The Tudors' hunk Henry Cavill beat out actors such as Matthew Bomer (TV's White Collar), Joe Manganiello (werewolf Alcide in TV's True Blood) and Armie Hammer (The Social Network) to win the role of Superman in director Zack Snyder's movie, according to Digital Spy. Cavill, 27, was slated to play the Man of Steel in McG's proposed 2004 movie; when out director Bryan Singer took the helm, Brandon Routh became the lead instead. Snyder's movie will be in theaters in December 2012. Glee's Dianna Agron is supposedly in the running to portray Lois Lane.
Jane Lynch, who plays Sue Sylvester on TV's Glee, wants Sir Elton John to guest-star on the show, Digital Spy reported. Lynch's co-star Matthew Morrison recently said that John could play Sue's love interest. Lynch told People magazine, "I love that idea, and I'm all over that idea. From [Morrison's] lips to [executive producer] Ryan Murphy's ears!"
Singer Ricky Martin has said that his twin sons have taught him about love, Digital Spy reported. The "She Bangs" singer told Parade magazine that the births of sons Valentino and Matteo have completed him. He said, "Every day they teach me different things. The love is there. When you have a 2-year-old saying every other hour, 'Papi, te amo. Papi, I love you,' it can't get better." Martin has also said that he'd like to have a daughter as well.
On Ellen DeGeneres' talk show, actress Jennifer Aniston said that she confronted gay Internet columnist Perez Hilton on the issue of bullying, according to Advocate.com . Aniston said that she bumped into Hilton in a garage last fall and asked him, "Why are you so mean?" She added, "There's something really great about putting a human being in front of another human being and then the reality that those words, even if it's for humor or effect or whatever, there's a human being behind all of that. ... And he's kept it up, too, which is good."
Emmy award-winning director Andrew Goldberg and PBS, in association with Oregon Public Broadcasting, have announced a new national PBS special, OUT in America. The one-hour film will make its national premiere on PBS in June, in conjunction with National Gay & Lesbian Pride Month. The special will feature anecdotes from and interviews with such people such as Bravo TV executive Andy Cohen; Tales of the City author Armistead Maupin; Dr. Patricia Hawkins (a psychologist renowned for her early work with HIV patients); and PJ Serrano, Puerto Rico's first openly gay and HIV-positive political candidate.
British actor Simon Pegg, 40, has said that straight men should kiss each other more in order to understand homosexuality, Pink News reported. Pegg—who has been in movies such as Star Trek, Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead—has said, "I've never been homophobic and I like flirting with gay guys; they're easier to flirt with than women. I flirt with my gay friends quite happily, even in front of my wife." He added, "I think every man should snog another man. ... Homophobia's all about fear of the unknown, like it's something you could catch. But it's not a choice, it's biological."
In Rolling Stone magazine, Sir Elton John revealed that rapper Eminem and he are actually good friends who occasionally share "a laugh," according to Digital Spy. The "Tiny Dancer" singer also talked about the gift Eminem gave to John and partner David Furnish when they had their civil partnership: "In a case, on velvet cushions, were two diamond cock rings. So there's a homophobe for you!" John added that he is proud of Eminem for working "very hard at [sobriety]."
Out gay Internet columnist Perez Hilton has said that Lady Gaga's new CD, Born This Way, will "save lives," Digital Spy reported. Hilton has compared the upcoming album to Madonna's Like A Prayer, adding that it will be as influential as the Material Girl's 1989 album. He added, "What's amazing about this body of work is that it really is that Born This Way is a body of work, where all of the songs make sense together." Born This Way will be out May 23.
Doctor Who actor Matt Smith will take on a different kind of role when he portrays gay author Christopher Isherwood for a 90-minute BBC2 special, Christopher and His Kind, according to The Mirror. Smith, currently dating model Daisy Lowe, said that the gay scenes did not bother him at all, adding, "I've kissed lots of boys!" Isherwood (who died in 1986 at age 81) wrote the novel A Single Man in 1964—a book that was turned into a 2009 film starring Colin Firth and Julianne Moore.
On a recent episode of her talk show, Oprah Winfrey focused on a quarter-century of gay issues. According to OpposingViews.com, she began the Jan. 25 show by stating, "Our intention is—and has always been—to help people see things differently by giving a voice to those that might not otherwise be heard." During the episode, Winfrey pointed out that her show —now in its 25th and final season—has produced more than 120 programs devoted gay and lesbian people, including a 1997 episode in which Ellen DeGeneres came out of the closet.
