Cary Grant's Daughter Shuts Down Claims About Late Father's Personal Life
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Cary Grant's daughter Jennifer Grant is setting the record straight on rumors that the late movie star had sexual relationships with men.
In an interview with The Guardian about an upcoming TV series based on Grant's life called Archie, the 57-year-old spoke about her decision to push back on the old Hollywood gossip surrounding her father's sexuality while writing her 2011 memoir, Good Stuff: A Reminiscence of my Father, Cary Grant.
"I received hate mail saying that I was anti-gay, which couldn't be further from the truth," she said. Jennifer noted that her dad's "elegant masculinity" threw people off and she had no reason to believe the actor was interested in men. "If you're around your parents a lot, you see them in ways that almost no one else does. And I never saw a hint of that. I think I would have picked up on it—not that I would've cared," she added.
The actress continued, "I have to speak the truth of the matter: Dad was charming, and he had great friendships, but he wasn’t flirtatious with men. A friend of mine sent me a picture the other day of Gregory Peck, my father and Mervyn LeRoy and they're good buddies. But I never got that hint. Perhaps earlier in his life he had an affair [with a man]. I'll never know, but if he did, fantastic. I hope he enjoyed it."
Grant, who died in 1986, was rumored to be romantically involved with fellow actor Randolph Scott after racy-for-the-time photos were taken of the two at their shared home. However, in 2020, it was discovered that the photos were staged by Paramount Pictures as part of a publicity campaign in the 1930s.
In her memoir, Jennifer noted that Grant didn't mind that some thought he was gay—in fact, it sometimes worked in his favor when it came to attracting women. "Can't blame men for wanting him, and wouldn't be surprised if Dad even flirted mildly back. When the question arises, it generally speaks more about the person asking. Dad somewhat enjoyed been called gay. He said it made women want to prove the assertion wrong," she wrote.
Next: Jennifer Grant: 'My Dad Was Able to Let Go of Show Business'
