Damon Charles: 1st List of Gay/Lesbian/Bi Industry People, Both in Front and Behind the Camera
by a-17 | Public
In no way is this list meant to "OUT" anyone.
I have purposely NOT listed anyone of "speculation" like other sites may have ... only those where confirmation by either personal accounts, or public records prove the source of information on their sexuality.
Some are people I personally know and allowed me to put their name on this list, or have been publicly outed (with proof) by other sources, or have personally come out as gay, lesbian, or bisexual themselves. While gay, lesbian, and bi, "gender impersonators" are on here, transsexuals are not.
Some of the people on this list may have lived or are living a heterosexual lifestyle. But at one time or another they have either admitted to being gay, lesbian, or bisexual, and all have either outed themselves or have already been outed.
There are countless other people in the industry that we know are gay, lesbian, or bisexual. For whatever reason, they are "open" only to those working in THE INDUSTRY and choose to keep it a secret to the general public.
Sadly not everyone on this list is or was happy with their sexuality. Even when (true) rumors of people I personally knew and worked with surrounded them, like Merv Griffin, Rock Hudson, and Liberace (plus many others of today and the past), their self-loathing for who they were, made them feel the need to hide their sexuality, and in some instances bring legal actions to those who tried to out them.
You may not know some of the names or recognize the photos of the people on my list who worked in the past, but it is important to know the past in order to live in the present, and look forward to a happier future within ourselves. You need to know that you are in good company.
Hopefully someday, probably not in my lifetime (but I was wrong about same sex marriages, so hope I'm wrong here too), people will just be people, and lists like this will not be needed. Until that day comes, this list is dedicated to the closeted, possibly tormented talented youth that may need to see that there IS a good future (and happy life) ahead of them if they can accept themselves for who they are.
Some of the performers and behind-the-scene people are or were my friends, and I kept their secret until their deaths or they decided to come out themselves. Rock Hudson once told me that if anyone really knew or believed he was gay, he would die. When it was announced that he had AIDS he said, "Now everyone knows I'm gay, and I'm dying."
Those already in the entertainment industry know that it can still harbor homophobia, even though the industry claims otherwise. For any of these people on this list to have "come out on their own" was not so much an act of bravery, but more of being comfortable in their own skin. I thank each and every person that has personally allowed me to add them to this list, and I appreciate the positive responses I've received in person and on the Internet. I truly believe that every person on this list has or had the ability to save the life of at least one person who is or was struggling with their true identity.
Andrew Levinson, my spouse, has been a big help in making this list grow quicker and bigger. We celebrate our 50th year together July 24, 2021, continuing to work together on this list, trying to be a positive model for others.
It used to be that if you wanted to write me or make comments, you could do it on the IMDb Message Board at the bottom of the Damon Charles webpage. Unfortunately on February 17, 2017, IMDb discontinued this feature on all pages. Sadly, contacting me now is impossible as I am not on Facebook or any other social networks. I here give you full permission to feel free and put a link to this list on YOUR Facebook or other social media pages. Let's make this "List" soar with viewers. I do appreciate all the responses I did get in the past, and more than appreciate all the positive feedback I had been getting for having it up.
Thanks, Damon Charles
Actor,
In his 1976 biography THE ONLY CONTENDER, Brando, who was married three times, openly admitted his homosexuality. He was quoted as saying, "Like a large number of men, I, too, have had homosexual experiences, and I am not ashamed."
Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saara_Aalto
Aalto later began a relationship with a female fan, Meri Sopanen, who worked as a personal trainer and life coach. They became engaged on their two-year anniversary in August 2016. Aalto now identifies as a lesbian. Aalto and Sopanen moved to London in January 2017. The couple married in April 2020.
Actress,
New York Post, Page Six: “Saturday Night Live” star Kate McKinnon celebrated her Emmy win with her new girlfriend, Jackie Abbott.
http://pagesix.com/2017/09/18/kate-mckinnon-debuts-new-girlfriend-at-the-emmys/
Actress,
Brewster's Millions
IMDB Bio: In 1919, she came to California and negotiated a two-hundred-dollar-a-week contract with a movie studio based on the strength of her relationship with her lover, the famed star Alla Nazimova. Within a few months, she started another relationship with a younger, less established actress Grace Darmond. In the midst of this love triangle, she met the struggling actor Rudolph Valentino at a party, and they became friends. After a two-month courtship, he asked her to marry him and she accepted. On November 6, 1919, they married, and on their wedding night, she locked him out. She wept claiming she made a mistake and later departed to Grace Darmond's apartment.
