Kevin Kline

I wanted every kind of love that was available, says Kevin Kline as gay but married composer Cole Porter in the biopic De-Lovely. The Oscar and Tony winners been down the lavender road before in In & Out, so he was a natural for an Out shout-out. Musto: Hi, Kevin. I have to start by saying that Coles song Youre the Top has always had extra special resonance for gays. You know, tops and bottoms? Kline: No, sorry, I dont. Can you explain that? Musto: Well, in bed, tops are generally on top, and bottoms are, uh, you know, the receivers. Kline: And which way did my Cole Porter come across in the film? Musto: Neither. Maybe versatile. Kline: Good, thats what I was playing! [Laughs] Musto: Whatever he was, would he be out if he were around today? Kline: Hes so of his time. He invented the party animal and redefined hedonism for his era. But he shied away from the news media, so he may very well have been closeted today. He wrote a great song called Live and Let LiveYou do it your way and Ill do it mine. Its nobodys business is pretty much what the song says. Musto: Except mine! In the movie, his wife, Linda [Ashley Judd], says, You like men more than I do. Was she gay or bi as well? Kline: No, I dont think that was the intention. She came from apparently a physically and sexually abusive husband. Cole was the perfect antidote to that marriage. Musto: He didnt touch her at all! I love how Ashley [recently in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof on Broadway] is always married to gays these days. Kline: Maybe she was just using De-Lovely as a preparation for Cat! [Laughs] For more of Michael Mustos conversation with Kevin Kline, pick up the July issue of Out.