Celebrities You Never Knew Had Straight Marriages Before Coming Out

The history of the entertainment industry is filled with stories of public figures who navigated their personal identities while living in the intense gaze of the spotlight. For many of these individuals the journey toward authenticity included entering into traditional heterosexual marriages during earlier stages of their lives and careers. These relationships often took place during eras when societal expectations and professional pressures significantly influenced personal choices. Exploring these examples provides a fascinating look at the evolving landscape of identity and the courage required for these figures to eventually share their true selves with the world.

Elton John

The legendary singer and pianist Elton John married German sound engineer Renate Blauel in 1984 during a ceremony in Australia. The couple remained married for four years before finalizing their divorce in 1988 amid intense media scrutiny. Shortly after the separation John publicly came out as gay during an interview with ‘Rolling Stone’ magazine. He later found long term happiness with his partner David Furnish and the two were among the first couples to form a civil partnership in the United Kingdom.

Alan Cumming

Scottish actor Alan Cumming married fellow actor Hilary Lyon in 1985 and the marriage lasted for eight years until 1993. During this period Cumming was establishing his career in theater and film before becoming a household name. He eventually came out as bisexual and has since become a prominent advocate for LGBTQ+ rights. Cumming later married graphic artist Grant Shaffer in a civil ceremony in London followed by a legal wedding in New York.

Portia de Rossi

Before she became famous for her roles in ‘Ally McBeal’ and ‘Arrested Development’ actress Portia de Rossi was married to documentary filmmaker Mel Metcalfe. The marriage lasted from 1996 to 1999 and de Rossi later explained that she was not out at the time and feared the impact on her career. She eventually came out publicly in 2005 and began a high profile relationship with comedian Ellen DeGeneres. The couple married in 2008 following the legalization of same sex marriage in California.

Caitlyn Jenner

Caitlyn Jenner lived much of her life in the public eye as an Olympic gold medalist and a member of the famous Kardashian Jenner family. She was married three times to women including Chrystie Crownover and Linda Thompson before her long marriage to Kris Jenner. The couple was married for over twenty years and their lives were heavily documented on the reality television show ‘Keeping Up with the Kardashians’. In 2015 Jenner came out as a trans woman in a landmark interview with Diane Sawyer and began her transition publicly.

Barry Manilow

Musician Barry Manilow was briefly married to his high school sweetheart Susan Deixler in 1964 before his music career reached international heights. The marriage was short lived and the couple annulled the union after just two years. Manilow kept his private life away from the tabloids for decades while maintaining a massive following of fans. He finally came out as gay in 2017 and revealed that he had been in a committed relationship with Garry Kief since 1978.

Niecy Nash-Betts

Actress and television host Niecy Nash was married to ordained minister Donielle Tucker for thirteen years and the couple had three children together. Following their divorce she married Jay Tucker in 2011 and that marriage lasted until their separation in 2019. In a move that surprised many fans Nash announced her marriage to singer Jessica Betts in 2020 while coming out as queer. She has since spoken about her journey and described her new relationship as a matter of the soul rather than a specific label.

Clive Davis

Music industry titan Clive Davis was married to Janet Adelberg and later to Helen Strickland during the earlier decades of his successful career. He fathered four children across his two marriages while leading major record labels like Columbia and Arista. In his 2013 memoir titled ‘The Soundtrack of My Life’ Davis came out as bisexual and discussed his relationships with men. He revealed that he had been involved in a long term relationship with a man following the end of his second marriage.

Jason Mraz

Singer and songwriter Jason Mraz was briefly married to Sheridan Edley in 2001 but the relationship ended in divorce the following year. Mraz went on to achieve global success with hits like ‘I’m Yours’ while keeping his personal life relatively private. In 2018 he penned a poem for Pride month that alluded to his sexuality and he later confirmed in interviews that he identifies as bisexual or two spirit. He has spoken about his experiences with both men and women throughout his adult life.

Kelly McGillis

Actress Kelly McGillis rose to fame starring in hit films such as ‘Top Gun’ and ‘Witness’ while being married to fellow student Boyd Black and later to Fred Tillman. She had two daughters with Tillman and the couple remained married for thirteen years before divorcing in 2002. In 2009 McGillis came out as a lesbian during an interview and stated that she was done with the man thing. She later entered into a civil union with Melanie Leis in 2010 though the couple eventually separated.

Meredith Baxter

Meredith Baxter became a beloved television icon for her role as the mother on the hit sitcom ‘Family Ties’. She was married three times to men including Robert Bush and fellow actor David Birney with whom she had five children. In 2009 Baxter came out as a lesbian and revealed that she had realized her true identity later in life. She eventually married her partner Nancy Locke in 2013 and has since become an advocate for older individuals coming out.

Joel Grey

Legendary ‘Cabaret’ star Joel Grey was married to actress Jo Wilder for twenty four years and the couple had two children including actress Jennifer Grey. Their marriage lasted from 1958 to 1982 and Grey remained private about his sexuality for many years after the divorce. In 2015 at the age of eighty two Grey publicly came out as gay during an interview with ‘People’ magazine. He described the long journey of coming to terms with his identity while living in a different era of show business.

Lauren Morelli

Lauren Morelli was a writer for the popular series ‘Orange Is the New Black’ and was married to Steve Basilone when the show began production. While working on the series and writing about the experiences of lesbian characters she realized she was gay herself. She filed for divorce from her husband in 2014 after two years of marriage to pursue an authentic life. Morelli later married actress Samira Wiley who starred in the show and the couple has since welcomed a daughter.

