The Gayest Robots

HAL 9000, 2001 (1968)

There’s been a lot written about this one, and the idea that in the future sexuality and gender roles would be fluid and so HAL's voice (Shakespearean actor Douglas Rain) was chosen to suit. On the other hand, Kubrick’s biographer Vincent Lobrutto notes that the director was pleased with the “patronizing, asexual quality” Rain gave HAL. Either way, HAL'S lazy, bitchy tones are pretty convincing: “Quite honestly, I wouldn’t worry myself about that”…