Richard Chamberlain on new ‘Brothers & Sisters’ role; Does not advise leading gay actors to come out
”My character met Ron’s character, Saul, back in the ’80s. Saul was a serious kind of guy, but Jonathan was a heartbreaking playboy at that time. As revealed in my first episode, Jonathan may have been the one who gave Saul HIV in the ’80s, though Jonathan didn’t even remember that they had slept together. Saul isn’t at all happy about seeing me again….
”There’s still a tremendous amount of homophobia in our culture. It’s regrettable, it’s stupid, it’s heartless, and it’s immoral, but there it is. For an actor to be working is a kind of miracle, because most actors aren’t, so it’s just silly for a working actor to say, ‘Oh, I don’t care if anybody knows I’m gay’ — especially if you’re a leading man. Personally, I wouldn’t advise a gay leading man–type actor to come out.”
Actor Richard Chamberlain discussing his latest TV role, a gay character on the gay-inclusive ABC drama, ”Brothers & Sisters.” Chamberlain, now 76, tells the Advocate that he had concerns about finding work once he was outed. (The Advocate)
It’s reported that he officially came out as gay in an autobiography in 2003. He is known to 1960s TV audiences as “Dr. Kildare,” and to 1980s watchers as Father Ralph in the 1983 romantic miniseries ”The Thorn Birds.”
He tells the Advocate, for the most part, his roles as gay characters were not remarkably easier than when he played straight. He says that the Proposition 8 gay marriage controversy is proof that society still has problems with gay people. He also discusses career decisions affecting his long-term relationship with actor Martin Rabbett.
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