List of gay characters played by straight actors, loosely ranked by fame and popularity. One of the great things about being an actor is you get to play characters that are different from yourself. Many straight actors who have played gay characters have won awards for their performances. Several TV shows feature straight actors playing gay roles.
Who is the most famous straight actor who has played a gay character? Tom Hanks tops our list. Hanks played Andrew Beckett, a lawyer who was fired for having HIV, in "Philadelphia." He won his first Academy Award for the performance. He has been married to his wife Rita Wilson since 1988. Other actors who have won Oscars for playing gay characters include Hilary Swank, Christopher Plummer, and Charlize Theron.
Some people may be surprised to learn that Eric Stonestreet, the actor best known for playing Cameron Tucker on "Modern Family," is actually straight. He is not married, but he refers to himself as "openly straight." Michael C. Hall played David Fisher, a gay funeral director, on the HBO show "Six Feet Under." Hall was married to his "Dexter" co-star Jennifer Carpenter from 2008–2011.
Do you think that it is difficult for a straight actor to participate in gay love scenes? Share your thoughts in the comments section.
http://www.ranker.com/list/straight-actors-who-have-played-gay/celebrity-lists,
Charlize Theron
Charlize Theron won an Oscar for playing Aileen Wuornos, a prostitute who went on a killing spree, in Monster (2003). Theron dated Stuart Townsend for almost 10 years, but the couple split in 2010.
Ewan McGregor
Ewan McGregor has played several gay and bisexual characters, including Phillip Morris in I Love You Phillip Morris(2009). McGregor has been married to his wife Eve Mavrakis since 1995.
Heath Ledger
Heath Ledger was nominated for an Oscar for his role as Ennis Del Mar, a cowboy who fell in love with another man, in Brokeback Mountain (2003). Ledger had a daughter with his girlfriend Michelle Williams, whom he met on the set of Brokeback Mountain.
Jake Gyllenhaal
Jake Gyllenhaal was nominated for an Oscar for his role as gay ranch hand Jack Twist in Brokeback Mountain (2005). He is the godfather of his co-star Heath Ledger's daughter. Gyllenhaal has been romantically linked to Kirsten Dunst, Reese Witherspoon, and Taylor Swift.
Jared Leto
Jared Leto was nominated for an Oscar when he transformed himself to play Rayon, a transvestite suffering with AIDS, in Dallas Buyers Club (2013). Leto was engaged to Cameron Diaz from 2000-2003.
Jim Carrey
Jim Carrey played the gay con man Steven Russell in I Love You Phillip Morris (2009). Carrey has been romantically linked to famous women like Jenny McCarthy, Renee Zellwegger, and Lauren Holly.
Matt Damon
Matt Damon was nominated for a Golden Globe for his role as Scott Thorson, Liberace's lover and assistant, in the 2013 HBO film Behind the Candelabra. Damon has been married to his wife Luciana Bozán Barroso since 2005.
Michael Douglas
Michael Douglas won both the Golden Globe and Emmy Awards for his role as the flamboyant pianist Liberace in the 2013 HBO film Behind the Candelabra. Douglas has been married to Catherine Zeta-Jones since 2000.
Sean Penn
Sean Penn won an Oscar for his portrayal of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay politician to be elected in California, in the film Milk (2008). Penn has been married twice, to Madonna (1985–1989) and Robin Wright (1996–2010).
Tom Hanks
Tom Hanks won an Oscar for his role as Andrew Beckett, a lawyer who was fired for having HIV, in Philadelphia (1993). Hanks has been married to his wife Rita Wilson since 1988.