Actors Who Refuse To Share A Same-Sex Kiss On-Screen
We all remember the cringeworthy "Extras" episode wherein Ricky Gervais' hapless aspiring thespian, Andy Millman, refuses to kiss another man in Ian McKellen's play. In an inexplicable effort to appease the macho high school pals he hadn't seen in decades, Millman sabotaged an exasperated McKellen's play, and, in turn, his own career by rebuffing his male co-star onstage. The plot may have seemed like an absurd work of fiction, but there are many actors IRL who have gone to Millman-esque heights to prevent themselves from having to kiss someone of the same sex.
As the notion of straight actors portraying LGBT+ characters becomes increasingly antiquated, we're reminded of an era in which playing gay whilst straight was, rather inconceivably, deemed brave. There once was a time when kissing a person of the same sex on screen was a huge issue for many actors -- and for men in particular. As the Los Angeles Times pointed out back in 2002, "American audiences by now have become used to gay male humor and gay domestic life, whether it's depicted in movies ('The Birdcage') or on network television ('Will & Grace'). But physically expressing gay love is something else again."
Accordingly, the perceived taboos around kissing someone of the same sex led numerous stars to demand that scripts be rewritten, or, in some instances, to quit the project entirely -- and many of them likely thought they could simply kiss off criticism for their actions. Here's the lowdown on actors who refuse to share a same-sex kiss on-screen.
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..."Wet Hot American Summer". And yeah, I have a bias in favor of anything made by members of "The State" comedy group. 