Celebs Who Came Out as Bisexual After Playing Straight for Decades

Public perception of celebrity sexuality often relies heavily on the roles actors play or the partners they bring to the red carpet. Many famous figures spend years or even decades in heterosexual relationships before sharing their authentic selves with the world. Coming out later in life highlights the fluidity of sexuality and challenges the assumption that orientation is fixed from a young age. The following list explores thirty stars who opened up about their bisexuality after establishing extensive careers.

Clive Davis

This legendary music executive is responsible for the careers of Whitney Houston and Janis Joplin. He was married to women twice and lived as a straight man in the public eye for the vast majority of his life. Davis revealed his bisexuality in his 2013 memoir ‘The Soundtrack of My Life’ at the age of 80. He detailed that he began having relationships with men in the 1970s while continuing to have relationships with women. His announcement sparked a significant conversation about fluidity and coming out later in life.

Susan Sarandon

The Academy Award-winning actress is known for her roles in films like ‘Thelma & Louise’ and ‘Dead Man Walking’. She was in a long-term partnership with actor Tim Robbins for over two decades. Sarandon casually mentioned her orientation during a 2017 interview when discussing her dating preferences. She stated that her sexuality is open and up for grabs. This revelation confirmed that her attraction is not limited to one gender.

Cynthia Nixon

Nixon achieved global fame playing the career-driven Miranda Hobbes in ‘Sex and the City’. She was in a relationship with a man for fifteen years and they had two children together. The actress began dating education activist Christine Marinoni in 2004 which surprised many fans. She has since identified as queer and stated that she was just a woman who fell in love with another woman. Nixon has become a prominent advocate for LGBTQ+ rights.

Alan Cumming

This Scottish actor gained fame for his work in theater and films like ‘GoldenEye’. He was married to actress Hilary Lyon for eight years during the late 1980s and early 1990s. Cumming eventually came out as bisexual and has spoken openly about his relationships with both men and women. He later married graphic artist Grant Shaffer. He often discusses how his sexuality has been misunderstood by the media.

Drew Barrymore

Barrymore has been in the spotlight since she was a child in ‘E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial’. She had several high-profile relationships and marriages to men throughout the 1990s. The actress confirmed her bisexuality in a 2003 interview where she expressed she had always considered herself bisexual. She noted that she loves a woman’s body just as much as a man’s. Her openness helped normalize discussions around bisexual visibility in Hollywood.

Angelina Jolie

Jolie was one of the biggest movie stars in the world when she starred in ‘Tomb Raider’. She had highly publicized marriages to Jonny Lee Miller and Billy Bob Thornton. The actress confirmed in various interviews that she has had lovers of both sexes. She specified that she does not doubt her feelings for women. Her candidness occurred during a time when few A-list celebrities were open about non-heterosexual orientations.

Anna Paquin

The ‘True Blood’ star won an Oscar at a very young age for ‘The Piano’. She married her co-star Stephen Moyer and they have children together. Paquin came out publicly in a PSA for the Give a Damn campaign in 2010. She has frequently had to defend her identity against people who assume she is straight because of her marriage. She remains a vocal advocate for bisexual visibility.

Fergie

The Black Eyed Peas singer became a global pop icon with hits like ‘My Humps’. She was married to actor Josh Duhamel for eight years. Fergie confirmed her bisexuality in a 2009 interview with The Advocate. She admitted to having had fun with women in the past despite her straight public image. The singer emphasized that being in a monogamous marriage did not change her orientation.

Megan Fox

Fox became an international sex symbol after starring in ‘Transformers’. She was in a long-term relationship and marriage with actor Brian Austin Green. The actress revealed her bisexuality in an interview with Esquire magazine. She stated that she has no question in her mind about being bisexual. Fox continues to be an icon for fluid sexuality in the entertainment industry.

Evan Rachel Wood

Wood began her career as a child actress and gained recognition for ‘thirteen’. She had a highly publicized relationship with Marilyn Manson which dominated headlines. She came out as bisexual via Twitter in 2011. The ‘Westworld’ actress has since become one of the most active activists for the bisexual community. She frequently speaks about the specific erasure faced by bi individuals.

Stephanie Beatriz

Beatriz is best known for playing Detective Rosa Diaz on ‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine’. Fans assumed she was straight based on her initial public persona. She came out on Twitter in 2016 by replying yes to a fan who asked if she was bisexual. Her character on the show subsequently came out as bisexual in a storyline influenced by Beatriz. She married a man but continues to assert her queer identity.

Sara Ramirez

Ramirez played Dr. Callie Torres on ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ for many years. Her character was one of the longest-running LGBTQ+ characters on television. The actress herself came out as bisexual and queer at a True Colors Fund conference in 2016. She spoke about the intersections of her identity as a woman of color and a queer person. This announcement came after she had already established a massive fanbase.

Aubrey Plaza

The ‘Parks and Recreation’ star is known for her deadpan comedy style. She has mostly been linked to men in public reports. Plaza revealed to The Advocate in 2016 that she falls in love with girls and guys. She mentioned that her family has always been accepting of her fluidity. Her casual admission fit perfectly with her no-nonsense public persona.

Gillian Anderson

Anderson became a sci-fi legend playing Dana Scully in ‘The X-Files’. She lived with a boyfriend for several years and has been married to men. The actress revealed in a 2012 interview that she had been in relationships with women in the past. She explained that she had relationships with women but they were the exception rather than the rule. Anderson remains a favorite figure within the queer community.