In the upcoming movie Beginners, Ewan McGregor (I Love You Phillip Morris) plays Oliver, a man who meets the unpredictable Anna (Mélanie Laurent) months after his father, Hal (played by Christopher Plummer), has passed away. Oliver is in for a shock as he realizes that his father came out of the closet after 44 years of marriage to live a full life. ER's Goran Visnjic portrays Hal's younger lover.
On Joy Behar's eponymous talk show, figure skater/reality-show veteran Johnny Weir brushed aside the idea that gay advocates forced him out of the closet, according to On Top Magazine. Weir said, "They've been trying to get me to come out and be an activist and do all of these things which I so respect and which are so important to the gay community, but it's not me. ... I wasn't a born activist. I'm an athlete. I'm an entertainer, and that's what I do." Weir recently told George Lopez that he likes masculine men such as actor Mario Lopez and singer/actor Justin Timberlake.
In an interview with the Georgia Voice, Clay Aiken said that he was never in the closet, according to an Advocate.com item. Aiken added that while his coming-out may have taken some by surprise, it did not negatively affect his career. He said, "I definitely do see the liberation and understand the rationalization of people wanting me to be out. On the other hand, I wouldn't say that coming out has made me happier because that implies I was not happy before and I was."
Actress Jane Lynch is loving her wife's figure. The Glee actress told People magazine that Lara Embry "looks fantastic in a bikini," adding while she pointed to her wife, "I mean look at this. Look at what we are talking about here." Lynch also said, "We like to drink coffee, do a lot of talking and go hot-tubbing," Lynch says of their pastime. "Hot tub time is great."
Focus Features has acquired worldwide rights to the contemporary drama Pariah, the debut feature from writer/director Dee Rees, according to a press release. The movie focuses on 17-year old Alike (pronounced "ah-lee-kay"), who learns to embrace her identity as a lesbian. Pariah, which had its world premiere at this year's 2011 Sundance Film Festival, counts Spike Lee among its executive producers.
Ilene Chaiken, who created The L Word and The Real L Word, will serve as co-executive producer of Hail Mary, a drama pilot on CBS, according to TVGuide.com . The show is about an Atlanta mom who teams with a street hustler to solve crimes. Chaiken—who also wrote the Pamela Anderson film Barb Wire—will serve as executive producer with Jeff Wadlow and Joel Silver.
The Human Rights Campaign has called on NBC to apologize after an anti-transgender skit aired on Saturday Night Live. The skit, titled "Estro-Maxxx," served to "mock transgender people, minimizing the challenges they face," according to a press release. The skit happened just weeks after the show used the term "son-daughter" to refer to Cher's transgender son, Chaz Bono.
Emmy Award-winning comedian and actor Leslie Jordan will host The Hookies: The 5th Annual International Escort Awards on March 18 at Manhattan's Roseland Ballroom, according to a press release. Presented by Rentboy.com, the world's largest male escort site, the show celebrates the best in the male escort industry with awards in 15 categories, including Best Newcomer, Best Daddy and the night's top prize, Mr. International Escort 2010. The Hookies is the official opening event for BPX: Black Party Expo Weekend.
Nonesuch Records will release k.d. lang and the Siss Boom Bang's Sing it Loud April 12. Produced by lang and Joe Pisapia, it is the award-winning singer-songwriter's first record made entirely with a band of her own since the pair of albums with the Reclines that launched her career more than 20 years ago. Sing it Loud is lang's first studio album since 2008's Watershed, which debuted in the Top 10 of the Billboard 200.
Britney Spears announced Feb. 8 that she'll premiere her "Hold It Against Me" video Feb. 17 on MTV. The much-anticipated clip, directed by Jonas à … kerlund, airs at 9:56 pm ET, right before a new episode of Jersey Shore. The video will also premiere on MTV.com at the same time.
In an interview with Vanity Fair, legendary actress Lauren Bacall said that gay writer Truman Capote never slept with Humphrey Bogart after betting the actor he could beat him at arm-wrestling, according to an Advocate.com item. When asked about it, Bacall responded, "Why you bring up a thing like that? What kind of a mind do you have? Step out of the gutter. ... Maybe it was a pipe dream of Truman's—who knows? But it's a totally ridiculous suggestion..." She added that she disliked the question altogether.
