Snappy newsletters. Simple Facebook sharing. Spirited comments. Sweet features are waiting… GET THEM NOW!

Hollywood Is 'Like Al-Qaeda,' Says Everett

It's no wonder Jodie waited so long to come out, gay star rails

By Matt Cantor, Newser Staff

Posted Dec 20, 2007 2:24 PM CST

(Newser) – The fact that Jodie Foster finally came out of the closet last week doesn't mean Hollywood is getting more tolerant of gay actors, British actor Rupert Everett fumed in an interview in the Times of London. "It's the opposite," he said. "She is 45 and she just couldn't be bothered anymore. Before that it would have killed her career." Everett said Hollywood is no more open minded than al-Qaeda or the Taliban.

The movie industry "pretends it’s very liberal but it’s not remotely,” he said. Because he is gay, he believes, he has been denied "tons" of roles; he does have the lead in his new film St Trinian’s, but he is in drag as an outrageous headmistress, the Times says. Everett also decries Hollywood's treatment of older actresses, many of whom he counts as good friends: 70-year-old women play grandmothers while 70-year-old men are romantic leads.

[Images (5)]

[Videos (2)]

Actress Julie Andrews, left, and actor Rupert Everett, right, pose on the press line at the Los Angeles premiere of "Shrek The Third," in the Westwood area of Los Angeles, Calif. on Sunday, May 6, 2007.... (Associated Press)

Actor Rupert Everett arrives at a show of Valentino's best creations, at the Ara Pacis museum, part of the fashion designer's 45th anniversary celebrations in Rome, Friday, July 6, 2007. After a fashion... (Associated Press)

British Actor Rupert Everett arrives at a hotel during the 64th... (Getty Images (by Event))

Rupert Everett attends the "Stage Beauty" premiere, held at the Paris Theatre in New York, on Monday, October 4, 2004. (KRT Photos)

British-born actor Rupert Everett reacts to photographers at the London premier of their animated film ' Shrek the Third' in London Monday June, 11, 2007. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant) (Associated Press)

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

Being a Gay Actor: Chad Allen, Rupert Everett (20/20) (lgbtTV (YouTube))

Rupert Everett appears in Shrek 3. (ivinator1860 (YouTube))

View larger videos >>

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next »

To report an error on this story, notify our editors.

More Newser Stories

Why Jodie Foster Finally Stepped 'Out'

Promised dying gay friend, who may be baby daddy: Daily Mail

(NEWSER) - Jodie Foster’s tentative move out of the closet, at an awards show last week, may be the work of an old friend who, rumor has it, may be the father of her children, the Daily Mail reports. Foster thanked her live-in partner Cydney Bernard—calling her “my beautiful Cydney”—to fulfill a promise to gay director Randy Stone, the Mail says, an old friend who died in February, after making Foster promise to come out. More»

Jodie Dumps 15-Year Partner for New Gal

Foster leaves lover she was raising kids with for younger screenwriter

(NEWSER) - Jodie Foster has traded in Cydney Bernard—her slightly frumpy, older stay-at-home lesbian partner of 15 years—for a younger hotshot screenwriter, the Daily Mail reports. The 45-year-old Oscar-winner met Cynthia Mort two years ago on a movie set and their families became fast friends. More»

Witherspoon Rises to Top of Salary List

America's latest sweetheart commands up to $20M per movie

(NEWSER) - Rendition was a dud, but Reese Witherspoon's peachy $15 million to $20 million fee per movie puts her atop this year’s highest-paid actress list. But she and other leading ladies—such as runner-up Angeline Jolie—often accept lower payoffs to keep their schedules packed, the Hollywood Reporter observes. More»

'1M Anti-Gay Moms' Protest Ellen's Hiring by JC Penney

Group blasts chain's new spokeswoman

(NEWSER) - A group calling itself "One Million Moms" isn't happy about JC Penney's new spokeswoman, openly gay talk-show host Ellen DeGeneres. "Funny that JC Penney thinks hiring an open homosexual spokesperson will help their business when most of their customers are traditional families,” the group says. "More sales will be lost than gained unless they replace their spokesperson quickly. Unless JC Penney decides to be neutral in the culture war, then their brand transformation will be unsuccessful." More»

Nixon: I'm Actually Bisexual, and That's 'Not a Choice'

Actress backtracks on controversial comments

(NEWSER) - Cynthia Nixon stirred up quite a bit of controversy with her recent statement that being gay is, for her, "a choice," and now she's backtracking a bit. "While I don't often use the word, the technically precise term for my orientation is bisexual," she says in a statement to the Advocate . "I believe bisexuality is not a choice, it is a fact. What I have 'chosen' is to be in a gay relationship." More»

NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS

What is Newser?

Face it: there's too much news. At Newser, we choose the most thought-provoking and entertaining stories from hundreds of US and international sources and reduce them to a headline, picture, and two paragraphs. And we do it 24/7—you can come back morning, noon, night (and in between) for something new that matters. Read less, know more.

Learn more »

Partnering with: Slate

View Newser on the mobile website

Hollywood Is 'Like Al-Qaeda,' Says Everett