Vera Anderson/WireImage(LONDON) — Kate Winslet revealed in a new interview that there are several well-known actors who are afraid to publicly reveal their sexuality. The Titanic star claims the unnamed actors are “terrified” of how coming out will impact their careers.
Speaking to The Sunday Times on Sunday, Winslet says a climate of “fear” still weighs heavily on some LGBT actors and said she knows “at least four actors” who are afraid of no longer being cast in lead roles should they publicly embrace their sexuality.
“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,” the Oscar winner explained.
“I can think of at least four actors absolutely hiding their sexuality,” Winslet announced. “It’s painful. Because they fear being found out.'”
When describing how to change that negative culture and make the acting industry “more open,” Winslet says that a way to help closeted actors is to speak up and out about the stigma that targets “men more than anything.”
“Hollywood has to drop that dated crap of, ‘Can he play straight because, apparently, he’s gay?’… That should be almost illegal. You would not believe how widespread it is,” the 45-year-old British actress furthered. “And it can’t just be distilled to the question about gay actors playing gay parts. Because actors, in some cases, are choosing not to come out for personal reasons. And it’s nobody’s business. Perhaps privacy. Perhaps conditioning and shame.”
In order to change Hollywood so that there is “less judgment, discrimination and homophobia,” says Winslet, “More people to speak the way I am.”
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