For reasons that escape us, out actor/Olympian Gus Kenworthy has been on the receiving end of criticism after it was announced his role in the new American Horry Story anthology would be…wait for it…straight.
We hope you didn’t faint.
The upcoming series, titled American Horry Story: 1984, looks properly creepy. But one thing we don’t find creepy is Kenworthy playing a straight character. Do we even need to say that?
In an essay published by ESPN, Kenworthy said:
How about we take this to the next level?
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“When Ryan [Murphy] announced he’d hired me to play Emma’s boyfriend, he and I both received a lot of negative comments online.
“Some people wanted to know how I was cast as a straight man or if I could play straight. Is that even a question?
“I spent the first 23 years of my life playing a straight man.”
“Every gay man has the experience at some point in his life of pretending to be someone he’s not.
“I knew as a teenager that I was gay, yet I was still sleeping with girls, pretending to be straight, playing this persona I thought I needed to be for my sport.
“The stakes were so high. I remember going to crazy lengths to make people believe I was someone I was not. That’s acting.”
He added:
“Maybe this sounds unfair, but I feel like it’s much more OK for a gay man to play a straight role than vice versa.
“Most characters are straight. Most shows are about straight people and straight lives and straight dynamics, and if there is a gay character on the show, it’s usually a sidekick.
“Allowing a gay person to play that character does a lot in terms of visibility and breaking down perceptions and stereotypes.”
Watch the American Horror Story Season 9 Trailer below:
Catholicslutbox
Those AHS kids should be glad for nepotism, ’cause if it weren’t for that- they would’ve never landed a gig.
jjose712
I happens to a lot of directors that they want to work always with the same actors.
Murphy’s actors have the big advantage that he is really prolific
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Catholicslutbox
They’re all so very, very bad… I stopped watching after season one-two.. the nepotism and bad acting just got out of hand.
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Cam
And here we have a new screename for the same ole anti-LGBT account.
JackKirby
Isn’t he past his sell-by date?
jjose712
I don’t know if his sports career is over, but he has the right to try other things.
Maybe he is even good at acting, who knows
Aires the Ram
@JackKirby: Are you implying that if he’s past say, 24, he’s “too old” by Gay, Inc.’s “standards”?
God help him, or you, if you are LUCKY, yes, I said L-U-C-K-Y enough to reach 50 or 60. Or maybe you don’t want to, that would make you less of a commodity wouldn’t it? Shallow, very shallow.
Wicked Dickie
Yes, it definitely is. He is internet famous now. Sports career was very short lived.
Brian
I watched the first episode. He’s not good at acting. Hopefully he’ll improve as the season progresses, or be one of the first killed off.
Kangol2
@JackKirby, so vicious. Are you that jealous of him. The man is an award-winning athlete, he’s young and attractive, and he wants to try new things. What’s wrong with that?
tjack47
This is such a spoof, campy(no pun intended) that his acting fits right in with the others. My brother watched it with me, and we laughed during most of the show. It’s good fun, and Gus is eye candy amongst others. Harmless fun.
Esscourt
I’ll let you know if I care……. hold on……. just a few seconds more……. NOPE! I don’t!
OzJosh
This is the logical progression from insisting that only gay actors should play gay characters. The pushback was inevitable.
Donston
That never really became a thing in the industry, just social media. Besides, Murphy has hired a handful of openly gay actors for “straight roles” before. So, that’s nothing new in his world. Not that I’m willing to call Gus an “actor” based off of this show and this role. I really don’t take issue with “straight actors” playing “gay roles”. Firstly, because it is just acting. But also, at least two-thirds of Hollywood is likely “queer” in some way and is on the orientation spectrum. So, policing something like that is impractical. My issue is that producers and agents and fellow actors continuously advice actors to stay closeted, get beards and/or keep their same-sex relationships on the DL. While if you don’t play that game you get punished and your career gets limited, at least if you are male.
Tombear
@JackKirby, you are an ageist pig. What are you, fat, stupid and 20 years old?
Dymension
Um, when you act, you don’t play yourself. You play another human being. If you play yourself, it’s not acting.
Kenover
American Horry Story? Really??? Not once but several times. If you can’t afford a proofreader at least read the article before publishing it. Maybe use spell check. This kind of sloppiness undermines what little credibility Queerty has left.
Rex Huskey
there never was any…
Jerry
Never been a big fan of Gus but I think he’s doing a very good job, at least in the first episode, on 1984.
JamJewel
Luv the guy but that is pure bs… just because me being me doesn’t broadcast the fact that I am gay… and I’ve been aware since I was four years-old.. doesn’t mean that I’ve ever “pretended.”
4of14
I just watch the play, August: Osage County. I know little to nothing about the actors but I’m fairly sure that, not a one of them is anything like the roll they inhabited. I’m sure Gus will do fine.
dre23222
He is a handsome guy and I’m loving the two episodes of AHS this season because I love the campy Friday the 13th horror 80s classic feel. Seriously who couldn’t tell he was gay? The way he talks on the show you can definitely tell.