Part of The Sewing Circle; Wikipedia for Alla Nazimova: It was Alla Nazimova who coined the phrase "sewing circle" as code to refer to lesbian or bisexual actresses of her day who concealed their true sexuality.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alla_Nazimova
IMDb Trivia
In the Independent of Sunday 2006 Pink List - a list of the most influential gay men and women - he came no. 11, up from no. 13.
Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Ackroyd
Ackroyd had a long-term relationship with Brian Kuhn, an American dancer he met while at Yale. However, Kuhn was then diagnosed with AIDS, and died in 1994, after which Ackroyd moved back to London. In 1999, he suffered a heart attack and was placed in a medically induced coma for a week.
Producer/Director/Cinematographer/Writer,
New York Times: Mr. Adair said. "When I wondered about religion, I made a film about it. When I realized I was gay, I made a film about it."
http://www.nytimes.com/1996/06/30/us/peter-adair-53-director-dies-made-films-with-gay-themes.html
Wikipedia:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dallas_Adams
According to the audio memoirs of John Nathan-Turner, in the early 1980s, Adams was the largest gay palimony lawsuit winner in English legal history, and his casting in Doctor Who had been criticised by homophobic elements in the British tabloid press.
Actor,
NNDB: Born: 15-Nov-1966
Birthplace: Sliammon Reserve, British Columbia, Canada
Gender: Male
Race or Ethnicity: American Aborigine
Sexual orientation: Gay
Occupation: Actor
Nationality: Canada
Executive summary: Smoke Signals
Presently a practicing obstetrician.
http://www.nndb.com/people/077/000355009/
Actress,
After Ellen: Spring Byington Romanced: Marjorie "Ma Kettle" Main, Maude Adams. http://www.afterellen.com/the-gay-women-of-old-hollywood/08/2010/
Part of The Sewing Circle; Wikipedia for Alla Nazimova: It was Alla Nazimova who coined the phrase "sewing circle" as code to refer to lesbian or bisexual actresses of her day who concealed their true sexuality.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alla_Nazimova
Actor,
The Rebel
Wikipedia: According to American Film (1986), "Nick Adams, who was ... gay, was the butt of anti-gay humor in Pillow Talk. In a recent book, William Dakota, who worked as Adams's fan-mail secretary for some time, confirms that Adams was homosexual.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nick_Adams_%28actor%29
Actor,
It Could Be Worse
Wikipedia: In 2010, Adams, who is gay, was a part of a PSA for the It Gets Better campaign with cast members from Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nick_Adams_%28theatre_actor%29
Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ross_Adams
In April 2018, Adams married his boyfriend Phil Crusham.
Game Rant
https://gamerant.com/shane-dawson-ryland-adams-married/
American YouTuber Shane Lee Yaw, better known as Shane Dawson, revealed to the world that he recently got married to his long-time boyfriend, Ryland Adams. The gay couple has been dating since 2016 and got engaged in March 2019 after Dawson proposed to Adams.
Composer,
Wikipedia: Addinsell retired from public life in the 1960s, gradually becoming estranged from his close friends. He was, for many years, the companion of the fashion designer Victor Stiebel, who died in 1976. In 1999 it was revealed that the royalties for Warsaw Concerto had belonged to the parents of author Jilly Cooper, whose brother advanced the theory that Addinsell – for many years their neighbor – gave it to them as thanks for being discreet about his relationship with Stiebel.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Addinsell
Research Online
https://research.gold.ac.uk/id/eprint/5854/
Mojisola Adebayo and Valerie Mason-John are two distinctive voices in contemporary writing and performance - representing Afro-Queer diasporic heritage through the specific experience of being black, British and lesbian.
Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ali_Adler
From 2001 to 2011, Adler was in a relationship with actress Sara Gilbert.
In 2013, Adler began dating producer and writer Liz Brixius. The couple got engaged in November 2014. They broke up in May 2017.
IMDb Bio: He has been married to Simon Doonan since September 18, 2008.
Actor,
Wikipedia for Ramses Shaffy: In the 1960s, Shaffy had a relationship with Dutch actor Joop Admiraal.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramses_Shaffy
Actor, Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay
Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evgeny_Afineevsky
Afineevsky is openly homosexual.
