Inspired by the controversy Newsweek stirred up when it ran a review slamming Sean Hayes’ portrayal of a straight man in Promises, Promises, CNN offers up a list of 13 actors who have played roles counter to their actual sexual orientation:
- Portia de Rossi: Played it straight on Ally McBeal before anyone knew she was gay, and has continued to play straight roles since coming out—including the flirtatious Bluth sister on Arrested Development.
- TR Knight: His Grey’s Anatomy costar Isaiah Washington famously made a homophobic slur against openly gay Knight, who played a straight doctor on the show.
- Will Smith: Played a gay con artist in Six Degrees of Separation.
- Eric McCormack: Will, the gay title character in Will & Grace, is straight in real life.
- Neil Patrick Harris: The gay actor plays one of the straightest characters on TV, womanizer Barney Stinson on How I Met Your Mother.
- Cynthia Nixon: Has played straight Miranda Hobbes in the Sex and the City franchise before and after coming out as a lesbian.
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