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(#1) Ian McKellen
- 79
Actor Ian McKellen is openly gay. He is extremely active working to further gay rights all over the world.
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(#2) Matt Bomer
- 41
Magic Mike actor Matthew Bomer publicly acknowledged that he was gay in 2012. He and his partner, Simon Halls, have three children.
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(#3) Jane Lynch
- 58
"Glee" actress Jane Lynch is openly gay and a supporter of gay rights.
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(#4) Jake Gyllenhaal
- 38
Jake Gyllenhaal became an instant gay icon for after playing the role of Jack Twist in Brokeback Mountain.
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(#5) Ryan Reynolds
- 39
Ryan Reynolds is a supporter of gay rights and same-sex marriage. He appeared on the cover of the Advocate in 2007.
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(#6) Jodie Foster
- 56
Jodie Foster publicly came out in 2013 during her Golden Globes acceptance speech, saying, "I already did my coming out about 1,000 years ago back in the stone age, those very quaint days when a fragile young girl would open up to trusted friends and family and co-workers, and then gradually and proudly to everyone who knew her, to everyone she actually met."
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(#7) James Franco
- 40
James Franco seems to enjoy all of the rumors that float around regarding his sexuality. When asked about all the gay jokes that were directed at him during his Comedy Central Roast, Franco replied, "If that's what they were going to make fun of me for, I was like, 'Great! Bring on the gay jokes!' because these aren't insults at all. I don't even care if people think I'm gay, so it was like, 'Awesome!'" He has also played several gay characters in his films, including Milk (2008), Howl (2010), and I Am Michael (2015).
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(#8) Zachary Quinto
- 41
Star Trek actor Zachary Quinto publicly came out in 2011. He supports several gay rights organizations.
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(#9) Zac Efron
- 31
Zac Efron was embraced as a teen idol by both men and women. He has been fully embraced by the gay community.
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(#10) Heath Ledger
- Died at 29 (1979-2008)
Heath Ledger became a gay icon after starring in the film Brokeback Mountain.
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(#11) Julie Andrews
- 83
Julie Andrews became a gay icon with her classic portrayals of popular musical characters. When asked about her fan base, she said, "I’m that odd mixture of, on the one hand, being a gay icon and, on the other, having grandmas and parents grateful I’m around to be a babysitter for their kids."
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(#12) Channing Tatum
- 38
Channing Tatum became a gay icon after starring in the male stripper movie Magic Mike. He is also a supporter of gay rights and same-sex marriage.
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(#13) Meryl Streep
- 69
Meryl Streep has been an acting legend for decades, but she became a gay icon with her portrayal of Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada.
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(#14) Judy Garland
- Dec. at 47 (1922-1969)
The Advocate called Judy Garland "the Elvis of homosexuals." The term "Friend of Dorothy" was developed after the release of The Wizard of Oz, in reference to the gay community. Many gay people related with Dorothy's experience going from the black and white world of Kansas to the utopia that was Oz. The rainbow flag may have even been inspired by Garland's song from the film, "Somewhere Over the Rainbow."
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(#15) Ryan Gosling
- 38
Ryan Gosling is a gay icon for men of all sexual orientations. The Drive actor spawned the trend "gay for Gosling." He supports gay rights and same-sex marriage.
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(#16) Barbra Streisand
- 76
Barbra Streisand has been supported by the gay community from the beginning of her career. Her son, Jason Gould, came out to his parents in the '80s. Streisand said, "I would never wish for my son to be anything but what he is. He is bright, kind, sensitive, caring, and a very conscientious and good person." She has been a strong supporter of gay marriage.
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(#17) Jessica Lange
- 69
Actress Jessica Lange has a huge gay fan base. When asked about them, she said "Some of my dearest friends in the world for a long, long time are gay men." Lange also does a lot of work to help find a cure for AIDS.
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(#18) Nathan Lane
- 63
When actor Nathan Lane was asked by a reporter if he was gay, he replied, "I'm 40, single, and work a lot in the musical theater. You do the math." He supports several gay rights organizations including Human Rights Campaign, Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, and The Trevor Project.
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(#19) Ben Affleck
- 46
Ben Affeck is a supporter of gay right and same-sex marriage. He has said, "I don't think the government should be involved in any way in people's bedrooms or lives. With so much hatred and unpleasantness in the world, why would you want to get in the way of people who love each other marrying each other?"
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(#20) Liza Minnelli
- 72
The daughter of gay icon Judy Garland and bisexual filmmaker Vincente Minnelli, it is only natural that Liza Minnelli has a huge gay following.
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(#21) Rock Hudson
- Dec. at 60 (1925-1985)
Rock Hudson was the first major film actor to have AIDS. Many people in the gay community related to Hudson's struggle both publicly and privately.
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(#22) Harvey Fierstein
- 64
Mrs. Doubtfire actor and Tony Award winner Harvey Fierstein is openly gay. He is also a strong supporter of gay rights.
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(#23) Tom Hanks
- 62
Tom Hanks became a prominent gay icon for his Academy Award-winning performance in Philadelphia (1993), where he played Andrew Beckett, a gay lawyer inflicted with AIDS who sues his former employers for discrimination. Among the people he thanked in his acceptance speech were his high school drama teacher Rawley Farnsworth and former classmate John Gilkerson, both of whom were gay. He is also an outspoken supporter of gay rights, campaigning against California's Proposition 8 (2008), which eliminated the right for same-sex couples to marry.
