Billy Dee Williams is renowned for his iconic portrayal of Lando Calrissian in the original ‘Star Wars’ trilogy, and is therefore an actor looked up to by the oldest of the franchise’s fans. While the actor has emerged as a successful and popular one over the years, he is no exception to the rumors that go around in the industry.
While he was at the peak of his career in Hollywood, there were widespread rumors about his sexuality in the 1970s. Though Williams never openly addressed these humors, he was fully aware of them as he has recently revealed while opening about what he felt about the rumors and the truth behind them.
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“It All Seemed Very Normal To Me”: Billy Dee Williams Says The LGBTQI Community Made Him Very Comfortable
Billy Dee Williams clarified that he had a nonchalant attitude towards the rumors about his sexuality, suggesting he is gay. In a recent interview with Page Six, the actor was speaking about his newly released memoir, ‘What Have We Here?’, when he also addressed the humors.
As then 86-year-old actor shared insights into his illustrious career of about seven decades, he said that the rumors about his sexuality could have jeopardized his career at the time. “I’ve been called a ‘Closet Queen‘. But, I don’t pay much attention to any of that,” he said.
Originally from Harlem, Williams said he had always been comfortable in the LGBTQIA+ circles, He also admitted to attending clandestine gay gatherings in the Metropolitan Opera’s basement during his early days as an extra. “It all seemed very normal to me. I was around it all of my life, so I never really gave it much thought,” he said.
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Billy Dee Williams’ Daughter Was Happy To Think That He Was Gender Fluid
Williams seemingly has always had a very welcoming approach for the evolving concepts of homosexuality, and himself came out as gender fluid in 2019. In his previous book ‘Brian’s Song‘, the actor mentions a conversation with his daughter about Carl Jung’s theory of anima and animus.
He reveals that it was then that he was introduced to the term “gender fluid.” “I told my daughter about it. I was talking about why men should get more in touch with the female side of themselves and then my daughter told me — the first time I ever heard the phrase — gender fluid,” he said.
“My daughter was very happy to think that I was gender fluid!” he said.
Transitioning from matinee idol status in films like ‘Lady Sings the Blues‘ and ‘Mahogany‘ to global stardom with ‘Star Wars’, Williams described the journey as intriguing. “Especially, when you do the conventions and you’re doing Q & A’s, and you get some little 10-year-old kid who wants to kill you because you’ve betrayed Han Solo! So it becomes really, a kind of interesting adventure,” he writes.
Throughout his career, Williams has played various roles and had several experiences, and is now trying his hand at writing with the release of his recent memoir. His memoir delves into various facets of his life, and also includes his encounters and conversations with luminaries like Marlon Brando, James Baldwin, Laurence Olivier, and Angela Lansbury among others.
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