December 29, 2012 | Arts / Entertainment

Actor not big on kissing other men for roles

Nicholas Brown is a young actor hoping to make it big in the TV and movie industry. Until then, he's taking on smaller roles and sharing his experiences on his quest for fame.

This past week he shared his discomfort with accepting gay roles. He was once up for a part in an AIDS-awareness PSA, but the role required that he kiss another man.

"I am not gay," he wrote. "I have no shortage of gay friends. My uncle is gay. I’ve marched in a gay pride parade. More than half of the roommates I have lived with are gay. I support marriage equality.

"So it comes as a shock to me when I realize that, actually, if I am honest with myself, I’m not comfortable with kissing another man on camera. I really don’t want to book this part.

"I don’t want people to think I’m gay. And I’m even more uncomfortable because that isn’t a thought that I want to have."

He admitted he confronted both his theatrical and his commercial agents and asked if there was any industry stigma about doing gay roles. Both agents told him that the industry had changed since Will & Grace and that he really had nothing to worry about.

But it would appear Brown was not the only actor with apprehensions. Gigi Nicolas, the director of on-air promotions at Logo, was casting for the PSA. “We had to do a second round of casting,” she says. “Far fewer people auditioned than I expected. Most of my top choices just didn’t show up.”

"I, at least, am sorry," Brown admitted. "You don't have to believe in a Judeo-Christian god to find something redeeming in confession. I am sorry that I balked at the idea of pretending to be gay. I am sorry that my uncle went home alone all those years. I am sorry for the whole ugly human history of slights and hate crimes and exclusion."

You can read the full article here.