Video clip via: Youtube
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(#24) Ashton Kutcher
- 41
Ashton Kutcher's boyish good looks made him an instant gay icon. Kutcher is a supporter of gay rights and same-sex marriage.
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(#25) Divine
- Dec. at 43 (1945-1988)
Actor/singer/drag queen Divine has been a fearless gay icon since the late '60s when he first met frequent collaborator John Waters. He toured the world performing empowering disco music. He has appeared in classic cult films like Pink Flamingos and Hairspray.
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(#26) Bette Davis
- Dec. at 81 (1908-1989)
Bette Davis is a classic gay icon. In Dark Victory, she played a secretive character that many closeted individuals could relate to.
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(#27) John Waters
- 72
Pink Flamingos director John Waters has been including LGBT characters in his films since the '60s. Waters is openly gay and a strong supporter of gay rights.
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(#28) Jared Leto
- 47
Jared Leto has always been a popular crush, but he was propelled to the status of gay icon with his performance as Rayon, the HIV-positive transvestite in The Dallas Buyers Club. He won a Golden Globe for his performance. Leto is a strong supporter of gay rights and same-sex marriage.
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(#29) Nicole Kidman
- 51
Eyes Wide Shut actress Nicole Kidman has a huge gay fan base. When asked by the Advocate, how she would react if one of her kids told her that they were gay, Kidman replied, "I’d give them a huge hug and say, 'What do you want from me? How can I help you? What do you need?'"
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(#30) Rosie O'Donnell
- 56
Rosie O'Donnell publicly came out in 2002. She has since been a fierce advocate for gay rights, same-sex marriage, and gay adoption rights.
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(#31) Sean Penn
- 58
Sean Penn became a gay icon when he portrayed Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man to ever hold public office in California, in Milk. Penn received an Academy Award for his performance. In his acceptance speech he said, "I think that it is a good time for those who voted for the ban against gay marriage to sit and reflect and anticipate their great shame and the shame in their grandchildren's eyes if they continue that way of support. We've got to have equal rights for everyone."
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(#32) Jessica Alba
- 37
Jessica Alba has been embraced by the gay community for her beauty, talent, and humanitarian efforts. The Sin City actor supports gay rights and same-sex marriage.
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(#33) Matthew McConaughey
- 46
Matthew McConaughey has been a common Hollywood crush since he first appeared on the big screen in Dazed and Confused. He solidified his status as gay icon with his films Magic Mike and The Dallas Buyers Club.
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(#34) Sarah Jessica Parker
- 53
Sarah Jessica Parker is beloved by the gay community for her cutting edge style and her acting choices. She is especially popular for portraying Carrie Bradshaw in the Sex and the City TV show and films. She is also a supporter of gay rights and same-sex marriage.
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(#35) Hilary Swank
- 44
Hilary Swank became an instant gay icon for her portrayal of Brandon Teena in Boys Don't Cry. She won an Academy Award for her performance. She is a supporter of gay rights and same-sex marriage.
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(#36) Lee Daniels
- 59
Precious director Lee Daniels is openly gay. He says that he was never in the closet. He told Arsenio Hall, "There was never a closet… My earliest memories were coming down the stairs in my mother’s high heels at six years old while my dad’s playing cards with the buddies."
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(#37) Gus Van Sant
- 66
Openly gay film maker Gus Van Sant directed the film Milk, about Harvey Milk, the first openly gay politician to hold office in California. He is bringing issues of equality to the public at large with his films. When asked if he has had problems being an openly gay director in Hollywood, he replied, "Not so far. There are probably things that I don't see, but I think if you are a heterosexual filmmaker you'll have problems as well. It depends on your work and how you get identified… If you are Oliver Stone, you might not be chosen by Miramax to direct The English Patient. It is more about that."
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(#38) Johnny Knoxville
- 47
Out magazine called Johnny Knoxville "the gayest straight guy ever." Knoxville starred in John Water's film A Dirty Shame, and became obsessed with gay "bear" culture.
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(#39) Megan Fox
- 32
Megan Fox has developed a gay following who love her for her beauty and her candor. In 2009, Fox revealed that she is bisexual and she shared a kiss with her co-star Amanda Seyfried in the film Jennifer's Body.
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(#40) Chloë Sevigny
- 44
Chloe Sevigny has been a gay icon since she appeared in the indie film Kids. She was nominated for an Oscar for her role in Boys Don't Cry. When asked about her gay following, she said, "A gay fan base is a very good fan base to have — is that a terrible thing to say? They’re very loyal. They’ll stick with you through the ups and downs because they’re not fair-weather fans. I love being a gay icon; I totally embrace it."
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About This Tool
We can clearly know that LGBT+ people are gradually moving from the margins of society to the public, the striving for equal rights has become more frequent and powerful. A number of gay icons play a key role and made great contributions to the homosexuality movement. Over the years, many movie actors are influential in the LGBTQ+ community for supporting gay rights and same-sex marriage.
There is never a lack of great actors, it is lucky that some of them actively support the gay movement. Here the random tool lists 40 of the greatest gay icons who have great achievements in the movie industry.
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