Zachary Quinto’s coming out as gay on October 16th has been seriously underplayed by the media. The blogs and news outlets have all picked up and commented on the story, but none of them seem to have fully grasped the fact that this is a seminal moment in Hollywood and gay history. For the first time, a major movie star, an action hero as well as a romantic leading man, has admitted his homosexuality.
"In light of Jamey's death," Quinto posted on his website referring to the suicide of Jamey Rodemeyer, a 14-year-old gay student in New Jersey, "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".
By coming out of the closet, Quinto has not only done something of great significance for the entertainment industry and the gay people within it, he has committed to using his voice to fight on behalf of LGBT teenagers who don't have a voice -- teens like Jamey who need others who are more visible to serve as role models to give them strength and hope.
Quinto deserves a lot of credit for his decision; it required a lot of courage, as he has decided to buck the trend of the entire establishment and put saving the lives of gay youth ahead of his own self-interests (making money and being famous), which is what most celebrities in Hollywood choose instead.
While this is an important and unprecedented moment in entertainment that we should all celebrate, we must also not allow ourselves to become complacent. Quinto's revelation is just the start of the final showdown between whether things are going to change, or the status quo is going to remain in place. Some Hollywood power players are rooting for his career to fail so they can keep other gay actors and actresses in the closet.
We must do everything we can to ensure that Quinto succeeds and that his career is not hindered in any way by his sexuality. We can start by seeing his new Wall Street thriller Margin Call, when it opens this Friday, October 21st. It’s absolutely vital that we turn out to see it in it's opening weekend since directors, producers, agents, managers, and studio execs will be watching closely to see how the movie performs in the aftermath of Quinto's coming out.
If the film does well, it will go a long way to dispel the myth that casting an openly gay man in a starring role will hinder box office prospects. If the movie does badly, the Hollywood establishment will use it as evidence that they were right all along, and we simply cannot allow them to do that.
We cannot allow this historic moment to be squandered by the cynics. This is a battle between hope and fear. And we must never allow fear to win.
Quinto's coming out is by no means the end of the journey. There are many stars who have yet to come out, and we have yet to see a young out gay actor succeed from the very beginning.
Zachary Quinto is a trailblazer, and this is our chance to help him make the huge difference that we've all been waiting for.
For Margin Call information, trailer, theatres and tickets go here.
ADDITIONAL ARTICLES
• How to Come Out of the Closet
• Hollywood Duke: Luke Evans is Out then In
• Wilson Cruz: Devoted to Helping Gay Teens
• Out and Proud: Velez-Mitchell Makes Headlines
• Daniel Radcliffe Talks Gay Marriage
• Hollywood Duke: The Celluloid Closet
Unfortunately I live in Rio, so can't make sure my voice counts in the US. So PLEASE PLEASE any of you who can go see this film GO!!!! This is SO IMPORTANT for us all.
I have just facebooked this! Share it around!
Don't use the word "admit." It implies guilt.
C'mon. Whether Margin Call succeeds or fails, it won't be because or in spite of the fact that Quinto is gay. It will succeed because it'll catch on with movie goers who want to see a good flick. Wrapping Quinto's public announcement around the movie's success seems a bit shrill when there's so many other factors riding on the movie's fortunes. I want to see the movie because it sounds and looks very interesting. And yes, I want to see the movie because Quinto is in it, but not because he's gay, but because he's an extraordinary talent. This isn't the 50's where Rock Hudson and others had to hide behind a straight mask. I hope Quinto will continue to get good roles and move beyond labels. He's shown himself to be a classy actor with a good public image in which his gayness is simply an asterisk for those who like to sneak looks inside the lives of the very famous. Yes, we can "support" him by going to see the movie, but remember, it's just a movie and make believe. In the long run, his personal life is his own and I expect that he'll be just fine. Just ask Ellen and Neil Patrick Harris is being yourself in real life pays off. The roles will take care of themselves.
I agree 100% with Kiyugi. Going to see a movie because the lead actor is gay does more to promote the stereotype of "all gay people know each other" than it promotes any one person or any particular agenda. Not to mention that Chad Allen portrays a gay private investigator in the Donald Strachey series based on Richard Stevenson's books and John Barrowman portrays a kick-ass leading man in the Torchwood series. I haven't seen this movie and I don't know much about Quinto, but I'm not about to go spend money on a movie because the leading character happens to be gay. And the fact that he just came out is rather suspicious to me - sounds much more like a publicity stunt than a true act of humanity.
Hear hear. I'll be going to see it.
@Kiyugi and Brock. We are called upon to support this because he is gay for the simple reason that there will be thousands, perhaps millions, who will NOT go and see it because he is gay.
If the movie and the actor along with it are therefore consigned to the scrapheap of history, that will ensure that producers won't invest in actors who appear to be anything but 100% heterosexual.
Until they bury their prejudices and make their decisions based solely upon his merit as an actor and the movie as a good movie, we have to be political. Kantist absolutism has to be put on hold for the time being. We need to support our man.
Anyway, who's to say the movie won't be great, and Quinto along with it? Haven't you ever gone to see a movie to find out?
I am so in love with this guy. He's brilliant, beautiful, kind, hilarious, fun and my future husband. I'm loving him all the days.
I am so excited on Zachary Quinto's coming out. It is about time. It sure helps that he is hot and sexy and he can be my future husband too! Mmm! Mmm!