Gay Actors Who Married Women for Career Reasons and Later Divorced

Hollywood has long been a place where image is everything and personal truths are often hidden behind carefully constructed facades. For decades the pressure to conform to heteronormative standards forced many gay actors to enter into marriages with women to protect their careers and satisfy studio executives. These unions were often arranged by agents or driven by the intense societal expectation to appear straight in the public eye. While some of these marriages evolved into genuine friendships others ended in heartbreak and legal dissolution once the truth could no longer be contained. The following list explores the lives of male actors who navigated these complex relationships before eventually living their truth.

Rock Hudson

Rock Hudson was the ultimate Hollywood heartthrob and the romantic lead in films like ‘Giant’ (1956) and ‘Pillow Talk’ (1959). His sexuality was an open secret in the industry but his agent Henry Willson arranged a marriage to his secretary Phyllis Gates in 1955 to quell public rumors. The union was short and turbulent as the pressure of maintaining the facade took its toll on both parties. They divorced in 1958 and Hudson continued to live a closeted life until his AIDS diagnosis revealed his sexuality to the world shortly before his death.

Elton John

Before he became a global icon for LGBTQ+ rights the legendary singer and actor in ‘Tommy’ (1975) struggled significantly with his public identity. He married German recording engineer Renate Blauel in 1984 in a lavish ceremony in Australia that surprised many of his friends and fans. The marriage lasted four years during which John battled personal demons and internal conflict regarding his sexual orientation. Following their divorce in 1988 he eventually came out as gay and found lasting happiness with his future husband David Furnish.

Robert Reed

Best known as the patriarch Mike Brady in ‘The Brady Bunch’ (1969–1974) Robert Reed projected the image of the perfect American father. In reality he was a gay man who struggled to reconcile his sexuality with his conservative public persona and career aspirations. He married fellow student Marilyn Rosenberger in 1954 and they had a daughter together before divorcing in 1959. Reed remained in the closet publicly for the rest of his life but his colleagues were well aware of his true self.

Cary Grant

Cary Grant was the definitive leading man in classics such as ‘North by Northwest’ (1959) and ‘The Philadelphia Story’ (1940). Despite his massive female fanbase rumors about his relationships with men persisted throughout his career. He was married and divorced five times and his multiple unions were often seen by historians as attempts to conform to social norms. His close living arrangement with actor Randolph Scott fueled decades of speculation about his true romantic preferences.

Randolph Scott

Western star Randolph Scott known for films like ‘Ride the High Country’ (1962) shared a home with Cary Grant for over a decade in what became known as Bachelor Hall. To dispel rumors and fit the mold of a rugged leading man Scott married heiress Marion duPont in 1936. The marriage was distant and they spent little time together before divorcing in 1939. Scott later remarried but his early attempt at a conventional marriage is often cited in discussions of Hollywood lavender marriages.

Little Richard

The architect of rock and roll who appeared in films like ‘The Girl Can’t Help It’ (1956) battled between his religious upbringing and his sexuality for most of his life. During a period where he renounced rock and roll for the church he married Ernestine Campbell in 1959. The marriage was strained by his celebrity status and his internal conflict over his attraction to men. They divorced in 1963 and Little Richard would spend the next several decades oscillating between coming out and retreating back into the closet.

Joel Grey

Joel Grey delivered an Academy Award-winning performance in ‘Cabaret’ (1972) and enjoyed a long and celebrated career on stage and screen. He was married to actress Jo Wilder for twenty-four years and they raised two children together including actress Jennifer Grey. The couple divorced in 1982 but Grey did not come out publicly until decades later at the age of 82. He described his marriage as a happy chapter but acknowledged the difficulty of hiding his true nature.

Alan Cumming

Scottish actor Alan Cumming is known for his versatile roles in projects like ‘The Good Wife’ (2009–2016) and ‘X2’ (2003). Early in his career he married actress Hilary Lyon in 1985 and they remained together for eight years before divorcing. Cumming has spoken openly about how he was trying to fulfill the traditional expectations of life and marriage during that time. He later embraced his bisexuality and eventual identity as a gay man.

