due to the inequalities there have historically always been which alter the power dynamics still to this day.

[Didymus 34,380]

I think any young person that comes from a minority NEEDS to have some representation and figure they can identify themselves with because misrepresentation and the erasure of s-xual, racial & gender identities is not gonna go away any time soon. I mean people have been saying "The US Republicans are dying out" for DECADES and here they are, stronger and scarier than ever, ready to take a sweep with Donald Trump at the next election. Matter of fact, it feels like they multiplied.  

I agree that this whole concept would not be needed at all if we lived in an ideal society but ours is so very far from being ideal and it probably never will be due to the inequalities there have historically always been which alter the power dynamics still to this day.

Yeah, I agree with this. You're right. I just sometimes think/fear that all the support for minorities only reinforces the idea that there's something not normal about them and that they do deserve special attention, positive and inevitably negative as well. But at the same time of course I agree with you in saying that this can't mean that we should stop supporting minorities.

I dunno, it's all so complicated I mean, it just makes me think of Gaga saying she didn't feel like a gay icon because the second you say that you just get thrown into a box and the public eye keeps you from getting out of it again. That's why I get that people already in the public eye, like actors, don't wanna come out because the minute they do they become "Oh, yeah, that one. He's gay." & I know from experience how ridiculous, embarrassing and painful that addition is when people think or talk about you.

But of course if no one comes out, the whole subject becomes taboo and that's dishonest to gay people's identity too. Ugh. Another instance where my idealism just won't unite with my realism. Probably famous people coming out does more good than bad. But I guess I'd still like those celebrities to speak out about the ridiculous paradigm too.

[Squidward T 2,253]

What he said was stupid and he's trying g to backpedal. Shut you mouth about something you know nothing about 

[JusticeforVenus 950]

Somewhat true..

Matt Boner wasnt able to be Mr Christian Grey cuz the writer of that book said he was gay and Christian is not gay...RIDICULOUS do hetero people not play gay characters???  

 All the MattBoner  ass I could have seen if he had been casted as Mr. Grey