31-year-old actor Freddie Fox, who currently is enjoying the spotlight thanks to his role in Season 4 of The Crown, has gotten candid regarding his thoughts on sexuality in show business, and how coming out as queer can affect a performer’s career.
“I’m very interested in how the world is changing and how perceptions are changing,” Fox told The Telegraph. “If you look at someone like Rupert Everett, he would say that talking about his sexuality really altered the course of his career. I think being able to say that you have a more rounded experience as a human being, whether it be through sexuality, or whatever, is now perceived as a real advantage.”
In the same interview, Fox commented on the evolution of heroism in films. “Heroes used to look and sound a certain way which was, you know, muscular, white and male,” he said. “Heroes now are totally different, whether it be gender or sexuality, appearance, disability.” He added that he also sees an opening for non-heterosexual actors becoming leading men.
Related: British Actor Freddie Fox Can See Himself Falling In Love With A Man
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For the record, Rupert Everett has said coming out did severe damage to his career. It’s also worth noting, for the sake of context to Fox’s comments, that Everett identifies as both gay and bisexual, using the terms somewhat interchangeably.
As for Fox himself, the actor plays coy when it comes to his own sexuality. “I’ve had girlfriends, but I wouldn’t wish to say ‘I am this or I am that,’ because at some time in my life I might fall in love with a man,” the actor said in a 2015 interview.
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thisisnotreal
Rupert always struck me as very bitter over his coming out story and how it did in fact seem to negatively impact his career. But I think a large part of that is just because of the time period he came out in and where the world was on social issues at that time. If he had come out later on in his career it may have gone much better for him than it did, but unfortunately someone always has to be first and do it when it’s not considered “cool”
Donston
I definitely get why he’s bitter. Rupert was in his prime look-wise when he “came out”. And he was very dependent on being the handsome, charming Brit who ladies fantasized about. If Rupert that waited till he aged out of “handsome leading man” roles then maybe his career wouldn’t have suffered as much. Perhaps if he had pulled a Brando and confessed that he wasn’t necessarily “straight” but said he was still really into chicks and he had no public substantial, long-term same sex relationships then maybe his career wouldn’t have suffered quite as much. Even today, if you are a guy who’s dependent on your sex appeal and/or your appeal to bro-like “straight” guys then it’s going to damage and limit your career potential to come out as “gay” or make it clear that you’re really into sex and really about same-sex commitments. If you’re trying to be a leading man in big projects it will still hurt you. “Queers” in the entertainment industry are still forced to play a very calculated game.
Joshooeerr
Even by going only on the evidence of his own memoirs, it’s fairly clear that Everett’s career was more likely affected by his drug habit and his appalling behaviour than by being openly gay/bi/whatever. HIs looks also went rapidly from Leading Man to Character Actor very soon after his big Hollywood moment.
Donston
Probably most of Hollywood is “queer” in some way. And even a great percentage of dudes in the entertainment industry who are gay-identifying are not genuinely inherently homosexual throughout their lives or are not completely on the homo end of the romantic, sexual, affection, emotional investment, commitment spectrum. So, the obsession with the identities of public figures and wanting “gay” actors to play “gay” roles needs to die.
However, his perspective is a bit misguided. He’s still a white, “masculine” guy who presents himself as more “open-minded” than someone who is full-on into his sex. That’s a different type of “queer” and it entails different struggles. And that’s something he needs to acknowledge. An actor revealing that he’s not 100% hetero and straight identifying is not gonna hurt him that much any longer, at least if he’s not trying a leading man in major films. However, attaching yourself to “gay” can still do a lot of harm to a guy’s career, especially if he’s dependent on his looks and sex appeal. While having legit longterm relationships with your sex limits you, revealing that you’re homo limits you, making it clear that you have overall same-sex preferences and relationship ambitions does limit your appeal to a lot of males and women. And that’s something Hollywood is very aware of. His comments are overall decent and well-meaning, but there are still blind spots.
dhmonarch89
another jerk talking out of both sides of his mouth.
