10 straight actors whose gay roles we actually loved

The debate over whether straight actors should be playing gay roles isn’t going to die down anytime soon. While we definitely prefer that most gay roles go to gay actors, and love the authenticity they bring to the roles and projects they work on, we can’t help but have a special place for some straight actors.

Some stars, like Brendanraser, are great people and great at playing gay, but they aren’t really known for it. Others, like Jared Leto, will likely never play a member of the LGBTQ+ community again.

These actors seem caught up in something about the queer experience, and when they play it, we can’t help but watch and love it. We want a future where every talented queer actor can get any roles they want and where queer actors are finally winning awards for playing queer roles, but until then, these 10 actors show that not every straight actor should be banned from playing gay on screen.

Cate Blanchett

Blanchett won her first Oscar for playing legendary actress Katharine Hepburn in it the pilot. She was later nominated for playing a version of Bob Dylan called “Jude Quinn” in the movie I’m not thereand then again to play the seductive elderly woman Carol Aird Carol. This year she’s again nominated for another Oscar for her role as a lesbian, this time a predatory captain named Lydia Tarr in tar.

Charlize Theron

Theron won an Academy Award for his role as queer serial killer Aileen Wuornos Monsterthen played gay again the following year in 2004 Head in the clouds. But we really liked her as a bisexual movie star Atomic blondeand as a gay icon in roles asuriousa in Mad Max:ury RoadAnd Andy N old guard.

Colinirth

Firth was nominated for an Academy Award and won a BAFTA Award for his role as a gay British professor living in 1960’s California in the film. single man. He has also played a gay man opposite Stanley Tucci SupernovaHe plays Harry Bright, one of Sophia’s potential fathers (and a gay man) in the Mama Mia! films.

Ewan McGregor

We loved when McGregor played fellow gay man Philip Morris in the dark comedy I love you Philip Morrisand again when he played legendary real-life fashion designer Halston in the Netflix mini-series Halston. His super evil black mask is in Birds of Prey (And the Wonderful Emancipation of Harley Quinn) He was also an exhilarating camp and definitely had something weird going on with his henchman Victor Zsasz.

Gael Garcia Bernal

García Bernal starred with Diego Luna Y tu mamá también in 2001 as a pair of best friends who have a threesome with an older woman. He then played multiple LGBT roles in the 2004 movie Bad education. This year, he’s back to playing a gay man Cassandroa film about the legendary lucha libre gay wrestler.

Jake Gyllenhaal

Gyllenhaal broke all of our hearts as a gay cowboy on the inside Brokeback Mountain Then he played an eccentric art critic in the Velvet Buzzsaw. He is also producing and starring in a film adaptation of the musical fun house As Alison Bechdel’s gay father.

Natasha Lyonne

Early in her career, Leon played the iconic role of a cheerleader in the lesbian thriller But I am encouragingAnd since then, she has never stopped playing gay. After stopping in movies like sleeping with other peopleAnd America reunionAnd to interveneAnd Addicted toresnoLeon played a lesbian prisoner who murders a woman in the Netflix show Orange is the new black.

Rachel Weisz

Weisz starred opposite Rachel McAdams in the thriller Jewish romantic drama disobedience He was then nominated for an Academy Award for his role as Sarah Churchill in Favorite. Next, she plays two gay doctors in the Amazon Prime Video series Dead Rangers.

Stanley Tucci

Tucci has been playing gay his entire career. rom smaller movies like daytrippers And Little messto famous gay roles in Satan wears purdahAnd comicAnd Supernova (versus fellow straight-we love Colinirth) he always does the gay community right.

Timothée Chalamet

Chalamet hasn’t had as many gay roles as the rest of the people on this list (he’s only 27, after all), but he made quite an impression on the queer community with his poignant, realistic performance as a likable teenager in Luca Guadagnino’s romantic classic. Call me by your name.