Actors Who Are Married to Women But Secretly Identify as Queer

The history of the entertainment industry features many talented performers who navigated complex personal lives while maintaining a public image. Some of these men were married to women for many years before sharing their queer or fluid identities with the world. These revelations often provide a deeper understanding of their artistic choices and the pressures of fame during different eras of Hollywood. Exploring these stories highlights the evolving nature of sexual identity and representation in the spotlight.

Alan Cumming

The Scottish actor married Hilary Lyon in 1985 and remained in that union for eight years. He eventually publicly identified as bisexual and became a vocal advocate for LGBTQ+ rights. He later entered a civil partnership and then a marriage with Grant Shaffer. His career spans Broadway and film with notable roles in ‘The Anniversary Party’ (2001) and ‘X2’ (2003).

David Bowie

This legendary musician and actor was married to Angela Barnett before his long marriage to the model Iman. He famously discussed his bisexual identity in interviews during the 1970s and 1980s. Bowie explored gender fluidity through his various stage personas like Ziggy Stardust. He starred in films such as ‘Labyrinth’ (1986) and ‘The Man Who Fell to Earth’ (1976).

Joel Grey

The Academy Award winner was married to Jo Wilder for 24 years before their divorce in 1982. He came out as gay in 2015 and spoke about his identity in various national publications. Grey is best known for his iconic performance as the Master of Ceremonies in ‘Cabaret’ (1972). He has balanced a long career on stage and in film while raising two children.

Marlon Brando

This acclaimed performer was married to three different women including Anna Kashfi and Movita Castaneda. He openly admitted to having sexual experiences with men during a 1976 interview. Brando is widely considered one of the most influential actors of the 20th century. He won Oscars for his legendary roles in ‘On the Waterfront’ (1954) and ‘The Godfather’ (1972).

Anthony Perkins

The ‘Psycho’ (1960) star was married to photographer Berry Berenson from 1973 until his death in 1992. He maintained a private personal life while working steadily in the film industry. Perkins reportedly had several high profile relationships with men before his marriage. He received an Academy Award nomination for his performance in ‘Friendly Persuasion’ (1956).

Robert Reed

Known as the patriarch on ‘The Brady Bunch’ (1969–1974), he was married to Karen Steele for five years. He kept his sexual orientation private during his life to protect his professional career. Reed was a classically trained actor who often appeared in stage productions. His colleagues eventually shared details about his identity after his passing in 1992.

Billie Joe Armstrong

The Green Day frontman and actor has been married to Adrienne Nesser since 1994. He has publicly identified as bisexual since the mid 1990s and has discussed his orientation in numerous interviews. Armstrong made his Broadway debut in the musical adaptation of ‘American Idiot’ (2010). He continues to be an influential figure in the rock music and entertainment world.

Jason Mraz

The singer and actor was married to Christina Carano for several years before their divorce. He came out as bisexual or fluid in 2018 through a poem and subsequent interviews. Mraz has performed on Broadway in the musical ‘Waitress’ (2017). He is known for his philanthropic work and his hits in the pop music genre.

Nico Tortorella

This actor is married to Bethany C. Meyers and the couple has a child together. He identifies as pansexual and has written a book about his experiences with gender and sexuality. Tortorella rose to fame starring in the television series ‘Younger’ (2015–2021). He often advocates for fluid identities and non traditional relationship structures.

Richard Pryor

The famous comedian and actor was married seven times to five different women throughout his life. After his death, his widow confirmed that he had a sexual relationship with Marlon Brando. Pryor is remembered for his groundbreaking stand up comedy and film roles. He starred in popular movies like ‘Silver Streak’ (1976) and ‘Stir Crazy’ (1980).

Barry Manilow

This entertainer was briefly married to Susan Deixler before finding long term partnership with Garry Kief. He officially came out as gay in 2017 and explained his decision to keep his private life quiet for decades. Manilow has sold millions of records and has a dedicated fan base known as Fanilows. He starred in several television specials and the film ‘Copacabana’ (1985).

Rock Hudson

One of the most popular movie stars of the 1950s was married to Phyllis Gates for three years. He lived a double life as a closeted gay man while the studio system promoted him as a traditional leading man. Hudson starred in classics like ‘Giant’ (1956) and ‘Pillow Talk’ (1959). His health struggles in the 1980s brought significant national attention to the AIDS crisis.

