The Whale as an obese gay man is nothing short of astounding. Though Fraser does not identify as gay, his performance is convincing and a marvel to watch.
If he wins, it will mark one more instance when a gay character was rewarded, but not a gay actor.The ongoing debate in Hollywood about straight men playing gay or queer roles mostly centers around the lack of opportunities or awards gifted to out gay actors.
Nowhere is this seemingly more apparent than in the Best Actor category. As of the 2023 Academy Awards, it has been 25 years since an openly gay man has been nominated for Best Actor.Ian McKellen was up for the honor back in 1998 for his work in Gods & Monsters.
That year, he lost to Roberto Benigni, whose performance in Life Is Beautiful was certainly worthy of a win.The following year, Kevin Spacey would earn the same trophy for American Beauty.At the time, he was not out, and speculation about his sexuality swirled for decades.
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