35+ Queer Characters Played by Straight Actors
This article appeared in sneakertoast.com and has been published here with permission.Natasha Lyonne
In her personal life, Natasha Lyonne has been in a relationship with Fred Armisen since 2014. However, she’s also tackled queer roles more than once.
One of her most notable early queer roles was in the film But I’m a Cheerleader about Lyonne’s character Megan being sent to conversion therapy. Later on, she’d take on other queer roles including Nicky Nichols in Orange Is the New Black. Of course, you can also turn to films including Intervention, Modern Vampires, Sleeping With Other People, and more.
Colin Firth
In 2009, A Single Man was released, based on the novel that Christopher Isherwood released in 1964. It follows a professor after the death of his partner.
Colin Firth stepped in as George Falconer, the main character in the film. In the end, he was nominated for Best Actor for his work in the film. Firth has described the film as “a beautiful love story between two men and I see no point in hiding that. People should see it for what it is.”
Lucy Lawless
There are some queer characters that will simply never be forgotten. Among them is Xena: Warrior Princess and the star that brought the role to life, Lucy Lawless.
To be fair, the concept of Xena’s relationship with Gabrielle was intentionally left somewhat vague. Yet, the subtext was strong enough that fans widely accept the relationship as genuine, no matter if it was limited on-screen. Lawless herself once responded, “Gay. Definitely” when asked about their relationship once the finale aired.
Heath Ledger
In 2003, Brokeback Mountain hit theaters and cemented its place in queer cinema. However, neither of the leads for the film were queer themselves.
This included Heath Ledger’s Ennis Del Mar who falls in love with another man, Jack Twist, played by Jake Gyllenhaal. Interestingly, it was his time to the set of Brokeback Mountain that led him to meet Michelle Williams, with whom he later shared a long-term relationship and a child.
There have been plenty of queer characters on television and in film, even though not every representation is as great as the last. However, not every character in a queer relationship is played by a queer actor. These straight actors and actresses all played characters that were in queer relationships.