Elton John

The globally famous singer and actor was married to Renate Blauel from 1984 to 1988. He initially identified as bisexual before coming out as gay later in his career. John has won multiple Grammy and Academy Awards for his contributions to music and film. He is known for his elaborate stage costumes and his role in ‘Kingsman: The Golden Circle’ (2017).

Laurence Olivier

This legendary British actor was married to Vivien Leigh and Joan Plowright during his long career. Biographies published after his death detailed several relationships he allegedly had with men. Olivier is regarded as one of the greatest actors of all time with numerous Shakespearean roles. He starred in films like ‘Wuthering Heights’ (1939) and ‘Hamlet’ (1948).

Alec Guinness

The ‘Star Wars’ (1977) actor was married to Merula Salaman for over sixty years. He kept his private life extremely guarded and only shared his struggles with identity in his personal journals. Guinness was knighted for his services to the arts and won an Oscar for ‘The Bridge on the River Kwai’ (1957). He remains a highly respected figure in the history of British cinema.

Charles Laughton

This versatile performer was married to actress Elsa Lanchester from 1929 until his death. Lanchester later revealed in her autobiography that Laughton was gay and that they had a complex marriage. He is famous for his roles in ‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame’ (1939) and ‘Mutiny on the Bounty’ (1935). Laughton also directed the classic thriller ‘The Night of the Hunter’ (1955).

Peter Allen

The Australian performer and actor was married to Liza Minnelli for seven years. He eventually came out as gay and entered a long term relationship with Gregory Connell. Allen was a prolific songwriter and the inspiration for the Broadway musical ‘The Boy from Oz’ (2003). He won an Academy Award for co writing the theme song for ‘Arthur’ (1981).

Alan Bates

This prominent English actor was married to Victoria Ward and they had two sons. He kept his relationships with men private during his lifetime while maintaining a successful film career. Bates is known for his work in ‘Women in Love’ (1969) and ‘The Go-Between’ (1971). He received several awards for his performances on both the London and New York stages.

Raymond Burr

The star of ‘Perry Mason’ (1957–1966) was briefly married to Isabella Ward early in his career. He created a fictional backstory about multiple wives and a son to hide his true orientation. Burr was in a long term partnership with Robert Benevides for over thirty years. He remained a beloved television figure through his roles in ‘Ironside’ (1967–1975).

Danny Kaye

This multi talented entertainer was married to Sylvia Fine for over forty years. Rumors about his personal life and relationships with male colleagues circulated within the industry for decades. Kaye was a celebrated comedian, singer, and dancer who starred in ‘White Christmas’ (1954). He also served as a goodwill ambassador for UNICEF for many years.

Vincent Price

Known for his horror roles, he was married to Edith Barrett, Mary Grant, and Coral Browne. His daughter Victoria Price confirmed in her biography that he was bisexual and had a very open minded view of the world. Price starred in classics such as ‘House of Wax’ (1953) and ‘The Fly’ (1958). He was also a passionate art collector and a gourmet cook.

Cary Grant

This Hollywood icon was married five times to women including Dyan Cannon and Barbara Hutton. He lived with fellow actor Randolph Scott for many years and faced constant speculation about his sexuality. Grant was known for his charm and impeccable comedic timing in films like ‘North by Northwest’ (1959). He received an Honorary Oscar for his unique mastery of the art of screen acting.

Tyrone Power

The swashbuckling actor was married to three women including the actress Annabella. He was reportedly bisexual and had relationships with both men and women throughout his life. Power was one of the biggest box office draws of the 1930s and 1940s. He starred in popular films such as ‘The Mark of Zorro’ (1940) and ‘The Razor’s Edge’ (1946).

Errol Flynn

This Australian born actor was married three times and had a reputation as a notorious womanizer. Biographers have detailed his many sexual encounters including those with men during his time in Hollywood. Flynn is best remembered for his roles in ‘The Adventures of Robin Hood’ (1938) and ‘Captain Blood’ (1935). He lived a high profile and often controversial life both on and off the screen.

James Franco

The ‘127 Hours’ (2010) star has been in long term relationships with women and has faced questions about his sexuality. He has described himself as a person who is gay in his art and straight in his life. Franco has portrayed many queer characters and has directed films with LGBTQ+ themes. He is also a writer and an academic with a diverse body of work.