Raymond Burr

Raymond Burr became a household name playing the title character in the long-running legal drama ‘Perry Mason’ (1957–1966). To protect his career as a masculine television lead he invented a tragic backstory involving a dead wife and son. In reality he was briefly married to actress Isabella Ward in 1948 before the union was annulled and ended in divorce shortly after. Burr spent the majority of his life with his partner Robert Benevides but kept the relationship hidden from the public eye.

Rip Taylor

Known as the Prince of Pandemonium Rip Taylor was a flamboyant comedian and actor who appeared in ‘The Gong Show’ (1976–1989) and various films. He was briefly married to a showgirl named Rusty Rowe in a Las Vegas ceremony that he later annulled. Taylor lived most of his life as a closeted man in the public sphere despite his campy persona. It was only later in life that his sexuality was openly acknowledged by the press and public.

David Bowie

David Bowie was a musical and cultural chameleon who acted in films like ‘The Man Who Fell to Earth’ (1976) and ‘Labyrinth’ (1986). He married Angela Barnett in 1970 and the couple became icons of the glam rock era while raising their son Duncan Jones. Their open marriage eventually dissolved into divorce in 1980 amid Bowie’s shifting personal and artistic identities. Bowie later married Iman and though he had declared himself gay and then bisexual in the past he settled into a long heterosexual union later in life.

Barry Manilow

Barry Manilow is a music legend who has also appeared in numerous television specials and the film ‘Copacabana’ (1985). He married his high school sweetheart Susan Deixler in 1964 but he left the marriage after just one year to pursue his musical career in New York. The marriage was officially dissolved in 1966 and Manilow kept his private life extremely guarded for decades. He officially came out in 2017 and revealed he had been with his husband Garry Kief for nearly forty years.

Denholm Elliott

Denholm Elliott was a respected character actor known for his roles in ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’ (1981) and ‘A Room with a View’ (1985). He was married to actress Virginia McKenna in 1954 but the union lasted only a few months due to his sexuality. They divorced swiftly and Elliott eventually accepted his identity as a bisexual man who leaned towards men. He continued to have a prolific career until his death in 1992.

Michael Barrymore

Michael Barrymore was one of the most famous faces on British television hosting ‘Strike It Lucky’ (1986–1994). He married Cheryl Cocklin in 1976 and she became an integral part of managing his soaring career. Barrymore came out publicly in a dramatic fashion in 1995 which led to a bitter and highly publicized divorce. The revelation marked a major turning point in his career and personal life.

Kenny Everett

Kenny Everett was a groundbreaking British comedian and radio DJ who starred in ‘The Kenny Everett Video Show’ (1978–1981). He married singer Lee Middleton in 1969 and they remained together for over a decade despite his internal struggles. Everett eventually came out to his wife and they divorced in 1984 but remained close friends. He became an activist and public figure in the fight against HIV/AIDS before his death.

Christopher Biggins

Christopher Biggins is a beloved British actor and pantomime dame known for his role in the sitcom ‘Porridge’ (1974–1977). He was married to Australian actress Beatrice Norbury from 1971 to 1974. He has described the marriage as a mistake born out of societal pressure and a desire to fit in. After their divorce he embraced his identity and became one of the UK’s most prominent openly gay entertainers.

Nils Asther

Nils Asther was a Swedish actor who achieved stardom in Hollywood’s silent era with films like ‘The Bitter Tea of General Yen’ (1933). To combat rumors about his sexuality and secure his visa status he entered into a lavender marriage with Vivian Duncan. The couple had a child but the marriage was turbulent and ended in divorce in 1932. Asther’s career eventually faded as his accent became a liability in talkies and his private life remained whispered about.

