I’ve been given the blessing to play many gay stories, but I wouldn’t say I’m playing the same character, which is what I see typecasting as… There’s the assumption that black folks are more homophobic than other folks. I don’t think that’s true, but I think we are aware of limits this culture places on us as black men. We have 15 seconds to get our foot in the door and if we don’t, we’re in the dark forever. Black actors are very aware that they have to work hard at remaining commercially viable. It’s a matter of our own cultural hang-ups [both black culture and American culture] as well as lack of access to varied roles that keeps us locked in this fear of presenting anything that is not hyper-masculine. That’s what this culture requires of us in real life. We’ve already seen it happen with the white actors [like Neil Patrick Harris and Matt Bomer]. I think it’s a question of when will the black faces be invited to that party.”
— Darryl Stephens, who starred in the popular queer-themed series Noah’s Arc and is considered one of the most handsome men in Hollywood, in an interview with Los Angeles Times
James Roach
Q: Why is it difficult for black gay actors to break through to the mainstream?
A: Because they’re black and gay.
MarionPaige
well, when you’ve played the Black Gay Guy in every indie gay movie ever made, I think you can consider yourself to be, at the very least, over-exposed. Also,
I think it’s great that Darryl Stephens can tell his Black Gay characters apart because I sure can’t.
Back in the Day, there was a dancer at The Gaiety Theater who appeared at The Gaiety so often you could literally hear a groan from the audience when he came out to dance. When I see Stephens in a movie, I get the impression that everyone who sees the movie makes an audible sound when Stephens appears.
Kangol
OK. He’s a cutie so I’m going to give him a pass about not really dealing with structural and systemic r@cism and for repeating, even with a mild critique, the notion that black people are “more hom0phobic.”
Tell that to the entire GOP field, Kim Davis, the Roman Catholic bishops and much of the clergy, the Mormon Church, most of the leadership of the states in the former Confederacy, etc., the overwhelming majority of whom are white, and have NO LOVE for the LGBTIQ folks, i.e., US!
mr mr
I think he hasn’t hit the mainstream because he’s boring. I liked him in Noah’s Arch, but he is kind of corny. Kind of a D-list actor trying to be like dougie Houzer
Alex Rothwell
Interesting, i’d think people would be more evolved. This guys is super.
AtticusBennett
there’s no greater evidence of what he’s saying that the tone-deaf casting in STONEWALL.
“hey, you know what that story of outsiders who fought back needs most? a straight white guy at the centre of the story to lead it!”
no. and no. and no. and NO.
DDstar1me
@Daniel Schlageter—->Nailed it!
look I’m all for seeing more of my people on TV. But Darryl is a bit too pretentious for me. Dude spend more time perfecting your craft and it will leave you will less time to complain. He deserves a Razzie award for every thing he has been in. Just terrible!
bicurious
OMG, I used to watch him in Noah’s Ark with a group of friends. They told me all the actors were straight in real life and it turns out I was naive to have believed them…..
Frank Vaca
Reminds me to buy his book. 🙂 Thanks
Ralph Vendegna
This actor is good. I have seen him on a series on Logo. Producers and Directors need to get a grip on life and let the african american folk who are gay in to more acting rolls. I think they a being to mindless in not opening themselves up. This man was also in a series on prime time tv where he played the part of wanting to be a woman. After that roll Producers/Directors should have opened the door further for him and others to get more exposure.
Desert Boy
He should send his CV to Shonda Rhimes. I see a place for him in Shondaland.
tampaed
I have to say I don’t believe its as much about being black or gay but has more to do with acting ability. Lets face it Not every gay black man is a great actor.
tampaed
@James Roach:
Maybe it has more to do with Bad acting… Not every gay black man can call the race gay card just because they can’t do what they want. That’s called reality
Avery Alvarez
@mr mr: *I agree. Hot but boring.
@Desert Boy: I also agree with this. Shonda and her writers are so clever, I’m sure this guy could fit in on HTGAWM.
Bob LaBlah
Earth to Darryl, earth to Darryl…..a director asks casting to send an actor who can bring depth to a character. Unfortunately, you do not. Every thing you have done before and after Noah’s Arc seems to be the same character. A character more comfortable with a white lover than a black lover. Your scenes with Wade looked strained, not natural. He, Wade, was on time but you…..well, thats another story.
