Gay New York City entertainment writer Mark Harris just tweeted that actor Zachary Quinto has come out in the new issue of New York. Though we won’t believe it until we see it for ourselves, we’ve been calling Quinto gay for years.
If it is true, though, congratulations Zach! Maybe he can persuade his Heroes and Star Trek fans to start fighting for LGBT rights.
Everyone listens to Mr. Spock.
Thanks to Queerty commenter Cam. Image via preloc and kanar
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Ray
Mr.Spock. Dr. Spock was someone else.
Daniel Villarreal
@Ray: Oops! I always make that mistake! Thanks for correcting us.
REBELComx
@Ray: Which is odd because you’d think Spock, as a super intelligent science officer aboard an exploratory space vessel, would have a PHD in something…
amo
This article is full of fail even after correcting the Dr Spock thing. “Probably true”? Ugh. And as for “Maybe he can persuade his Heroes and Star Trek fans to start fighting for LGBT rights” … start? He’s already done that.
Kirk
Queerty- please quit ragging on stars to come out. Even years ago when Queerty was good is was tired. None of our business and doesn’t really matter much in 2011…
ben pin wang
Celebrities coming out always make them more sexy for me than when they don’t. I guess it’s the sense of freedom and self-acceptence. Am I the first person on earth to announce that Freedom is more sexy than contrived sex? Wonderful, Zach, now I am a fan.
Jerry
Hey Zach! You’re so hot! I’m glad you came out. You can eat my brain for powers after you eat my ass!!
Troy
I think it is important for Zach to come out completely. He’s been doing the “It Gets Better Campaign”, but it sends a contradictory message to gay kids that it’s okay to be gay if the gay person doing the campaign is afraid to come out. Until someone like Zach can say he is gay, it sends a mixed message about whether you can be gay and have a successful career.
Chad
Finally! It’s not like it wasn’t obvious even though he lived in the closet for a long time.
queertypie
@Daniel Villarreal: Does Queerty have a copy editor? So many articles have misspelled words, poor grammar and sometimes, the sentences leave words out and the whole thing makes no sense?
ChiGuy76
Well, if this turns out to be true and not a typo on the Twitter account, then congrats Zach. I wonder if he is going the “Sean Maher” route. He’s in a gay role in “American Horror” story so maybe he wants to use that role as platform for coming out similar to Mr. Maher’s use of his role in “The Playboy Club.” Also, if this turns out to be true, I wonder if he will confirm rumors that he and Jonathan Groff are dating.
EdWoody
@ChiGuy76: re Zach & Jonathan – I’m pretty sure I saw them walking down Eighth Avenue in Chelsea together. Not that that necessarily means anything, just more fuel for the fire.
@queertypie: re copyediting – that’s what’s referred to as “banging your head against a brick wall.”
EdWoody
Just saw this:
http://www.afterelton.com/people/2011/10/zachary-quinto-gay-tweet-new-york-magazine
Update Sunday 9:00am:
A publicist for New York Magazine has issued the following release:
In this week’s New York magazine, on newsstands Monday October 17 and online now, actor Zachary Quinto, perhaps best known as Spock in J.J. Abrams’s Star Trek, says definitively that he’s gay. Quinto tells New York contributing editor Benjamin Wallace, of his eight-month role last year in Angels in America, “…as a gay man, it made me feel like there’s still so much work to be done, and there’s still so many things that need to be looked at and addressed.”
Quinto has played a series of gay roles, including on Tori Spelling’s TV show So NoTORIous, and on the new FX series American Horror Story, and has been outspoken about gay-rights issues, but he has not previously identified himself as gay. Speaking with Wallace about the cultural bipolarity that can see gay marriage legalized in New York in the same year that yet another gay teenager was bullied and killed himself, Quinto says, “And again, as a gay man I look at that and say there’s a hopelessness that surrounds it, but as a human being I look at it and say ‘Why? Where’s this disparity coming from, and why can’t we as a culture and society dig deeper to examine that?’ We’re terrified of facing ourselves.”
Quinto, currently promoting his film Margin Call, a financial-crisis thriller in which he co-stars alongside Kevin Spacey, Stanley Tucci, and Jeremy Irons and the first feature for his production company, also addresses the Wall Street protesters with Wallace: “As a left-leaning Democrat, I feel a sense of resonance with their position. But as a citizen of this country, I feel deeply unsettled that people are rising up in movements against each other. It feels like we’re missing the mark … The bottom line is we’re all fucked, and we’re all in this together.”
The extended Q&A with Quinto is online at Vulture.
ChiGuy76
@EdWoody: Well, looks like it’s been confirmed. I wish I could say that I’m surprised, but I always got the gay vibe from Mr. Quinto. Congrats again.