David Bowie

Music icon David Bowie married Angela Barnett in 1970 and the couple had a son together before their divorce in 1980. During the early years of their marriage Bowie famously told ‘Melody Maker’ magazine that he was gay though he later clarified he was bisexual. His public statements about his sexuality were revolutionary at the time and helped challenge traditional gender norms. Bowie remained a monumental figure in pop culture and eventually married model Iman in 1992.

Rock Hudson

Rock Hudson was one of the most popular leading men in Hollywood during the 1950s and 1960s starring in films like ‘Pillow Talk’. To maintain his public image as a heartthrob his agent arranged a marriage to Phyllis Gates in 1955. The marriage was short lived and ended in 1958 as Hudson continued to hide his sexuality from the public. His identity only became widely known shortly before his death in 1985 when he became one of the first major celebrities to disclose an AIDS diagnosis.

Anthony Perkins

Actor Anthony Perkins was best known for his chilling performance as Norman Bates in the classic film ‘Psycho’. He married photographer Berry Berenson in 1973 and the couple remained together until his death in 1992. Despite his long marriage Perkins had many well documented relationships with men throughout his life and career. He struggled to balance his private identity with the expectations of Hollywood during a conservative era.

Cole Porter

Renowned composer Cole Porter was married to socialite Linda Lee Thomas for thirty five years until her death in 1954. Although they were deeply devoted to each other their marriage was a known arrangement within social circles that allowed Porter to pursue relationships with men. His sophisticated lyrics and music often contained coded references to his private life and the complexities of romance. Their partnership was depicted in the biographical film ‘De-Lovely’ which explored their unique bond.

Alice Walker

Pulitzer Prize winning author Alice Walker married civil rights lawyer Melvyn Leventhal in 1967 and they were the first legally married interracial couple in Mississippi. The couple had one daughter together before their marriage ended in 1976. Walker later had a high profile relationship with singer songwriter Tracy Chapman and has discussed her attraction to both men and women. She has frequently explored themes of gender and sexuality in her literary works including the famous novel ‘The Color Purple’.

Tallulah Bankhead

Stage and screen actress Tallulah Bankhead was known for her flamboyant personality and husky voice in films like ‘Lifeboat’. She married actor John Emery in 1937 but the union ended just four years later with Bankhead famously stating that she was not the marrying kind. Throughout her life she was open about her attractions to both men and women and was a pioneer of sexual fluidity in Hollywood. Her unapologetic lifestyle made her a legendary figure in theater history and a queer icon.

Little Richard

Rock and roll pioneer Little Richard was married to Ernestine Campbell from 1959 to 1964 during a period when he momentarily stepped away from secular music. Throughout his long career he frequently toggled between his religious convictions and his identity as a queer performer. He often spoke about his sexuality in contradictory terms but eventually identified himself as omnisexual in later interviews. His gender bending performances and bold style had a massive influence on future generations of musicians.

Richard Pryor

Comedian Richard Pryor was married seven times to five different women throughout his prolific and often turbulent career. His wives included Jennifer Lee and Flynn Belaine and his personal life was frequently a subject of his stand up routines. After his death his widow Jennifer Lee Pryor confirmed that the comedian had once had a sexual relationship with actor Marlon Brando. Pryor also wrote about his own sexual fluidity in his autobiography titled ‘Pryor Convictions and Other Life Sentences’.

Oscar Wilde

The brilliant Irish playwright Oscar Wilde married Constance Lloyd in 1884 and the couple had two sons during their marriage. Wilde was at the height of his fame when his private relationships with men became the subject of a highly publicized legal battle. He was eventually convicted of gross indecency and sentenced to two years of hard labor which devastated his career and health. Today Wilde is celebrated as a literary genius and a tragic figure in the history of LGBTQ+ rights.

Peter Allen

Australian entertainer Peter Allen was married to legendary performer Liza Minnelli from 1967 to 1974. The marriage ended as Allen began to live more openly as a gay man and he eventually found fame with hits like ‘I Go to Rio’. He later entered into a long term relationship with Gregory Connell that lasted until his death in 1992. Allen is remembered as a vibrant performer and his life was the subject of the successful stage musical ‘The Boy from Oz’.

Carol Leifer

Comedian and writer Carol Leifer was married to fellow comic Ritch Shydner for several years during the 1980s. She was a prominent figure in the stand up world and served as a writer and producer for the hit show ‘Seinfeld’. In her thirties Leifer fell in love with a woman and realized her true sexual orientation which she later wrote about in her book. She has been in a committed relationship with Lori Wolf for many years and they have since married.

Wanda Sykes

Comedian Wanda Sykes was married to record producer Dave Hall from 1991 to 1998 before she came out publicly. Sykes rose to fame as a writer and performer on ‘The Chris Rock Show’ and has since become one of the most recognizable voices in comedy. She officially came out in 2008 during a rally against Proposition 8 in California and revealed she had married her wife Alex Niedbalski. Sykes has since been an active voice for LGBTQ+ rights and visibility in the entertainment industry.

Sheryl Swoopes

WNBA legend Sheryl Swoopes was married to her high school sweetheart Eric Jackson and the couple had a son together before divorcing in 1999. In 2005 Swoopes made headlines when she came out as a lesbian and announced her relationship with Alisa Scott who was an assistant coach. Her announcement was a significant moment for professional sports as she was one of the highest profile athletes to come out at the time. Swoopes later revealed she was engaged to a man in 2011 and has described her sexuality as being about the person she loves.

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