Hollywood may appear to be a safe space for the queer community, but it is not as inclusive as one might imagine. With all sorts of discrimination rampant in the world of glitz and glamor, homophobia is no exception. Many queer celebrities have spoken up against the injustice they face as part of the Hollywood fraternity, and with yet another confession, Matt Bomer has shed light on a similar hurdle.
The actor revealed that his sexuality became the reason he could not don the cape as Superman. The ‘Fellow Travelers‘ star revealed that he missed out on the iconic role in the early 2000s because he had just come out as gay. Here’s what he said.
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Matt Bomer Details How He Missed The Superman Role Because Of His Sexuality
Matt Bomer was speaking during an interview with THR’s Awards Chatter podcast, as he recounted missing out on the part of the iconic Superman in J.J. Abrams’ project ‘Superman: Flyby‘. He clarified how despite being a match for the role, he was eventually rejected because of his sexuality.
“I went in on a cattle call for Superman, and then it turned into a one-month audition experience where I was auditioning again and again and again,” Bomer said. It seemed he was the director’s top pick until studio heads pushed for a bigger name, reportedly favoring Brendan Fraser.
“This is a very early iteration of Superman,” Bomer added, noting that the film had a tentative title at the time, with many false starts between 1987’s ‘Superman IV: The Quest for Peace‘ and 2006’s ‘Superman Returns‘.
When asked if his sexuality played a role in the studio’s decision, the ‘White Collar‘ star didn’t mince words. “Yeah, that’s my understanding. That was a time in the industry when something like that could still really be weaponized against you,” he said. Bomer also revealed he had signed a three-picture deal with the studio, despite which he had to face the repercussions of the industry’s biases.
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Varying Claims About Matt Bomer’s Rejection For The Superman Role Persist
Other than Matt Bomer himself, Jackie Collins had also admitted the same on Gaydar Radio in 2012. He plainly noted that Bomer was blacklisted because of his sexuality. “The reason he didn’t get cast was because he was gay,” Collins claimed.
However, sources later clarified that it was Ratner leaving the film was the true reason behind the casting change. Warner Bros. has not issued any comments on the matter yet.
Though Bomer never got the on-screen chance, he finally voiced Superman in the 2013 direct-to-DVD animated flick ‘Superman: Unbound‘. He took on the role alongside Stana Katic and John Noble.
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