Kate Winslet claims she knows "at least four actors" who fear coming out
Kate Winslet has addressed the issue of LGBTQ+ actors afraid to publicly come out for fear of damaging their careers, stating that she is aware of multiple stars who are afraid of a homophobic backlash.
The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind actress spoke to The Sunday Times' Culture magazine about the "judgment, discrimination and homophobia" in Hollywood, and called for there to be a movement similar to #MeToo to change things for the better.
"I cannot tell you the number of young actors I know — some well known, some starting out — who are terrified their sexuality will be revealed and that it will stand in the way of their being cast in straight roles," she said.
Related: Kate Winslet "felt bullied" after the release of Titanic
"A well-known actor has just got an American agent and the agent said, 'I understand you are bisexual. I wouldn't publicise that.' I can think of at least four actors absolutely hiding their sexuality. It's painful. Because they fear being found out."
Winslet continued to say that Hollywood "has to drop that dated crap" of questioning whether gay actors can play straight roles.
"Hollywood has to drop that dated crap of, 'Can he play straight because, apparently, he's gay?'" she added.
"That should be almost illegal... And it can't just be distilled to the question about gay actors playing gay parts. Because actors, in some cases, are choosing not to come out for personal reasons."
Related: Kate Winslet rearranged sex scene in new movie so it took place on Saoirse Ronan's birthday
The actress is currently starring in Ammonite, a film in which she and fellow straight actor Saoirse Ronan play a same-sex couple.
When Digital Spy spoke to Winslet recently about the role, she admitted that she had been questioned more about the lesbian sex scenes than any heterosexual ones she had ever filmed.
Ammonite is available to watch on premium video on-demand services like Amazon Prime Video now.
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