Michelle Rodriguez

Rodriguez built a career playing tough characters in the ‘Fast & Furious’ franchise. She faced years of speculation regarding her personal life while often appearing at events alone or with male co-stars. She confirmed she is bisexual in a 2013 interview with Entertainment Weekly. The actress stated she has gone both ways and finds both men and women intriguing. She felt she was too curious to sit there and not try.

Rosario Dawson

Dawson has appeared in major films like ‘Rent’ and ‘Sin City’. She dated several famous men throughout her career including Senator Cory Booker. The actress came out in 2020 during an interview regarding a Pride Month post. She clarified that while she had never been in a relationship with a woman she still identifies as part of the community. Her statement highlighted that identity is valid regardless of relationship history.

Tessa Thompson

The ‘Creed’ and ‘Thor: Ragnarok’ actress has become a major Hollywood player. She was often assumed straight by mainstream audiences. Thompson discussed her attraction to both men and women in a 2018 interview. She noted that her family is very open and she can bring anyone home. She has been reluctant to label herself strictly but acknowledges her fluidity.

Jason Mraz

The singer-songwriter is famous for acoustic hits like ‘I’m Yours’. He has had high-profile relationships with women and was married to a woman. Mraz wrote a poem to the LGBTQ+ community in 2018 where he mentioned having a two spirit. He later clarified in an interview with Billboard that he has had experiences with men. He credited his wife for helping him understand and accept his orientation.

Margaret Cho

Cho is a stand-up comedian and actress known for her sitcom ‘All-American Girl’. She was married to artist Al Ridenour for over a decade. The comedian has been very vocal about her bisexuality and calls herself queer. She often incorporates her sexuality into her comedy routines. Cho is considered a pioneer for Asian-American representation in the queer community.

Cassandra Peterson

Peterson is the woman behind the iconic character Elvira Mistress of the Dark. She played the character for forty years while keeping her personal life very private. She revealed in her 2021 memoir ‘Yours Cruelly, Elvira’ that she had been in a relationship with a woman for 19 years. She had previously been married to a man for many years. Peterson feared that coming out would hurt her brand but received overwhelming support.

Maria Bello

Bello starred in films like ‘A History of Violence’ and ‘Coyote Ugly’. She wrote a column for The New York Times in 2013 titled Coming Out as a Modern Family. She detailed falling in love with her best friend Clare after being with men. The actress later published a book expanding on these themes. She emphasizes that partnership is about love rather than gender.

Julianne Hough

Hough rose to fame as a professional dancer on ‘Dancing with the Stars’. She grew up in a conservative Mormon environment and married hockey player Brooks Laich. She revealed in a 2019 interview that she told her husband she was not straight. Hough explained that shedding her protective layers allowed her to be honest about her sexuality. The revelation was part of a larger journey of self-discovery.

Mel B

Melanie Brown is best known as Scary Spice from the Spice Girls. She was married to Jimmy Gulzar and later Stephen Belafonte. Brown had a five-year relationship with a woman during the height of her fame but it was less publicized than her marriages. She has stated that she was in love with a woman and that was that. She refuses to be confined by labels but acknowledges her history.

Vanessa Carlton

The singer behind the hit song ‘A Thousand Miles’ was a staple of early 2000s pop. She dated the frontman of Third Eye Blind and other men in the music industry. Carlton came out as bisexual while headlining Nashville Pride in 2010. She announced to the crowd that she was a proud bisexual woman. She has been married to John McCauley since 2013.

Debbie Harry

Harry is the punk icon and lead singer of the band Blondie. She had a very famous long-term relationship with bandmate Chris Stein. The singer revealed in later interviews that she had sexual relationships with women in her youth. She noted that her attraction to women was just as natural as her attraction to men. Harry remains a massive icon for the LGBTQ+ community.

Sarah Paulson

Paulson has become a household name through her work in ‘American Horror Story’. She dated playwright Tracy Letts and actor Cherry Jones. She is currently in a long-term partnership with actress Holland Taylor. Paulson prefers not to label her sexuality rigidly but has been open about her fluid dating history. She explained that she lets the situation dictate her feelings rather than a label.

Thandiwe Newton

The British actress has starred in ‘Mission: Impossible 2’ and ‘Westworld’. She has been married to writer Ol Parker for over two decades. Newton revealed in 2016 that she has had relationships with women in the past. She discussed how everyone is potentially bisexual and sexuality is on a spectrum. She has expressed pride in the diversity of her own attractions.

Joan Baez

Baez is a folk music legend and activist who was prominent in the 1960s counterculture. She had a well-documented relationship with Bob Dylan and was married to David Harris. Late in her career she opened up about having an affair with a girl when she was 22. She admitted that she was terrified of the stigma at the time. Baez continues to support marginalized communities through her art.

Carrie Brownstein

Brownstein is a musician in Sleater-Kinney and star of ‘Portlandia’. She dated men during the early years of her career and the media often focused on those relationships. She was outed by a magazine article but eventually embraced her identity publically. She later dated her co-star St. Vincent. Brownstein wrote candidly about her relationships in her memoir.

Azealia Banks

The rapper is known for her debut single ‘212’ and her outspoken online presence. She has dated several men in the public eye. Banks identifies as bisexual and has spoken about her attraction to women frequently. She often refuses to let the media categorize her into a specific box. Her openness challenges the often heteronormative expectations in the hip-hop industry.

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