On a slightly related note: it seems like these things are happening in pairs. Last year it was Sean Hayes and Ricky Martin coming out within weeks of each other. This year it’s Sean Maher and Zachary Quinto. I wonder if Matt Bomer and Lee Pace are going to co-ordinate their coming out announcements? Just a thought…..
tenshinigami
@Kirk: While I sorta agree with the “it’s none of our business, it’s important for gay stars to come out if only for the visibility and proof to others that being gay is okay. All-in-All regardless of who, people should come out.
Interesting
I tire of the “its none of your business crowd.”
I really do not believe for one second that they say that about any other aspect of celebrity culture. When I have asked, what I normally get is deflection from the question because they know the truth is that they don’t care about privacy. Its about their issues with being gay. I talked to this older gay friend of mine. He says its a lot of the baggage from the days when gay men would protect each other closet, which was what I suspected, but did not know for certain until I broached the subject with him.
The truth is that this is celebrity gossip like what’s going on with Demi’s and Ashton’s marriage after he cheated. It should be no more special or protected than that.
amo
@ChiGuy76: “I wish I could say that I’m surprised”
Why?
BubbasBack
So does anyone know if he’s a top or a bottom? Cut or uncut? Burp.
SciFiSlut
@REBELComx: The doctor was Dr. Smith, from “Lost in Space”.
jj
@BubbasBack: judging from his bottomesque ex boyfriends im going to go with uncut brutal top 🙂
Interesting
@ChiGuy76: Lee Pace may be. Bomer no because he’s being told he’s still leading man material, which is the only category remaining where one in Hollywood can not come out. One can be a supporting actor or in an ensemble, but not the guy leading a box office hit by onself and be gay. Or so hollywood thinks. Having seen this with blacks in Hollywood, the bigotry moves from one quarter to another, but its still there. With blacks it was first we were the kiss of death to any project, then it was that a movie couldn’t be black and be a box office success and by the 90s they were saying shit like, a black person could not lead a sci fi movie, etc and be a box office success, and then people like will smith happened, and they said- well that’s a one off, and on and on. This industry is nothing if not solid in holding onto to its prejudices. So, Bomer’s people, if i had to guess, are telling him now that he’s getting into movies, like the one about male strippers, that he should not come out.
Ray
@REBELComx: I think only MDs are called doctors on Star Trek. In one episode of Next Generation they were teaching trigonometry or something advanced like that to elementary school kids so I guess they had to narrow down who got the title.
EdWoody
Further official statement from Zach himself:
http://www.zacharyquinto.com/news/2011/10/post.html
when i found out that jamey rodemeyer killed himself – i felt deeply troubled. but when i found out that jamey rodemeyer had made an it gets better video only months before taking his own life – i felt indescribable despair. i also made an it gets better video last year – in the wake of the senseless and tragic gay teen suicides that were sweeping the nation at the time. but in light of jamey’s death – it became clear to me in an instant that living a gay life without publicly acknowledging it – is simply not enough to make any significant contribution to the immense work that lies ahead on the road to complete equality. our society needs to recognize the unstoppable momentum toward unequivocal civil equality for every gay lesbian bisexual and transgendered citizen of this country. gay kids need to stop killing themselves because they are made to feel worthless by cruel and relentless bullying. parents need to teach their children principles of respect and acceptance. we are witnessing an enormous shift of collective consciousness throughout the world. we are at the precipice of great transformation within our culture and government. i believe in the power of intention to change the landscape of our society – and it is my intention to live an authentic life of compassion and integrity and action. jamey rodemeyer’s life changed mine. and while his death only makes me wish that i had done this sooner – i am eternally grateful to him for being the catalyst for change within me. now i can only hope to serve as the same catalyst for even one other person in this world. that – i believe – is all that we can ask of ourselves and of each other.
zq.
Ray
I think the real question here is does this make Charlie David obsolete since he obviously a genetic clone of Zachary grown in a lab.
Kirk
Hmmm, didn’t know Zach was in the closet but I guess career gays need that offical proclamation from a celeb to validate their own orientation. Matt B has the most to lose with his looks and talent but I think based on his exceptional looks and exceptional talent being totally announced out wouldn’t hurt him at all. He’s basically out – he and his husband are publicly out in LA/NY events, award shows, charities, etc. And BTW, the great part is, he’s not the only gay actor in Magic Mike…
Bryan
@amo: Because most people who followed pop culture news already kinda knew he was gay?
And I didn’t know there was any issue surrounding Lee Pace? He’s amazing and I loved him in Pushing Daisies.
Also I really don’t think it’s potential leading man status that’s preventing Matthew Bomer from publicly coming out as I don’t think he has much of a future in that role.
Interesting
@Kirk: How does one respond to retarded commments such as yours?
I mean- he’s in the closet because the media allows him to be in the closet with a DOn’t Ask Don’t tell regardless of what he does in public.
