Why did they portray Freddie as BISEXUAL in this?
In real life he was gay, but in this film Freddie's eyes were bulging at both men AND women.
shareHe thought he was bisexual but his wife told him no he's definitely gay
shareFreddy was never married. He lived with his girlfriend Mary Austin for some years . I think for many years he considered himself bisexual because he had a sexual relationship with Mary and after they broke up he also had a sexual relationship with a german woman, I can't remember her name. Of course, he also slept with men. The thing is that neither actors nor singers are at total liberty to announce to the world they are 100% gay because the truth is that they would not sell as many records, fill out as many stadiums or get as many roles as if the public thought they were straight, or at least bisexual. Hence, Freddy probably felt he had to HIDE his homosexuality.
Elton John hid his homosexuality for many years and he even went as far as marrying a woman, just for 'appearances'. There are still many singers and actors who hide their homosexuality. Rupert Everett came out a few years ago and as soon as he did he stopped receiving lead roles and just secondary roles, and always 'the gay friend', the 'gay uncle' etc. When asked what advice he would give a gay actor who had not come out publicly as gay, he said 'never ever come out to the public because if you do, that will be the end of your career'. If that is still valid today, imagine how it was a few decades ago.
There are men that prefer sex with men but like the emotional connection with a woman. This seems like the case for Freddie. David Bowie was also bi but his preference ended up being women. I think he just dabbled.
At the time Rupert came out it was career suicide. Not so much now. It also depends on the actor cause Luke Evans & Matt Bomer are being cast in straight roles.
Yes, I agree. But I think Freddie, while enjoying attention and his own flamboyancy, really wasn't one that wanted to be labeled or representative of anyone but himself. He hated the intrusion of media and I think would have especially hated the social media of today. I think he wanted his personal life and his professional life to be separate...and I can't fault him there.
There seems to be some kind of consensus that gay artist weren't accepted in the 70's and the 80's as gay...but despite a conservative movement at the time (kind of a result of the late 60's and 70's anything goes period) there are many that defy that notion in the popularity of David Bowie and other androgynous super stars. I think some of it has something to do with the initial image someone started out with. If it ain't broke don't fix it.
Elton John was not flamboyant when he started out and frankly I think his music was so much better earlier than when he went the pop song route. But that's just me..Nothing to do with his sexual preference though.
Actors are a little different.
I don't think it's homophobia that hurts a gay actor from a romantic leading man roles but some peoples inability to believe in the fantasy of a gay man and a woman..
Neither of us are inside Elton John's head [for a has-been, he certainly comes up a lot recently], neither of us can say for sure, but if you were alive at the time you'd remember he said he wanted a child -- which he now has through adoption. That takes it out of the realm of "just for 'appearances.'"
If someone hauls what they do in the privacy of their bedrooms out for public view and "identifies" as gay, then they really are asking to be the "gay friend," the "gay uncle," and eventually the "gay father." If being gay is so very much your identity, then yes -- from here on out you're "the gay (fill in the blank)."
Most people don't want to put themselves in a box that way, because then that's the way the public sees them. Straight guys have played gay guys, gay guys have played straight guys. But that's because they "identify" as actors.
And