Tom Hardy

This English actor has been married to Sarah Ward and Charlotte Riley. In early interviews he admitted to having sexual experiences with men during his youth. Hardy is known for his intense performances in ‘Mad Max: Road Fury’ (2015) and ‘The Revenant’ (2015). He has become one of the most sought after leading men in both action and drama films.

Jeremy Irons

The Academy Award winner has been married to Sinéad Cusack since 1978. He has made comments in the past suggesting a fluid view of gender and sexual identity. Irons is famous for his distinctive voice and roles in ‘Reversal of Fortune’ (1990) and ‘The Lion King’ (1994). He has won the Triple Crown of Acting with an Oscar, an Emmy, and a Tony.

Clive Davis

While primarily a music executive, he has appeared in many entertainment documentaries and films. He was married to two women and has four children from those marriages. Davis came out as bisexual in his 2013 autobiography titled ‘The Soundtrack of My Life’. He is credited with launching the careers of many legendary artists including Whitney Houston.

Burt Lancaster

The ‘From Here to Eternity’ (1953) star was married three times and had five children. He was reportedly bisexual and maintained a private life away from the Hollywood spotlight. Lancaster was a former circus acrobat who became one of the most respected actors of his generation. He won an Academy Award for his role in ‘Elmer Gantry’ (1960).

Michael Bennett

The creator and director of the musical ‘A Chorus Line’ (1985) was married to dancer Donna McKechnie. He was a prominent figure in the Broadway community and was known to be gay by his close friends. Bennett won multiple Tony Awards for his choreography and direction. His work transformed the landscape of the modern American musical.

Cole Porter

This legendary composer and actor was married to Linda Lee Thomas for thirty four years. His marriage was a well known agreement that allowed him to pursue his relationships with men. Porter wrote some of the most famous songs in the Great American Songbook. He is the subject of the biographical film ‘De-Lovely’ (2004).

Christopher Plummer

The Canadian actor was married to Tammy Grimes, Patricia Lewis, and Elaine Taylor. He admitted in his memoir that he found himself attracted to both men and women during his younger years. Plummer is renowned for his portrayal of Captain von Trapp in ‘The Sound of Music’ (1965). He became the oldest actor to win an Academy Award for his performance in ‘Beginners’ (2010).

Richard Burton

This Welsh actor was famously married to Elizabeth Taylor twice and had three other wives. His diaries revealed complex thoughts about his own sexuality and a belief that all people were inherently bisexual. Burton was nominated for seven Academy Awards during his illustrious career. He starred in historical epics like ‘Cleopatra’ (1963) and ‘Becket’ (1964).

Mick Jagger

The Rolling Stones frontman and actor was married to Bianca Jagger and Jerry Hall. He has been open about his fluid sexual identity and had several high profile relationships with men. Jagger appeared in films such as ‘Performance’ (1970) and ‘The Man from Elysian Fields’ (2001). He remains an enduring icon of rock and roll culture and gender bending fashion.

John Huston

This legendary director and actor was married five times to women including Enrica Soma. Biographies have explored his private relationships and his more fluid understanding of human attraction. Huston won Academy Awards for ‘The Treasure of the Sierra Madre’ (1948). He also gave a memorable performance as the villain in ‘Chinatown’ (1974).

Bill T. Jones

This dancer and actor was once married to a woman before entering a long term creative and romantic partnership with Arnie Zane. He has been a prominent voice in the arts for decades and often addresses themes of identity in his work. Jones received a Tony Award for his choreography in the musical ‘Spring Awakening’ (2006). He was also a recipient of the Kennedy Center Honors for his contributions to American culture.

Jeremy Brett

The English actor was married to actress Joan Sullivan for several years during the 1950s. He was a celebrated performer who struggled with his identity and mental health throughout his life. Brett is most famous for his definitive portrayal of the title character in ‘The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes’ (1984–1985). He maintained a long term relationship with Gary Bond after his marriage ended.

Anthony Newley

This multifaceted entertainer was married to several women including the actress Joan Collins. His daughter later revealed that he had explored his sexuality and had relationships with men during his life. Newley was a singer and actor who co wrote the lyrics for ‘Goldfinger’ (1964) and the music for ‘Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory’ (1971). He appeared in many films such as ‘Doctor Dolittle’ (1967) and ‘Oliver Twist’ (1948).

Please share your perspective on these influential figures and their impact on entertainment history in the comments.