Contrary to popular belief that all Black male actors are afraid to play Gay characters or the fear that Gay characters could negatively affect the careers of Black Male actors, Neophyte or Star, we have compiled an in-exhaustive list of notable “heterosexual” (notwithstanding rumors) Black actors who have portrayed Gay characters at various points in their careeers and survived to tell the tale. This list does not include openly Gay actors who also portray Gay characters and Black actresses who have portrayed Lesbian characters.

1. Anthony Mackie – Brother to Brother

2. Will Smith – Six Degrees of Separation

3. Forrest Whitaker – The Crying Game

4. Taye Diggs – Will & Grace

5. Jeffrey Wright – Angels in America

6. Chiwetel Ejiofor – Kinky Boots

7. Nelsan Ellis – Tru Blood

8. Wesley Snipes – To Wong Foo

9. Evan Ross – Life Support

10. Darrin Henson – Life Support

11. Michael Boatman – Spin City

12. Isaiah Washington – Get On The Bus

13. Harry J. Lennix – Get On The Bus (pic above)

14. Omari Hardwick – For Colored Girls

15. Ving Rhames – Holiday Heart

16. Brian White – The Family Stone

17. Rockmond Dunbar – Punks & Dirty Laundry

18. Blair Underwood – In Treatment

19. Michael Kenneth Williams – The Wire

20. Harold Perrineau – Romeo & Juliet

21. Jesse L. Martin – RENT

22. Haaz Sleiman – Nurse Jackie & Ski Trip

23. Matthew St. Patrick – Six Feet Under

24. Seth Gilliam – Punks

25. Calvin Owens – Greek

26. Keith Hamilton Cobb – Noah’s Arc

27. Terrell Tilford – The DL Chronicles, Take Me Out (Off Broadway)

28. Roger Guenveur Smith – Cover, Poetic Justice

29. Leon – Cover

30. Daniel Sunjata – Take Me Out (Broadway), Brother to Brother, The Devil Wears Prada

Over 90% of these actors careers seem to have done pretty damn well after the fact. The Black LGBT community have lives, stories, and characters as complex and multifaceted as any Oscar or Emmy worthy character. Let us put aside our fears and face our insecurities and support diversity in our community.

– Deondray Gossett & Quincy LeNear
http://www.theofficialdlchronicles.com