Former Home and Away star Ross Newton still thinks there are limitations on how far an openly gay actor can go in their career, even 25 years since he was in the hit Australian TV soap.
Speaking with Seven’s The Morning Show this week, Newton reminisced about his involvement in the hit show which saw his character Greg Marshall marry Bobby at the height of the show’s popularity.
He was also extremely candid about how his sexuality affected his acting career.
“Back in the early 1990s, it was a very different society,” Newton explained on The Morning Show.
“I think being an LGBTQI performer in the entertainment industry was totally fine – but it was more the perception of society. Society wasn’t really warming to that and it was still taboo.
“I think we’ve come leaps and bounds – and reflecting on my time on Home and Away, I was told by a producer at the time, for your career’s sake and for our show, it’s best that you don’t talk about this sort of thing.
Newton talked about how in the 90’s you would go into a casting for any show and you weren’t allowed to tell anyone that you were gay.
“I found it really challenging. It really had a huge effect,” Newton said.
“I was constantly on my toes – I was always wondering, is someone going to find out or am I going to get caught out somewhere?
Today Newton lives with his partner Lukas and works in fundraising at Western Sydney University and hasn’t given up the idea of acting but feels it’s still just as tough for those LGBTQ actors wanting to further their career.
He spoke of Kristen Stewart and her struggles of being out in Hollywood, saying that it has likely negatively affected her career.
“In dramas, there is always some LGBTIQ characters which is awesome and that was happening a long time ago as well.
“I still think, for actors in the industry, if you’re open about who you are, I think there are limitations in terms of the opportunities that are available to you – at least in terms of the really big roles.”
“Yes we are so much more ahead than what we were in the 90’s and that’s fantastic but I still think we have to be more diligent in terms of that representation and the opportunities that we should be able to have.”
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Last Updated on Sep 23, 2019
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