In a recent interview with ‘The Sunday Times,’ the Academy-winning actress Kate Winslet said she knows ‘at least four’ closeted actors who fear for their career if they come out of the closet.
“I cannot tell you the number of young actors I know — some well known, some starting out — who are terrified their sexuality will be revealed and that it will stand in the way of their being cast in straight roles,” she said. “Now that’s f***ed up.” she continued. “A well-known actor has just got an American agent and the agent said, ‘I understand you are bisexual. I wouldn’t publicize that.’ I can think of at least four actors absolutely hiding their sexuality. It’s painful. Because they fear being found out. And that’s what they say. ‘I don’t want to be found out.'”
Kate added from her perspective, the stigma applies to “Men more than anything. It’s bad news.”
As for partaking in a lesbian romance in “Ammonite,” Winslet said she didn’t take the role of an LGBTQ actor because it was only ever offered to her. “In taking this part, I had an opportunity to bring an LGBTQ story into living rooms,” she said.