Co-Host/Self,
Wikipedia 1 Girl 5 Gays: The rotating panel of gay men included Michael Yerxa, Jean-Paul Bevilacqua, Juan Manuel Gonzalez Calcaneo, Jonathan Morton-Schuster, Matt Barker, Dean McArthur, Matt Santos, Philip Tetro, Ian Lynch, Andrew Edwards, Jake Mossop, Thomas Trafford, Ishmael Furoz, Jonathan Nathaniel, Gerry King, Simon Lysnes, Max Claude, Alex Brown, Jason Yantha, Dillon Scheenaard, Alex Illest, JP Larocque, Rafay Agha, Gabriel Rojas, Jae MT, Kiel Hughes, Gaelan Love, Michael Lehman, Shawn Hitchins, Taylor James, Thomas Haskell, Chris Corsini, David Robert, Maurie Sherman, Ralph Rosario, Brad Blaylock, Ryan Carter, Ibrahim Hasan, Scott Do, Matthew Agius, Micha Baltman, Anthony Berarco, Matt Sims, Perez Hilton, James Bar, Jeffrey Bowers, Brett Ashley, Chase Hutchinson, Jonathan D. Lovitz, Mitchell Boucher, Mike Germanotta, Jamie Gillingham and Taurel Lorenz. A smaller number of episodes featured a panel of lesbians, including Brittany Leigh, Christina Mac, Brittany Emmons, Courtney Jean Milner, Valerie Bosso and Nicole DeLargie.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1_Girl_5_Gays
Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Ahn
In 2012, Ahn wrote, directed, edited and produced a short film entitled Dol (First Birthday), which premiered at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival. ... Ahn has stated that he made the film to come out to his parents as gay.
Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alvin_Ailey
Though gay, [Ailey] kept his romantic affairs in the closet.
IMDb Mini Bio
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1783272/bio
John has been married to Shawn Ryan since May 13, 2006.
WIkipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dawn_Airey She lives with her civil partner Jacqueline Lawrence (Founder and Chair of The Elma Trust, a non-profit organisation) and their two children in West London and Oxford.
Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Akers
Akers is openly gay. His long-term partner is Sandon Berg. They have been together since the late 1990s.
Producer/Director/Writer,
The Guardian: Perhaps what sets Akhavan apart from even Dunham is that she is not only bisexual, but Iranian. In the words of her college professor she is "the gay, Iranian Lena Dunham".
http://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/tvandradioblog/2014/apr/29/desiree-adkavan-new-lena-dunham-girls
Channel4.com
https://www.channel4.com/press/news/interview-cucumber-and-bananas-freddie-fox-and-fisayo-akinade
I joined Grindr for a bit to see what it was about. That was an eye-opening experience! I'm gay so I didn’t really need to do the research in terms of going out in Canal Street and all that sort of thing. We had a few nights out there, but not that much.
Producer/Director/Actress,
glaad: I like to call it an, "auto-fiction" because I don't always have a lot of hot women running after me, unfortunately! But I did want to use elements from my life to create a character I never see in film: a Latina, lesbian, filmmaker, freshly turned 40, committed to LGBT culture and feminism. I wanted to tell a universal story about love, desire, and self-sabotage and have a lesbian character be our protagonist.
http://www.glaad.org/blog/filmmaker-anna-margarita-albelo-talks-glaad-about-whos-afraid-vagina-wolf
Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Becky_Albertalli
In August 2020, Albertalli came out as bisexual.
Writer,
Wikipedia: His love advice column in Out Magazine, “What’s Your Problem?” appeared from 1998-2000. He also wrote horoscopes for Word.com (Horoscopes by Randy Lavender), from 1998-2000.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Albo
Producer/Self,
Wikipedia: Aldred was gay - and according to a number of writers, had brief affairs with Dave Davies of The Kinks and Andrew Oldham, manager of The Rolling Stones.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Aldred
Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Aldridge_(actor)
On 27 June 2020, Aldridge came out as a member of LGBT community on his Instagram.
Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._Alexander_(model)
Alexander is openly gay.