It really seems ironic that you, of all people, would say such things. I based this on the impression I got when I saw you walking along the Chelsea pier with a friend of yours (I assume) back in 2006. You seem to not have a problem acknowledging the white guys who recognized you but I thought to myself “he has some serious issues with blacks” the way you rolled your eyes when a few black guys at different intervals of you stroll recognized you and you clearly rolled your eyes at all of them. It seems it would have killed you to at least smile back.
Keep one thing in mind when you land back on earth; if that many doors are slammed in your face it might be time to seek another career before it is too late. I thought I was going to stay young forever but it didn’t pan out that way. And don’t get the impression that every smile is a translation of “lets fuck”. People of color might be smiling at you because they like YOU, not just your rear end. I say that because there is a narcissistic aura about you, I’m sorry to say. I saw it with my own eyes and I was not alone nor the only one who caught it that day on the pier.
Xzamilio
I liked almost everyone else in Noah’s Arc, especially Jensen Atwood (Wade). THAT is someone who should have gotten more work.
@Avery Alvarez: Oh, the hell!!! Put him on something else
Xzamilio
@tampaed: Maybe it’s a mix of all of those factors… maybe you shouldn’t be so quick to dismiss someone’s gripe because it makes you uncomfortable to realize that people in this day and age still have those prejudices. Maybe dumbasses like you should stop bringing out the “race card” BS because you’d rather address the ones address the problems instead of the problem itself.
Darryl Stephens will likely never win any primetime Emmy or Golden Globe, but he’s not wrong in the limitations being black and gay in Hollywood put on you.
lauraspencer
He isn’t a very strong actor and he has typecast himself by taking so many gay roles.
Brian
Well, if you market yourself as “gay”, you are automatically disenfranchising most of the population. You are basing your personality on the fact that you sleep with someone of the same sex. It’s not an attractive selling point, nor a hiring point for that matter.
Men and women in the general population don’t want to see an actor who does not represent male heterosexuality and virility in their mindsets. Why do you think all the huge action heroes and commercially successful actors like Tom Cruise always have a female romantic interest? Because it confirms what the public presumes exists in the actors’ private lives – ie heterosexuality and virility.
It confirms an idea which the public prefers – ie the idea of a man being fully heterosexual in his private and public performances. A female viewer doesn’t want to see any fraction of homosexuality in a man who is wooing her.
The female romantic interest is a key element in Hollywood. A man must have one. It’s one of the cardinal rules of Hollywood. Yep – the liberals in Hollywood are doing this. They know what sells and what doesn’t.
Tenor77
You have a point: mainstream actors obviously have it easier than actors who market themselves as gay, but as Darryl pointed out, there have been very successful out gay actors, NPH, Jim Parsons, Matt Bomer, Zachery Quinto..to name a few, however, let’s face it: the common characteristic of theses actors is they are all white. Right now, think of any out African American actors on mainstream tv or movies. Darryl probably has been typecast in gay roles of smaller budget films, simply because that is all that is offered to him.
Chris
I’ve seen him in Boy Culture, the Skinny, and Tiger Orange. I think his acting, while a bit one-dimensional, is not bad and he certainly deserves a chance at more demanding roles than he was given in those movies.
Chris-Tyler Young
To paraphrase the incomparable Viola Davis “The only thing separating black [gay actors] from everyone else is opportunity. You simply can’t win awards for roles that don’t exist.”
Aromaeus
@Chris-Tyler Young: This.
surreal33
@Bob LaBlah: Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, for calling out this NO TALENT HACK!!! Mr Stephens, sounds bitter because he too OLD play the redundant twink which his infamous for. Mr Stephens, being gay black actor is not your problem. Mr Stephens, being an aging, one trick pony, is your real problem. Talented, creative, gay black actors are mainstream just ask Keith Hamilton Cobb.
Joseph Young
Just more “centrism” at play… he looks like he’s had it pretty easy, if he wants to see struggle, I’m sure it’s not the mirror he looks at.
animaux
@AtticusBennett: Tone deaf casting in Stonewall? The Puerto Rican gay actor Jonny Beauchamp was on the verge of literal starvation when he got the role in the movie. And he gave an oscar worthy performance.
