Most famous openly gay (American) actor?

[JoeZhang]

Who's the most famous openly gay american actor - it came up in a conversation and we could only come up with character actors no actual a-listers.

Surely there must be one?

 

[CommodoreKong]

George Takei and Portia de Rossi are the only two America actors I can think of off the top of my head. John Barrowman also, but he mostly acts in the UK and has duel citizenship. Plus he's not very well known in the US.

 

[Roger Wilco]

Neil Patrick Harris?

I can't think of any prominent Hollywood movie actors who are gay spontaneously, but Harris was in the spotlight a lot recently.

 

[Starbreaker]

There was a point in time where Nathan Lane was in every movie ever.

David Hyde Pierce, Neil Patrick Harris, and Jane Lynch are probably the most recognizable from television.

 

[Marc]

George Takei and Portia de Rossi are the only two America actors I can think of off the top of my head. John Barrowman also, but he mostly acts in the UK and has duel citizenship. Plus he's not very well known in the US.

de Rossi is actually Australian.

But it would possible to easily name a dozen openly gay actors who are fairly well known but I don't think you'll ever work out who the most famous (and does that include those about whom the truth came out about just before or after their death e.g Rock Hudson, Robert Reed, James Dean).

 

[iguana_tonante]

I guess Tom Cruise is too easy.

 

[Roger Wilco]

^^
He's still technically in the closet, he doesn't count.

 

[Kirby]

Kevin Spacey. Not sure if he's openly gay though.

 

[auntiehill]

^He's not. He NEVER discusses his private life.

I would say that Nathan Lane is the most famous openly gay actor in the US. There's also Jodie Foster and whats-his-face from Grey's Anatomy.

After that would Rosie O'Donnell, but I don't think she qualifies as an actor--more like "professional celebrity." Same for Ellen DeGeneres.

 

[Spot's Meow]

Ellen DeGeneres, Neil Patrick Harris, Rosie O'Donnell...that's all I can think of right now.

 

[Aragorn]

This is quickly devolving into a "bash actors by calling them gay even if they're not" thread.

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Ian McKellen yet.

Also Alan Cumming and John Glover.

 

[Timby]

This is quickly devolving into a "bash actors by calling them gay even if they're not" thread.

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Ian McKellen yet.

Also Alan Cumming and John Glover.

McKellen and Cumming aren't American.

 

[TheBrew]

Kevin Spacey. Not sure if he's openly gay though.

Sorry, but he's not gay. He has said so many, many times.

 

[Marc]

Ellen DeGeneres, Neil Patrick Harris, Rosie O'Donnell...that's all I can think of right now.

David Ogen Stiers, David Hyde-Pierce (Dan Butler who played Bulldog on Frasier is also openly gay but not well known) recently came out

 

[Aragorn]

Oops, glanced over the subject and didn't notice the American part.

I'd say it'd have to be Ellen or Rosie simply because of how successful their daytime TV talk shows are/were. No one else has that sort of headlining to their name.

 

[bigdaddy]

Jane Lynch

I never knew she was gay, not that I ever thought about it.

 

[Harvey]

Speaking of actors who have passed on, Rock Hudson. Speaking of actors who are alive at present, I don't know. Ian McKellan is certainly the most famous openly gay British actor, but that violates your bit asking about Americans.

 

[John Picard]

Speaking of actors who have passed on, Rock Hudson. Speaking of actors who are alive at present, I don't know. Ian McKellan is certainly the most famous openly gay British actor, but that violates your bit asking about Americans.

Rock Hudson was very, very much in the closet until he was almost dead.

 

[T'Baio]

This is quickly devolving into a "bash actors by calling them gay even if they're not" thread.

Why is thinking someone's gay a "bash?"

 

[wamdue]

Neil Patrick Harris?

I was going to say that.