Self,
The Pure Eccentrics: San Francisco (2007): "Pure Eccentrics" is a visual and oral history which profiles 5 colorful characters - all gay men with an affinity for historic architecture, a flair for living life to it's fullest, and a multitude of great stories about their escapades in 1970's San Francisco. Each contributes to the preservation of San Francisco's architectural and stylistic legacy in a different and vital way.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1198214/?ref_=nm_flmg_dr_7
Soundtrack/Writer/Actor,
Wikipedia: Alexander is in a relationship with Clean Bandit's violinist Neil Milan Amin-Smith. In one of their first interviews together at the Wireless Festival July 2015, Alexander explained that they like to be open in talking about their relationship, saying "It's important for people to see that you can be happy as a couple, and a young gay couple... I think I would have loved to have seen one (growing up)".
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olly_Alexander
IMDB Bio of Ross Alexander: Off-camera, however, Ross, a closeted homosexual, became an acutely self-destructive young man whose career instability and domestic tragedy would take its toll. The tormented Ross ended his own life at age 29. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0018717/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm
Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Alig
During his teenage years, Alig reported that he was often bullied because of his homosexuality.
People: CMT Star Cody Alan Comes Out as Gay: 'You Can Find the Kind of Love, Peace and Happiness in This Life You Deserve'. http://people.com/country/cmt-cody-alan-comes-out-as-gay/
Gay Times
https://www.gaytimes.co.uk/originals/kalen-allen-is-on-a-mission-to-represent-queer-kids-fighting-to-be-seen/
As an openly gay black man, Kalen’s sexuality and journey to success is what drives him to be visible for others – for those young queer people that, like him, didn’t see themselves represented on screen or online.
Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Allen_(comedian)
Allen is gay. He lived with his parents from his birth until May 2021.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Allman
Allman, who is openly gay, lives in Berkeley, California, with Marshall Kirk McKusick, who had been his partner for more than 30 years before they married in October, 2013.
Actor,
IMDB Bio:Jared now lives in Lawrenceville, Ga., having relocated to the Atlanta area in 2012. When he's not working, Jared enjoys reading and playing video games and watching "Star Trek: The Next Generation." He's also working on his latest labor of love, penning his first book "Kinda Good at Everything: Growing up Southern, Mormon, and Gay."
Actress,
IMDB Bio: She has been married to Tig Notaro since October 24, 2015. They have two children.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2782402/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm
Soundtrack/Music Department/Actor/Self,
New Wave Duo: Soft Cell
Wikipedia: Almond has stated that he dislikes being pigeon-holed as "a 'gay' artist", claiming that such a label "enables people to marginalize your work and reduce its importance, implying that it won't be of any interest to anyone who isn't gay". In 2010, Almond said that he has "a fulfilling work life and a comfortable private life". He has been with the same partner for over 20 years.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marc_Almond
Logo
https://www.logotv.com/news/gin39b/aftereltoncoms-top-50-gay-male-musicians
With his smooth, sweet voice and his incredible songwriting ability, Ferras is certainly a talent to watch. And what does openly gay Ferras look for in a mate? “A sense of humor. And a great ass”.
Producer/Director/Writer,
Wikipedia: Flavio lives in Forest Hills, New York with his same-sex partner Randall Martusis. In April 2010, Alves became a US citizen.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flavio_Alves
Actor,
The Daily Mail: Hitched! Younger actor Dan Amboyer confirms he's gay as he ties the knot with longtime boyfriend Eric Berger.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-4959456/Dan-Amboyer-confirms-s-gay-marrying-boyfriend.html
Producer/Director/Writer/Composer/Editor/Actor/Self,
El Periodico: Alejandro Amenábar, que no se caracteriza precisamente por demostrar a menudo su condición de homosexual, ha asegurado que Madrid, ciudad en la que reside y que le ha otorgado la Medalla de oro, le ha aportado muchísima alegría y libertad para dejarle vivir su condición sexual haciendo la vida que quiere.
http://www.elperiodico.com/es/noticias/gente-y-tv/amenabar-madrid-dado-libertad-para-vivir-condicion-sexual-1788841
Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Ames_(actor)
Ames is gay.
Costume and Wardrobe Department, 2001: A Space Odyssey
Self,
ET Online: Years & Years' Olly Alexander and Clean Bandit's Neil Amin-Smith Kiss Onstage and Give Us All Relationship Envy. Amin-Smith was telling Gay Times: “Olly and I are romantic with each other, we have to because we don’t see each other very much so when we are reunited it’s always quite intense.
http://www.etonline.com/news/171463_years_years_olly_alexander_and_clean_bandit_neil_amin_smith_kiss_onstage/
Actress,
Wikipedia: Partner Beatriz Sanchís (2008–present)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elena_Anaya
Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheldon_Andelson
[Andelson] was the first openly gay University of California Regent. In describing Andelson, the Los Angeles Times called him a "Democratic Party heavyweight, once regarded as the nation's most influential gay political figure."
