10 Straight Actors Who Played Gay Roles To Perfection

8. Greg Kinnear: As Good As It Gets

Before 1997, Greg Kinnear was best known as the first host of Talk Soup, E’s hysterical look at the nutty world of daytime TV. He had a few movie roles, usually as the supportive boyfriend type and doing well. In As Good As It Gets, Kinnear impressed by showing an amazing talent in his role as gay artist Simon Bishop. A model ends up attacking him, giving him a brutal beat down and he finds himself unable to get back to his artwork afterward. He soon finds an odd bond with bigoted neighbor Melvin and struggling waitress Carol (Jack Nicholson and Helen Hunt, who both won Oscars for the film) as they go on a unique road trip together. Kinnear plays the role low-key with bits such as his emotional tale of how he was kicked out by his parents after coming out and coping with his injuries. It’s a subtle but moving performance that pulls you in nicely. Married since 1999 to British glamour model Helen Labdon, Kinnear had his finest movie moment in this film, making Simon a bright spot of the dramedy.

9. Emma Stone: Battle of the Sexes

Billie Jean King blazed a lot of trails for female tennis players with her amazing play and demanding equal pay for women. While married, the truth was that King was gay, something she knew she had to keep quiet to help her career out. This movie focuses on the famous battle between King (played by Emma Stone) and Bobby Riggs (Steve Carrell) on TV that was seen as a victory for women’s rights. But behind the scenes, King was wrestling with the pressure and finding herself in love with her hairdresser (Andrea Risborough) which she has to hide from the fame around her. Stone won the best review of her career for the role as King, as she battles the sexism of Riggs and also handling the times not allowing her to be herself. The marriage is just for show; she’s far better with Risborough yet can’t be herself. The real battle is the one King has in private, which Stone ably shows off and proves herself a rising star who can ace this part.

...[ Continue to next page ]