When Colton Haynes came out in 2016, the gays rejoiced. After fawning over him for years, we all wanted it to be true. When it was, we couldn’t contain ourselves.
Haynes, who rose to fame on MTV’s Teen Wolf and CW’s Arrow, took to Twitter yesterday to speak out on homophobia in Hollywood. He talked about some of the issues he’s faced since coming out. He said in his first tweet, “Hollywood is so f*cked up. So much of the focus is on your personal life & has nothing to do with the talent you have to bring to the table”
He then thanked the openly gay show runners of Teen Wolf, Arrow, and American Horror Story saying, “Thank god for Ryan Murphy, Greg Berlanti, & Jeff Davis. They believe gay actors are more than just their personal lives”.
Haynes concluded with, “So disappointed in how Hollywood cant understand that playing a character has nothing to do with how u live your personal life”
So disappointed in how Hollywood cant understand that playing a character has nothing to do with how u live your personal life
— Colton Haynes (@ColtonLHaynes) August 30, 2017
Thank god for Ryan Murphy, Greg Berlanti, & Jeff Davis. They believe gay actors are more than just their personal lives
— Colton Haynes (@ColtonLHaynes) August 30, 2017
Hollywood is so fucked up. So much of the focus is on your personal life & has nothing to do with the talent you have to bring to the table
— Colton Haynes (@ColtonLHaynes) August 30, 2017
Billy Eichner responded on Twitter with an “AMEN” and Andy Mientus, from the tv show Smash, liked the tweet and responded with “I’m afraid I know exactly what you’re talking about. Be strong, brother.”
This isn’t the first time Colton has spoken on the homophobia he’s faced in Hollywood. He’s been pretty open since coming out about past managers telling him to hide his sexuality, and even trying to paint the narrative that he was straight. Speaking of past managers, he’s gone on record as being told, “You will never work in this town if people know.”
Haynes also isn’t the first actor to call out homophobia in Hollywood, and more than likely will not be the last. Anyone who’s followed Colton, knows he can act. In recent years, there has been more and more out actors and actresses, and more LGBT folk piloting and producing shows and films. It doesn’t seem that all the problems have been resolved, such as Hollywood still refusing to cast trans people in trans roles. Hopefully Hollywood will continue to make moves that reduce the homophobia people face there.
