Hello Out readers!
As 2025 comes to an end and we get closer to starting the new year, one thing that we're wondering is whether we should leave in the past the idea of asking actors who play gay characters to reveal their real-life sexual histories.
The debate over whether or not straight actors should play gay characters has raged on for years, with many straight actors winning awards for gay roles, and many others saying they wouldn't feel right playing gay nowadays.
The conversation is picking up again around the new gay hockey show, Heated Rivalry, which is streaming on HBO Max in the U.S.
Recently, fans have been speculating about the private lives of actors Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams, who play hockey stars and lovers, Ilya Rozanov and Shane Hollander, in the series, and who have great chemistry.
Showrunner Jacob Tierney isn't feeling it. When an interviewer asked the actors if they felt the need to talk about their personal lives while doing press for the show, Tierney stepped in to answer.
"I'll answer this for them. I don't think there's any reason to get into that stuff," he told Xtra. "I'll tell you something about the casting of both of these roles. You can't ask questions like that when you're casting, right? It's actually against the law. So what you have to gauge is somebody's enthusiasm and willingness to do the work."
What do you think? Are we past the need to ask actors playing gay roles to disclose their real-life sexuality? Or do you want to see gay actors playing gay roles?
Keep reading to find out our Woman Crush Wednesday and all the best pop culture news of the week!
- Mey Rude
Heated Rivalry actors' sexuality questions? Not on Jacob Tierney's watch
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Woman Crush Wednesday
Our Woman Crush Wednesday goes out to every trans woman ever attacked by noted transphobe Graham Linehan, whose latest act of anti-trans activism is... using ChatGPT to make a trans lesbian role-playing video game? Click here to learn more.
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