BBC:

Sir Ian McKellen has said openly gay US actors are prevented from having successful Hollywood careers.

“It is very, very, very difficult for an American actor who wants a film career to be open about his sexuality,” the gay British actor said.

“And even more difficult for a woman if she’s lesbian. It’s very distressing to me that that should be the case.”

The Lord of the Rings star added: “The film industry is very old fashioned in California.”

He was speaking at the Berlin Film Festival, where he received a lifetime achievement award. | story

Truthdig says: This is exactly what Truthdig’s Larry Gross was getting at in “Year of the Queer: Hollywood and Homosexuality.”

WAIT, BEFORE YOU GO…

If you're reading this, you probably already know that non-profit, independent journalism is under threat worldwide. Independent news sites are overshadowed by larger heavily funded mainstream media that inundate us with hype and noise that barely scratch the surface. We believe that our readers deserve to know the full story. Truthdig writers bravely dig beneath the headlines to give you thought-provoking, investigative reporting and analysis that tells you what’s really happening and who’s rolling up their sleeves to do something about it.

Like you, we believe a well-informed public that doesn’t have blind faith in the status quo can help change the world. Your contribution of as little as $5 monthly or $35 annually will make you a groundbreaking member and lays the foundation of our work.

SUPPORT TRUTHDIG