This is well known except with people here who are either too stupid or too dishonest to admit it.
Indeed, your comment about “carerer gays” is equally retarded.Why are you on this site if you aren’t interested in gay issues and validation. go hang out on a straight one if you don’t need to see or hang out with other gay people. Nor does your comment make any political sense. Indeed, the actor here admits the reason he finally came out was- wait for it-a political reason. He saw another kid commit suicide and this made him feel bad, and unlike you, he has a moral core, and felt bad about it. So he decided to do something to say that its okay to be gay.
Only someone deeply screwed up could turn such a great story into a way to attack out gay people as you do. Seek help.
Interesting
@Kirk: Oh, and Matt bomer has a snow balls chance in hell of becoming a hollywood leading man. THat’s a group of 5 to 10 actors. Not going to happen with him. He doesn’t have that kind of appeal. He will remain a TV actor with some roles in features, but not starring roles.
Interesting
\@Bryan: Bomer is still being told he’s leading man material and there are fans that believe that too. I agree its not going to happen for him because he’s not leading man material, but they believe it.
Kirk
@Interesting: Interesting/Cam – I’ve been out and proud for over 20 years and do much in my own gay community. Just never got the whole big announcement thing or how much lift it provides us. Most stars are such train wrecks that I prefer they keep their lives private. I also thankfully never got the bitchy gay gene where I personally attack people on logs that have views that differ from my own.
Franco
Coming out of the closet is a very personal choice. I applaud him for saying it publicly. It’s important for kids everywhere to know that being gay should never be kept a secret.
meego
Holy crap, what a lie! The only thing you do is attack people who don’t think like you! Christ, re-read your own messages! Or are you in such self-denial that you can’t even see yourself for what you really are?
meego
@Kirk: Holy crap, what a lie! The only thing you do is attack people who don’t think like you! Christ, re-read your own messages! Or are you in such self-denial that you can’t even see yourself for what you really are?
Interesting
@Kirk: As the other person said, you are a liar and clearly someone with issues. I could care less if you claim online to be out or not. We have no way of knowing if you are lying about that too. You take what is actually a wonderful thing (especially his reasons for doing so) and crap on it with your issues.
Interesting
@Kirk: ANothere thing- I am not Cam. Cam and I often disagree. You can check his comments and mind to see that. So, the linking of us- what’s the point? To say that only Cam can spot someone like you with clear issues? God, you are pathetic, and so am I if i wasted more time on you.
Troy
Zachary just confirmed on his blog what I wrote above last night – that although he did an “It Gets Better Video” and people may have realized he was gay, until he officially said he was gay it sent gay kids a mixed message that there was something wrong with it.
Glad to see ZQ acknowledged how important it is to make a difference. : )
Btw, why doesn’t Queerty update their ZQ article with the latest information? It still says “RUMOR”.
Lefty
Good for him.
He’s always seemed like a decent guy.
Hot too. 😀
And this makes him even hotter…
Oh Dear (John From England)
@Interesting:
Why do yu think Bomer is sooo bad as a leading man? Do read what every single fan of his says? You gays guys are so deluded about Matt Bomer it’s unbelievable.
Just go in twitter, put his name in search, go to his fan website and see the 300 comments made by women on his birthday, go in the in time feed and on Imdb and there are posts saying why isn’t Bomer leading man instead of JT. Just do some effing research.
Anyway, I first saw Bomer on fim NOT TV-I actually can’t take USA programs-so I don’t understand why he should stick to TV because you say so? He’s much better on film. I remember when he appeared on the screen on Texas Chainsaw M. Wow!
And the problem with Bomer as a supporting role is that it looks really odd to have someone that good-looking talented and with screen presence being a supporting act to plain bad acting Justin Timberlake. No wonder theyve had to drag him out on the press tour even though his part is only somewhat larger the Wilde.
In fact Bomer has more people watching his In Time video interview then any cast including JT, plus more people liking him on Facebook.
Anyway, you gays are obsessed with this warped perception of this guy so I will leave it at that but here in the UK where he is getting known, we wouldn’t mind a bit of that on screen for longer then 50 minutes and as a lead please! No more Ryan Reynolds and his perma tan with bad acting!!! He’s no leading man!
Oh Dear (John From England)
Ha, Zachary Q is trending in twitter! Way to go! Hopefully this will transpire with people going to see the film…
For such a TV actor who will can only be a supporting actor, women seem to be delirious with giddiness that he will be on screen….http://twitpic.com/716bhc
Interesting
@Oh Dear (John From England): (a) I like Bomer. I said that he’s not going to be a leading man like a Brad Pitt or Tom Cruise. That’s not a personal attack against him. that’s just the reality of my feeling of him as an actor. After a few performances, good or bad, actors are going to either be leading men material or not. He’s not going to be the tent pole actor who’s going to be able to open a movie with box offices. It takes a certain quality that is hard to describe, but he does not have. He’s a good enough actor, but being a box office star isn’t about being a good actor. Julia Roberts, for example, is not a great actor, but she’s a star. There’s something about her on camera, that although she’s always playing Julia Roberts, that really works. I have friends who are actors. We discuss this sort of thing all the time. Where does an actor fit in the industry? What roles can they pull off? That sort of thing. It is not an attack to realize that Bomer is not leading man material in the long run despite his little hit on basic cable because he doesn’t have that “it” factor that’s required of leading men.
