Acclaimed, out-gay actor Ian McKellen has raised a few eyebrows in a recent interview. While talking about the #MeToo movement, McKellen empathized with his embattled friends Kevin Spacey and Bryan Singer, but stopped short of defending them against their allegations of sexual misconduct.
McKellen chatted with podcast host Ethan Davis, host of the #QueerAF podcast as part of the National Student Pride 2019 event in London. When the subject turned to sexual misconduct by Spacey & Singer, and the #MeToo movement, McKellen got direct. “Well frankly, I’m waiting for someone to accuse me of something,” the actor quipped, “and me wondering whether they’re not telling the truth and me having forgotten [pointing to head] you know.”
McKellen’s attitude then turned serious. “But with the couple of names you’ve mentioned, people I’ve worked with, both of them were in the closet. And hence all their problems as people and their relationships with other people, if they had been able to be open about themselves and their desires, they wouldn’t have started abusing people in the way they’ve been accused.”
Related: Kevin Spacey faces teen sex assault charges in court
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
The admission seems to confirm that McKellen accepts the charges against his frequent X-Men collaborator Singer and his friend Spacey as true. Davis then injected that neither Singer nor Spacey has accepted that they’ve done anything wrong. McKellen then went on to address the pariah status in Hollywood for anyone accused of sexual misconduct. “Whether they should be forced to stop working,” McKellen observed, “that’s debatable. I rather think that’s up to the public. Do you want to see someone who has been accused of something that you don’t approve of again? If the answer’s no, then you won’t buy a ticket, you won’t turn on the television. But there may be others for who that’s not a consideration. And it’s difficult to be exactly black and white.”
Bryan Singer has defended himself against a story published in The Atlantic that accuses him of the sexual assault of four underage men. Spacey was accused of misconduct by Boston news reporter Heather Unruh, claiming that the actor assaulted her son Will. Unruh also asserts that Spacey provided her son with alcohol though he was underage at the time. Both Spacey and Singer have denied any wrongdoing.
iamru2
It’s ALLEGED misconduct against Spacey and Singer!
SwiftSails
Your point? Hitler’s conduct is ALLEGED too, but that doesn’t mean we should doubt it.
Vince
So was Harvey Weinstein and Bill Cosby up until the point he was charged. Singer is probably the worst of all but gets away with it because he took advantage of nobodies.
ModeI
Nowadays, many people use it for the benefit of
Polaro
Hitler’s conduct was not alleged. There is plenty of proof. Stop being so melodramatic.
SwiftSails
Melodramatic? Well, okay, but you apparently don’t know what an allegation is.
inbama
An honest and out gay male of the generation that knew we were men and not whiny wallflowers.
Crystix
I concur. Kevin Spacey is as whiny as they come.
SwiftSails
So, Ian, your opinion is that their misconduct is rooted in being in the closet?
I’m sorry, but that’s not a defense. First, you don’t know that they’d have been find upstanding citizens if they’d been out of the closet. Secondly, what about all those other people who have lived in the closet? You don’t see them behaving in this way.
Lost some serious respect for you, Ian.
iamru2
And your point? Besides the fact that your pointy head is showing in everything you write! Lol!!!
Vince
He’s generalizing of coarse. Look at the Catholic church or closeted politicians. Generally allot of bad has come from that area.
SwiftSails
iamru2, if the best response you can come up with is saying I have a pointy head, then I’m honestly disappointed in you. You can do better. Try harder.
PinkoOfTheGange
I didn’t read a defense. Sir Ian’s point was if they were out there would be less of a need of having to prey on the weak to maintain the seal on the closet door. If they are out they can be in the open about their relationships. Now if that is actually true, is a further discussion.
Polaro
Complex thought alludes @SwitftSails…or not so swift.
chasgoose
Not to mention that Singer has been out since before the first X-Men movie. His exploitative behavior was probably at least partially enabled by the fact that he was one of the few out people of his level in Hollywood and people looked the other way despite years of rumors.
SwiftSails
Okay, Polaro. You must sit at the table with all the cool kids.
Chevelter
If a celebrity is merely accused these days, whether it’s true or not, they have BIG problems.
Vince
Yes but who’s been accused lately that’s innocent?
Billy Budd
The witch-hunt of the fifties was about communism. Now the witch-hunt is about sexuality. Now you can destroy your entire carreer for making a pass on a cute guy. Such an enormous amount of BULL. Grow up people. If you don’t want it, just say “NO THANKS” and move ahead with your life.
Vince
Now Billy. Your idea of a cute guy is an underage 14 year old that you can fu@k.
Billy Budd
You are a liar, vince. I never did it. I just mentioned that it is legal in Brazil. Shame on you, you evil man.
Vince
It also helps when you’re attracted to guys that are appropriate. Most of these examples are guys that are not even legal to have sex with.
Polaro
That’s just not true. Most of these stories are concerning men of legal age. And the Spacey story with Rapp, if true, is creepy, but not illegal.
QueerTruth
“But with the couple of names you’ve mentioned, people I’ve worked with, both of them were in the closet. And hence all their problems as people and their relationships with other people, if they had been able to be open about themselves and their desires, they wouldn’t have started abusing people in the way they’ve been accused.”
Bull crap! So if they weren’t in closet then they wouldn’t be rapists/molesters?
Wrong!!!
PinkoOfTheGange
Who knows?
People prey on the weak when they have secrets they need to keep, but urges to scratch.
There is a possibility that being out would be a benefit.
Itsonlythetruth
Why is a grown man letting his Mommy speak for him? Just doesn’t sit right with me.
Polaro
Young men trading sex for access and then regretting it later is not sexual assault. That is a lot of what has been pointed at Singer. Not all, but a lot, and its wrong.
Crystix
Sounds like you support Harvey Weinstein and all of the couching couches of the world.
Vince
Were talking about teenagers as young as 14. They legally can’t even give consent.