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I think that I’ve done the right thing by being so honest about my life. Do I think my career would be a completely different career if I just would’ve not come out of the closet and just would’ve played the game and just like not given any actual factual information out and just lied to everybody? Yeah, because you see it all the time if a lot of people who are successful aren’t genuine…
… It is extremely hard navigating the industry as an out person, an out LGBTQ+ actor, no matter how hard the media loves to try to tell you that, you know, things are different now. They’re not. I mean, you have incredible movies at the box office that aren’t doing or getting the respect that they deserve. You have actors who aren’t being paid the same as everybody else, even though they’ve been a part of projects for 10 years.
… I played straight characters my whole career. Then I came out of the closet and now the opportunities aren’t there. And so I think that’s something that needs to change. But also I think we just have to start making our own things and we have to start writing our own things and trying to uplift our communities as much as we can and not be the people in the community who try to continue to tear it down as well.”Colton Haynes speaking very candidly to the Behind The Velvet Rope with David Yontef podcast about how coming out has negatively impacted his career.
Related: EXCLUSIVE: Colton Haynes opens up about homophobia in Hollywood and surviving sexual abuse
Paris in Santiago
Wise words regarding community. Thank you, Colton.
agedbeef61
With all of the amazing talent in front of and behind the camera, it is time for the gay entertainment community to start producing and publishing our own work instead of relying on “main stream” media.
Donston
Colton is hardly the most talented actor. But things were quite a bit different just ten years ago. And there are still glass ceilings today. When you’re a guy who depends on your sex appeal and depends on your female fan base, embracing a “gay” identity or letting people know you have homo-leanings or have had or is in a homo commitment- there’s always gonna be consequences. You’re gonna lose some interest from females who are mostly into you because of your looks, it’s gonna be more difficult to get “straight guys” to like you and support you, it’s gonna be more difficult to get “high profile” roles. This is still the reality of things. A lot of guys can’t handle that from both an ego and career standpoint, especially if they also deal with shit like fluidity or contradictions or internalized phobias or masculine insecurities. It’s all apart of the industry game.
Cam
Except that isn’t the case. Female fans have come out to watch gay movies and gay actors. It is the old bigots in charge of Hollywood studios who “claimed” women wouldn’t come out for gay actors.
Neoprene
Are you running a fever? Not a single sentence with 8+ commas. 911 NOW!
CatholicXXX
Wasnt he “outted?”
southernway
What career?
ShiningSex
what a bore!
SDR94103
career?
Capawok
The most factual and normal comment I’ve seen here.
Bravo.
abfab
Anything is a career now. Posting non-stop on Queerty is now a career.
The real Bruce
Colton Haynes is one of the lucky ones to survive a “messed up” childhood and also survive the “Hollywood Machine” almost unscathed. He is talented as well as good looking. But remember this, agents and producers, ACTORS ACT! Gay or straight, it’s what they do! So many people in the “industry” are damn fools when it comes to casting people. Today’s audience, for the most part, are a lot smarter than “they” will ever be. But how many prequels and sequels do we have to be seeing coming to our theaters? Don’t we have writers and screenwriters anymore? Cast people like Mr. Haynes in good quality parts, build them up, like they used to do in years past. Then watch the box office returns jump! I will buy this memoir and I hope others do too. On to bigger and better roles, Colton!
bachy
Reese Witherspoon, who became pretty famous quite early in her career, is now producing practically all the vehicles in which she stars. It’s how most of the big stars do it nowadays, and it’s how a long, successful career is made. Unless you’re satisfied with a career consisting of occasional guest appearances on tv shows, you can’t sit around waiting for someone to cast you in a great motion picture. You have to champion something great, finance it, produce it and cast yourself in it.
Risky? Yes. But it’s the same risk you’re asking someone else to take when you want them to cast you in something they’ve championed, financed and produced.
See: BROS.
johncp56
Man up kid
jackscott
Oh lord, this guy again! Who is paying, seeping with and/or dating at this site to get so many articles? He isn’t even talented!
Cam
I love how you can see the right wing troll that always attacks out of the closet LGBTq actors posting one after the other switching screenames.
As always, it’s trolling is sad and weak.
gayconservative
I love how the “tolerant & accepting” LGBTQ community shows hate towards anyone who has a slight difference of opinion. Trolling at its best.
Jim
Having minimal talent hurt his career.
gayconservative
He needs to man up and fight for roles. Why do actors assume the roles will come to them? Why not fight and show you are more than who you sleep with? I don’t whether or not an actor is gay or straight. Can they play the role and make me want to watch them, that’s what’s important.
sfhairy
>>>looking around the room<<< still not seeing a career he ever had.
JessPH
Ryan Murphy can only repeatedly cast so many gay actors.
Most producers are simply not as accepting of gay actors as he is. That’s the sad reality of Hollywood.
cuteguy
Rupert Everett came out in 97 and he said it ruined his career and now all these years later this nonsense is still happening?! The problem is we need more lgbtq actors to play “straight” roles bc it’s called acting. Just like that hot guy in Bridgerton. Restricting roles to your sexuality limits you as a performer. Tom Hanks said he would not play the part that won him his first academy award “Philadelphia” bc he said it wouldn’t be right. And then we as the moviegoing public would be robbed of such great performances. We just need A list out lgbtq actors, unfortunately there currently aren’t any. Had Billy Eichner gave up his role to Chris Evans or Ryan Gosling, Bros would’ve stood a better chance at the box office. At the same time we need more open lgbtq actors playing straight roles. Why do you think Queen Latifah stayed in the closet for so long. She would’ve never had a successful career in front of the camera otherwise. Sad but true.
dbmcvey
The way actors become “A-list” is through getting roles.
We should admire Billy Eichner for insisting on casting LGBT+ actors. And if “Amsterdam” showed anything it’s that “names” don’t make a movie a hit.
dbmcvey
Hard to say whether his career was harmed or not. Succeeding as an actor is really hard and very few are able to do it.
However, there’s no need to be nasty toward him.
GavinakaWirrrn
Such an awesome guy. Met him 4 times now, and he just comes across as a sweet, kind guy from Kansas. And so brave- the things he has survived (sexual assault, multiple family member deaths, addiction)- and some people tell him to “Man Up”?! He has and he is.
Love this man. He’s a hero to me. Can’t wait for the TEEN WOLF movie!