Rupert Everett promotes his new movie The Happy Prince | Photo: GSN
Rupert Everett wishes for a #GayToo movement in showbiz, following the viral success of the #MeToo movement.
Millions of women, in show business and beyond, have shared stories of misogyny, sexual harassment and assault as part of #MeToo since October 2017.
The hashtag was inspired by last year’s downfall of movie mogul Harvey Weinstein, accused of rape, sexual harassment or other inappropriate behaviour by over 100 women. (He was charged last month.)
‘You have to be a certain type of woman [to be in showbiz], otherwise you’re not so welcome,’ Rupert tells GSN. ‘It’s the same for a gay, really.’
‘In the boys’ club, a gay is a second class creature. That’s irritating. The whole movement is about changing the tone of this balance between us. Just dissolving the boys’ club attitude.’
Colin Morgan and Rupert Everett as Douglas and Wilde in The Happy Prince (Photo: Maze Pictures)
‘As a gay man, it’s made me feel a sort of sympathy towards the#MeToo movement’
Speaking to promote his film The Happy Prince, a biopic of Oscar Wilde, Rupert furthermore added: ‘Hopefully there will be a #GayToo part of all this.
‘At the moment, obviously, tons of straight actors play gay roles and get Oscars – it’s so brilliant of them to “act gay.” No gay actor gets to play a straight role, because this boys club say “No! He’s too gay!” Without even looking really. Because even if he was “too gay”, he might be a good enough actor to act completely “straight.”
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‘But that isn’t really part of the discussion. So I think as a gay man it’s made me feel a sort of sympathy towards the#MeToo movement, which only we as gays probably can have, because we’re slightly in the same group.’
Rupert directs and stars The Happy Prince, a biopic focusing on the last days of literary icon Wilde.
Elsewhere in our interview, Rupert considers whether Wilde would have used Grindr if he was around today, and why it’s important for LGBTI people to respect are common history.
Watch below:
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The Happy Prince is in UK cinemas now. The US release is 5 October.
Rupert Everett says Oscar Wilde wouldn’t have used Grindr – here’s why
