But, Are You Gay?
October 11, 2025 • Editorial • David
In the ongoing evolution of queer representation in film and television, one paradox continues to undermine genuine progress. Whenever a heterosexual actor takes on an LGBTQ+ role, the conversation too often shifts away from the craft and toward speculation about the actor’s own sexuality. Even when an actor has publicly identified as straight, the assumption lingers that portraying queerness on screen must mean that the actor themselves must be hiding their queerness in their real life.
Few examples capture this better than Brokeback Mountain, Ang Lee’s 2005 masterpiece that forever altered how mainstream cinema depicted queer love. Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal, both heterosexual men, delivered performances of remarkable tenderness and restraint. The film broke barriers, introducing millions to a portrayal of same-sex love that was tragic, human, and deeply moving. Yet the aftermath for both actors was telling.