Actress,
N.Y. Daily News: Gillian Anderson of ‘The X-Files’ reveals she's had several lesbian relationships.
http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/gossip/gillian-anderson-x-files-reveals-romantic-relationships-women-article-1.1038879
Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richie_Anderson_(BBC_personality)
In 2018, Anderson came out as gay to his teammates after playing a game of football, as part of a film for BBC's The One Show, highlighting the pressures of homophobia in the sport.
Producer/Writer,
IMDB Trivia: Armistead Maupin's former long-term romantic partner; their relationship was fictionalized in multiple story lines of Maupin's Barbary Lane books and The Night Listener, as well as their corresponding mini-series and feature films.http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0027501/?ref_=fn_nm_nm_2
Actor,
The Daily Mail:
The couple that shop together: Victor Garber steps out with partner Rainer Andreesen after recently confirming their long term relationship.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2283432/The-couple-shop-Victor-Garber-enjoys-afternoon-boyfriend-Rainer-Andreesen-recently-confirms-longterm-relationship.html
Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedro_Andrade
He briefly dated Lance Bass, a former member of the band 'N Sync in the summer of 2007
Singer/Actress,
One Third of The Andrews Sisters
Part of The Sewing Circle; Wikipedia for Alla Nazimova: It was Alla Nazimova who coined the phrase "sewing circle" as code to refer to lesbian or bisexual actresses of her day who concealed their true sexuality.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alla_Nazimova
Born: Reginald Frank Andrews
Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Andrews_(actor)
He is perhaps best known as the long-term companion of Ivor Novello.
Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marc_Andreyko
Andreyko lives in Los Angeles. He is openly gay.
Singer,
Band: Passion Pit
Daily Mail: Passion Pit frontman Michael Angelakos, 28, comes out as gay and admits he 'wanted so badly to be straight' for his wife.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-3312131/Passion-Pit-frontman-Michael-Angelakos-28-comes-gay-admits-wanted-badly-straight-wife.html
Akron Beacon Journal
https://web.archive.org/web/20190128030431mp_/https://www.ohio.com/news/20190119/rev-ernest-angley-admitted-sexual-encounter
In 1996, internationally known televangelist Ernest Angley admitted to his assistant minister that he had had sexual relations with a man who was employed by their church, Grace Cathedral in Cuyahoga Falls.
Alchetron
https://alchetron.com/Salvatore-Antonio
[Salvatore] is openly gay.
TV Host/Self,
Wikipedia: Appleton is openly gay, and came out at university.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alistair_Appleton
IMDb
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2278638/?ref_=nm_ov_bio_lk1
She has been married to Meghan Duggan since September 22, 2018.
Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gillian_Apps
On September 22nd, 2018, she married fellow women's hockey player Meghan Duggan.
Producer/Director/Writer/Editor/Cinematographer,
Wikipedia: Araki self-identified as gay until 1997, when he entered a relationship with actress Kathleen Robertson, whom he directed in Nowhere. The relationship ended in 1999. Araki has since mainly dated men. He now identifies as bisexual.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gregg_Araki
Self,
Gay With Ids: Helping Gay Dads Navigate Fatherhood.
https://gayswithkids.com/team-member/coby-archa/
IMDb Trivia
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0067627/bio
[James Belchamber] Trivia:
Registered in a civil partnership with Bernard Archard in 2006. They had been together for nearly 60 years.
Producer/Director/Actor/Self,
Gay Cities: What does pride mean to you?
Pride is a celebration of self-expression. Being able to stand out and sparkle —- without fear, shame, or having to hide.
http://www.gaycities.com/outthere/145/what-pride-means-to-me-jesse-archer/
LQBTQ Culture
https://ohnuggets.wordpress.com/2012/11/18/kiki-archer-lesbian-author-and-an-exclusive-interview/
Kiki Archer is a UK based lesbian author.
RUComingOut
https://www.rucomingout.com/kiki.html
I am a lesbian woman who lives a very ‘straight’ lifestyle.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Archuleta
Archuleta came out as gay to his family in 2014, then publicly announced in June 2021 that he is part of the LGBT community, but "not sure of my own sexuality". ... In November 2022, Archuleta announced that he had taken a "step away" from religion and had dated men since coming out.