Bubbleandsqueal
Like his character in “Cucumber,” Freddie is such a promiscuous little tease!
Cam
“”As for Fox himself, the actor plays coy when it comes to his own sexuality. “I’ve had girlfriends, but I wouldn’t wish to say ‘I am this or I am that,’ because at some time in my life I might fall in love with a man,”””
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He sounds like a straight guy who not only is gaybaiting, but also seems to be suggesting that we suddenly change sexualities..
Ugh, worse than a James Franco, at lease Franco admits he’s straight when asked.
Donston
You constantly take one step forward and two back. You don’t really know about his dimensions, struggles, motivations, journey. There’s been plenty of guys who have presented themselves as “straight” or hetero-leaning but claim to be “open-minded”. A lot of those guys later come out as “gay” or they fully embrace a real same-sex commitment. Hell, a lot of entertainers fall into that category. So, it’s not always about “queer baiting”. Some people contend with fluidity or contradictions or confusions or paraphiliacs or mental health struggles. Some people aren’t assured about what they want and where they are in the romantic, sexual, emotional, commitment spectrum. Yes, many dodge direct answers and avoid being genuinely open. There’s a lot of bullsh*ting and placating. There’s a lot of trying to maintain a certain type of appeal or persona for your career or ego. But many folks are just trying to gain more self-comfort and self-understanding and deal with however their life or orientation develops. That alone shouldn’t be a reason to shame people or make quick assumptions. Too many folks are threatened by things they should not be.
His recent statement contained a much more problematic perspective than his comments from five years ago.
Donston
I will say that he has come off slightly problematic on more than one occasion. Being dismissive of identity politics is one thing, but he has talked about “actors needing to preserve mystery” aka don’t come out and don’t keep it real. If he has struggled with things like fluidity, contractions, paraphiliacs, confusions about where he is in the orientation spectrum then that’s his thing. And it’s okay if he doesn’t want to be entirely real about his dimensions and struggles. But don’t covertly tell others to stay closeted. That’s just furthering hetero pressures and closet pressures.
Some of these guys think they’re helping when they’re accidentally promoting gay shame, internalized homophobia and the closet. A lot of these dudes are better off not commenting at all because they’re so self-conscious and careful about their image and what they reveal that their comments end up coming off empty, contradictory or manipulative. However, a lot of industry “queers” still care more about maintaining an image, maintaining their ego and staying in good standing in Hollywood than they care about keeping it real and helping people. It is what it is.
Cam
@Donston
Except for the fact that he’s only dated women and is happy to state that. You choose to infer information he isn’t presenting.
If we create a phony narrative for everybody out there, anything can be excused. I am taking him at his word and what I see is just another gaybaiting straight guy like James Franco. If he would like to come out as Bi, Pan, Gay, etc. I will adjust my opinion. Until then, I’ll save any kudos to bravery for LGBTQ actors who need it far more than this guy.
BlueStateMan
Two actors come to mind who have come out in the last few years are Jim Parsons and Neil Patrick Harris. They are both in committed same-sex marriages and whom I believe identify as 100% gay. To my recollection, I have not seen either of these actors play “straight” leading men in any productions since their respective television shows ended (where they both played straight characters). They have each performed gay roles on Broadway and television. Now whether this is due to their own choices and they feel more comfortable playing gay roles or perhaps no straight roles been offered to them? All of this noise about an actor who claims he is straight but wouldn’t rule out a spontaneous gay relationship seems to be playing both sides of the fence. I’m sure it’s a fine line they have to walk in Hollywood if they want future projects offered to them.
Cam
JIm Parsons was in a recent movie “A kid like Jake” where he played Claire Daines husband.
Neil Patrick Harris played Amanda Seyfried’s boyfriend in “A Million Ways to Die in the West”.
JED08
Was trying to figure out what I saw this guy in recently, and it came to me, it was the White Farm Murders on HBOmax.