Sir Michael Caine reveals he was advised not to take any ‘gay roles’
The Academy Award winning actor was the first well-known actor to portray a gay character in 'California Suite'
By Steve Brown
Words: Steve Brown
Sir Michael Caine was advised not to take any ‘gay roles’.
One of the most celebrated British actors still working today has had a successful career spanning more than 50 years and has starred in more than 125 films including Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy.
However, in an interview with Rolling Stone, the actor revealed he was warned that people would think he was gay if he took on a gay in the late seventies.
He said: “It was a bit dicey to do – people said it could be a career killer and what are the girls going to think of you
“A couple of people said, ‘Do you really want to do it, Michael? People will think you’re gay’. I said, ‘No, they won’t. They know I’m an actor’.”
Despite warnings, Caine became one of the first well-known actors to portray a gay character in the 1978 comedy California Suite and then again in the thriller Deathtrap in 1982 alongside Superman star Christopher Reeve in which they shared a kiss.
Caine, now 85, recalled kissing Reeve and confessed it was both their first same-sex kiss and they needed a ‘couple of brandies’ before.
He continued: “Neither of us had ever kissed another man before.
“So, we drank a couple of brandies. Then when it came time for the dialogues, we couldn’t remember it. So the kiss was a bit of a disaster.”