The interesting thing about people like you is how delusional you are. I am not assessing him due to the fact he’s gay. I am assessing him in the same way I would any actor. You are the ones who see every thing in terms of being gay. The only gay part of this for me with regard to his star power is that if he’s not coming out because people are whispering to him he’s going to be Tom Cruse or Brad Pitt then they are stroking his ego. He’s not. He will figure that out in time. Its like your comment about Twitter- that number you speak of is a joke.
If you want to compare someone who has leading man potential- compare him not to Ryan Renolds- compare him to Ryan Gosling. I think he will one day carry a tent pole if he chooses (his choices so far has not been for that type of movie in terms of casting choices), but I don’t see Bomer doing that. Its just a question of commerical appeal. Not the fact he’s gay. Tom Cruise was rumored to be gay, but what made him a box office power was his star appeal. Not that he’s gay.
Look, at the end fo the day I could be wrong, but I have a gut about these things that I have come to trust. Bomer is not going to be one of the 5 or 10 mega stars that would require him to stay in the closet despite what people keep telling him.
Interesting
@Oh Dear (John From England): You seem to be really delusional. Let me ask you a question: Bomers has been in the industry for a while now. He’s not being picked to head line movies. Want to know why? Because he doesn’t have that it factor. That’s why.
Lefty
@Interesting: “He’s not being picked to head line movies. Want to know why?”
Is it ’cause his surname sounds like “boner”?
Interesting
@Lefty: His name could have been Tom Cruise II, and he still won’t be head lining any movies. For the same reason children of famous stars don’t always become as big as their parents, and the same is true of siblings.
BubbasBack
@jj: Hehe, I think ur right. And he seems quite hairy too. In a few year, ZQ will be a scrumptious bear. Burp.
Avenger
I’ll never see another movie, or watch another TV show, with Quinto in it.
Not Very 'Interesting'
@Interesting: So much time on your hands. Maybe you should volunteer somewhere. You appear to know little of what you speak. Certainly good for comic relief though. LOL
Edoardo
@Avenger:
Why?
Interesting
@Not Very ‘Interesting’: thanks, but you seem to more time on your hand, considering i am discussing a news story, and you are well discussing a poster on a blog. it took me 30 seconds to think of a response to you. How long will it bother you that I am calling you a nut job for posting with my screen name in your title?
Riker
@jj: Great, now I have to wipe the cum off my laptop. Thanks a lot.
Oh Dear (John From England)
Wow, for such a non announcement people are making this into a huge issue, especially as he was already gay to anyone who bothered to research for 5 secs about a guy you supposedly love!
IMDB is going crazy with the most tellingly homophobic messages and if his twitter feed has another ‘I’m heartbroken! Will have to change my crush! Now he will never ever marry me!’ I’m going to go mad!
I mean, at least if I ever think this utter insane rubbish, it’s because I’ve at least got many friends who work in the industry, I live in a city and frequent bars/clubs where creative famous or non famous people go. So its not a stretch for me, if I was a woman, to be gutted that Quinto was gay because there is a slim chance I could possibly have a chance with him. Even if I live in London.
But these not job fans who are devasted are either teetering in their late teens, early twenties or really much older in their 40’s…..
So 1) you are either way too much younger then him or older, so he wouldn’t date you!
And let’s not forget that all of these people do NOT live in NY or LA, so how do they propose they would ever hang out to meet the guy??
Human beings are soo irrational!
Riker
@Oh Dear (John From England): Highly illogical.
Bryan
@Oh Dear (John From England): I find it weird that you consider Ryan Reynolds a bad actor and praise Matthew Bomer(though I noticed most of your posts focused on Bomer’s look and how much attention is getting, rather than acting talent which is still useful for becoming a leading man), I think they’re both on the same level tbh.
kr
Bomer’s going to be big long term star. Reynolds needs to make a movie that actually requires acting.
2bfrank
@Oh Dear (John From England): Matt Bomer is handsome, but no fire…and is slightly duller than the talentless Ryan Reynolds.
Pert
@2bfrank: I think you are confusing dullness with class and elegance which Matt has in spades. It’s unusual to see in show business today especially combined with mega looks and talent.
2bfrank
@Pert: I mean as an actor, he’s dull.