Sluggo2007
If you’re any good at acting, you’re going to be noticed and producers will build projects around you. No need to pull the race card because you’re having a hard time dealing with your perceived lack of success. Many actors would kill to have as many roles as you have had, so stop whining.
Dev.C
I really wish Lee Daniels would bring him to Empire, that show is forcing mainstream public to look at gay men in a new light and Darryl would be such a great addition to that.
Tackle
@Bob LaBlah: And I thought I was the only one who noticed and felt that his love scenes with Wade looked strained. Yet his love scenes in ” Boy Culture” seemed a lot more natural for him, like what he would prefer in real life. But if viewers can see that your love scenes are strained, then you must not be a very good actor…
Professor Fate
Oh Darryl, you’re cute, like a zillion other men. So what other qualifications do you have??? ::: crickets :::
Bob LaBlah
@surreal33: @Tackle: I don’t know if you guys remember this movie, Punks, but I sure as hell do. I saw it when it first came out and it immediately vanished into thin air. I can’t confirm it but I heard on the rumor mill that it vanished after it was discovered Kenneth (Babyface) Edmonds financed it. The fact that he pulled the movie is not what caught my attention. What caught my attention was how much he HAD to have shelled out to get the movie completed and did not have to file bankruptcy. In other words, the man was WEALTHY, he saw a need, and he filled it. If its true it also too bad he chickened out because I personally thought the movie was good. It wasn’t perfect but it was, overall, good. Check the credits, his name is on there.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0160710/fullcredits?ref_=tt_ov_st_sm
Where I am going with this? There are too many wealthy gay black men who, by now, should at least be TRYING to form their own studio and cut that whining, crying-about-what-they-aint-got-or-ain’t-getting shit out. In NYC the drag queens came up with the Glammy Awards. Yes, it goes unnoticed by the majority but for the ones it matters to its a must see/attend event. I had hoped Tyler Perry would’ve picked up the torch in the form of a subsidiary of some type but he seems hell bent on being nothing else but a closeted Oprah, as in every movie featuring black men they produce shows them in a way……..I am sure many of you have your opinion just as I but hopefully you understand that I don’t mean it in a personal, derogatory way aimed at YOU personally. Trust me, I don’t. I am only saying what the situation is and I am sure you agree, there is no need for things to be this way. As I said, there are too many wealthy ones out there for things to be like this in the community.
The late crooner, Luther Vandross, all but admitted he was gay in numerous read-between-the-lines interviews he gave but he kept his mouth shut more or less because he knew the “arena” he was performing in and knew those seats had to be filled for it to be worth performing in. He knew his audience, in other words. That was “then”.
It’s time to look at the “now”. No one is demanding that Empire drop its gay themed characters, are they? Fifty-cents said the show was too gay but he didn’t say the character or actor, Jussie, needed to be dropped from what I understand. He is just as gay on screen as he is off of it. His nude picture on one of those dating sites only added to his popularity (and I have noticed his butt this season seems to be a whole lot rounder than what was in that picture, but thats another story). Its a new day and I say its time for wealthy gays to come to the realization of just how many black gay men exist and to get up and get busy addressing this market before some one else does and then they all start crying exploitation. Business goes where opportunity exists. To hell with whining. Even black gay men have grown tired of hearing this.
Even though I don’t care for his CONSTANT whining I have to commend Keith Boykin for his movie Dirty Laundry. It was pretty good I thought. It wasn’t a block buster but he got it up there on the screen. Unfortunately, Keith did what I knew he would do and the movie became known more for his whining about “look what they’re doing to us” than its quality. Its too bad people can’t stop long enough to look at themselves instead of blaming all of creation for problems of THEIR own creation.
If any of you have the time a good research project would be the black cinema before, during and after World War 2, or should I say before integration. You would be shocked to learn how many black owned theaters and movie studios existed AND made money once upon a time. Lessons lost, obviously. But they can be relearned.
Cee
@MarionPaige: If you can’t tell his Black Gay characters apart that only shows you’re lacking basic observational skills. On Noah’s Arc he was very effeminate in the way that he dressed and spoke. In Boy Culture he wasn’t. Two completely different characters other than the Black and Gay part. His character in “Another Gay Movie” was different too. He was more masculine. Tried to be anyway.
Cee
@AtticusBennett: Lol I’m glad STONEWALL flopped. That means there’s still hope for us.
Cee
@Sluggo2007: Receipts?