Warner Brothers and the Curious Silence Over Gay Storylines

by Michael Jones · 2010-02-10 11:25:00 UTC
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Valentine's DayIf two of Hollywood's sexier men were starring together in a movie, and in that movie both those men really dug one another, you might expect that to make some news. After all, it'd be pretty hard to hide two Hollywood stars macking on each other.

But for the new movie "Valentine's Day," which opens this Friday and stars practically every member of the Screen Actors Guild, the studio behind the film, Warner Brothers, is being accused of hiding a gay storyline between characters played by Eric Dane (that's McSteamy to you TV folk) and Bradley Cooper (that's Will from Alias). Could it be that a studio is worried that a gay storyline might take away from a big box office punch this Valentine's Day weekend?

New York Magazine is asking that very question, and they're drawing fuel for their fire from the movie's trailer, which makes it look like Bradley Cooper's character (remember, he's gay) is actually in love with Julia Roberts' character (she's straight ... and she laughs and smiles a lot, it seems). They ask whether the same-sex relationship is hidden in order to keep anti-gay folks from picketing theaters.

"We're not exactly sure why Warner Bros. would bury this in their promotional campaign, unless they were concerned that it might scare potential ticket-buyers into going to see something else at the theaters this weekend," writes NY Mag's blog, Vulture.

Them's harsh words. It certainly wouldn't be the first time a film tries to quiet down a gay-related storyline in order to appease certain audiences.

Others aren't buying it. Queerty says it's not heterosexist to downplay the relationship between Cooper and Dane. It's just "schlocky." And true to form, movies are about making money, especially this one, which probably had to shell out an inordinate amount of cash to pay the A-list folks starring. Ashton Kutcher, Jessica Biel, Shirley MacLaine, Taylor Swift, Anne Hathaway, Taylor Lautner...and that's not even one-third of the cast.

At any rate, if Warner Brothers was trying to hide the relationship, let it be known: Bradley Cooper's character digs Eric Dane's character. And they're both dudes.

Now how many theaters do you think the folks at the Westboro Baptist Church can protest in one weekend?

Photo credit: Sister72

Michael Jones is a Change.org Editor. He has worked in the field of human rights communications for a decade, most recently for Harvard Law School.
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