Richard Cromwell

Richard Cromwell was a handsome leading man in the 1930s who starred in ‘The Lives of a Bengal Lancer’ (1935). He married a young Angela Lansbury in 1945 but the marriage ended in divorce less than a year later. Cromwell simply left a note stating he could not go on and Lansbury later learned that he was gay. The two remained friends until his death and Lansbury often spoke fondly of him despite the heartbreak.

Jeremy Brett

Jeremy Brett is widely considered the definitive Sherlock Holmes thanks to his performance in ‘The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes’ (1984–1994). He was married to actress Anna Massey from 1958 until their divorce in 1962. Brett struggled with his sexuality and bipolar disorder throughout his life but eventually found a long-term partner in Gary Bond. His intense dedication to his craft often mirrored the turbulent nature of his private life.

Raúl Esparza

Raúl Esparza is a celebrated stage actor and television star known for his role as ADA Rafael Barba on ‘Law & Order: Special Victims Unit’ (1999–Present). He married his high school sweetheart Michele Marie Perez in 1994 and they were together for over a decade. They divorced in 2008 as Esparza began to explore and accept his bisexuality and attraction to men. He has since been open about his journey and the complexities of his identity.

Tom Tryon

Tom Tryon starred in ‘The Cardinal’ (1963) and was groomed by Disney to be a major television star. He married Ann L. Noyes in 1955 in an attempt to stabilize his image as a leading man. The marriage was unhappy and ended in divorce in 1958 as Tryon eventually left acting to become a successful novelist. He lived the rest of his life as a gay man and was famously the subject of a thwarted relationship with a lover that ended his friendship with Walt Disney.

Guy Madison

Guy Madison was a popular star of Westerns and played the title role in the series ‘The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok’ (1951–1958). His agent Henry Willson was notorious for arranging marriages for his gay clients to keep them marketable. Madison was married to actress Gail Russell and later Sheila Connolly both of which ended in divorce. These unions served to deflect rumors about the handsome actor’s private life during the conservative 1950s.

Rory Calhoun

Rory Calhoun was another client of agent Henry Willson and starred in the television series ‘The Texan’ (1958–1960). He married actress Lita Baron in 1948 and the couple remained married for over twenty years before divorcing. Rumors of his homosexuality persisted throughout his career and were often managed by his agency. His divorce proceedings included accusations of adultery that hinted at his double life.

Johnnie Ray

Johnnie Ray was a sensation in the 1950s known for his emotional singing style and appearance in ‘There’s No Business Like Show Business’ (1954). He married Marilyn Morrison in 1952 in a union that many believed was arranged to cover up his arrest for solicitation. The marriage was short-lived and ended in divorce in 1954 as Ray’s career began to decline. He was openly gay within his private circle but the scandal of his sexuality severely damaged his public standing.

Tyrone Power

Tyrone Power was a swashbuckling matinee idol who starred in ‘The Mark of Zorro’ (1940) and ‘Witness for the Prosecution’ (1957). He was married three times including a union with French actress Annabella which ended in divorce. Power had numerous affairs with men throughout his life which were kept out of the press by the studio system. His marriages were essential for maintaining his status as a romantic hero to millions of adoring female fans.

Robert Taylor

Robert Taylor was one of MGM’s biggest stars and appeared in classics like ‘Camille’ (1936). He married actress Barbara Stanwyck in 1939 in what is often described by historians as a classic lavender marriage arranged by the studio. Both stars had rumors circulating about their sexualities and the union served to protect their valuable careers. They divorced in 1951 but remained professional colleagues and friends.

Merv Griffin

Merv Griffin started as a singer and actor before becoming a media mogul who created ‘Jeopardy!’ (1964–Present) and ‘Wheel of Fortune’ (1975–Present). He was married to Julann Wright from 1958 to 1976 before they divorced citing irreconcilable differences. Throughout his life Griffin was dogged by rumors about his sexuality and faced a palimony suit from a male employee in the 1990s. He never publicly came out but his private life was an open secret in the entertainment industry.

Tell us which of these stories surprised you the most in the comments.