Randy Harrison and Paul Anthony Stewart star in Primary Stages' "Harbor," which opens Aug. 6 in New York

[Source]

Curtis M. Wong
curtis@huffingtonpost.com

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'Harbor,' With Randy Harrison And Paul Anthony Stewart, Tackles Gay Parenting, Post-DOMA Challenges

Posted: 07/31/2013 3:08 pm EDT | Updated: 08/01/2013 10:09 am EDT

Randy Harrison and Paul Anthony Stewart star in Primary Stages' "Harbor," which opens Aug. 6 in New York.

From 1982’s "Torch Song Trilogy" to 2013’s "The Nance," the theater world has rarely shied away from depicting gay themes onstage. Still, Chad Beguelin’s “Harbor” breaks fresh ground as a theatrical examination of the modern challenges the gay community now faces in a post-DOMA world.

“Harbor,” which opens Aug. 6 at 59E59 Theaters in New York, focuses on Ted (Paul Anthony Stewart) and Kevin (Randy Harrison), a newlywed gay couple whose seemingly idyllic life is disrupted when Kevin’s estranged sister Donna (Erin Cummings) and 15-year-old niece Lottie (Alexis Molnar) arrive unannounced on the doorstep of their Sag Harbor estate. Kevin and Ted’s already uneven relationship is tested when the cash-strapped Donna reveals she is pregnant with her second baby and begins pressuring the couple into raising the child themselves.

“Harbor” is very much a natural fit for Harrison, who played the tormented gay teen Justin on Showtime’s "Queer As Folk" from 2000 to 2005 to great acclaim. Stewart, who nabbed an Emmy nod for his 11-year “Guiding Light” tenure, is also a standout in a role he originated during the show's initial 2012 run at Connecticut's Westport Country Playhouse. Still, the new Primary Stages production is anything but a star vehicle, and each member of the four-person ensemble receives his or her transcendent moment as the show reaches a catastrophic, if strangely ambiguous, conclusion.

Check out production photos of Primary Stages' "Harbor" below, then scroll down to keep reading:

Describing Kevin as “neurotic” and “struggling to find himself,” Harrison believes “Harbor” tackles universal themes to which both gay and straight audiences can relate.

“It’s really about figuring out what you want out of life and making big decisions in order to pursue those goals,” said the 35-year-old actor, whose stage résumé includes a stint in Broadway’s “Wicked” and the Off-Broadway smash “Silence! The Musical."

Acknowledging that the show raises significant questions about both gay paternity and same-sex marriage, Beguelin insists he did not intend for “Harbor” to be an “issue play.” He says he was inspired to write the show after a discussion with his longtime partner, Tom Sleeman, about raising children of their own.

Still, at least one of the show’s cast members encountered some resistance after telling friends and family she’d accepted a role in a gay-themed play.

“I had one family member who immediately responded, ‘Gay’s in, I’m out,’” Cummings recalled. “The irony is that this play is really about family -- you will find people within that family who will say and do things that are incredibly hurtful, and you have to make a choice to either continue loving them or walk away.”

Stewart echoed those sentiments, saying the show deals with “the family that we’re born into, the family that we create, the family we leave behind and the family that is thrust upon us. … Every character in this play has a need for some sort of family, for a safe harbor … a person they can feel like they’re at home with.”

For Harrison, the changing definition of “family,” as well as the national push for marriage equality, is having a noticeable impact on the roles he’s been offered of late: “This is the second time I’m playing a married [gay] character. I never thought when I was 20 that I’d be playing a married gay man, let alone one who is dealing with the pressure to become a parent.”

Currently in previews, Primary Stages' "Harbor" opens Aug. 6 at 59E59 Theaters in New York. Click here for tickets and more information.

CORRECTION: The original version of this article identified Randy Harrison as being 37 years old. He is actually 35.

Lafayette - S6E7

True Blood - Lafayette

Larry Kramer Is Married in Hospital Ceremony

[Source]

Larry Kramer and David Webster
Published: July 26, 2013

William David Webster and Larry Kramer were married Wednesday in New York. Eve M. Preminger, a retired Surrogate Court judge in New York, officiated at NYU Langone Medical Center, where Mr. Kramer was recovering from surgery.

Courtesy of David Webster

David Webster, left, and Larry Kramer

Mr. Webster (left), 66, goes by David. He is the principal designer and the owner of an architectural design firm in New York that bears his name. He graduated from Columbia.

He is a son of the late Beryl Murrell Webster and the late William C. Webster, who lived in White Plains.

Mr. Kramer, 78, is an author and a founder of the Gay Men’s Health Crisis and the protest group Act Up, in New York. His autobiographical play, “The Normal Heart,” about the early days of the AIDS crisis, opened at the Public Theater in 1985 and was revived on Broadway in 2011. He wrote the screenplay for the 1969 film “Women in Love,” of which he was also a producer, and for the movie version of “The Normal Heart,” which is now in production. Mr. Kramer graduated from Yale, where a program in gay and lesbian studies was named for him.

He is a son of the late Rea Kramer and the late George Kramer, who lived in Washington.

A version of this article appeared in print on July 28, 2013, on page ST14 of the New York edition with the headline: David Webster, Larry Kramer.

Benedict Cumberbatch marries two friends as he officiates at gay wedding

[Source]

'It's a lovely thing to be asked to do': Benedict Cumberbatch marries two friends as he officiates at gay wedding in Ibiza

By Joanna Crawley
PUBLISHED: 09:59 GMT, 25 July 2013 | UPDATED: 13:06 GMT, 25 July 2013

From detective to officiant! Benedict Cumberbatch presides over the marriage of two gay friends in Ibiza

The 37-year-old conducted the ceremony, jetting to the White Isle just hours after learning he’d been nominated for an Emmy Award.

Just before packing his bags, Benedict told Vulture of his wedding gig: 'Of course I’m going to make a joke after it if it goes well- "I do weddings. Next will be children’s parties and bat mitzvahs."

'It’s a mainly Jewish and gay audience so hopefully they will be lenient towards me,' he joked of his high-pressure role.

Big day: Benedict (centre) officiates at the outdoor ceremony, marrying friends Seth Cummings and Rob Rinder

Sunshine break: Benedict relaxes with a group of friends in Ibiza, after officiating at his friends' wedding

Dressed in a dapper black suit and open necked shirt the star was pictured reading from his notes as he presided over the ceremony of his friends Seth Cummings and Rob Ridner.

The stunning location of the Hacienda Hotel saw the happy couple exchange their vows against a backdrop of cliffs as the sun blazed down.

Wedding guest, writer Julie Burchill, raved about the ceremony and Benedict: ‘The hotel was lush, the bridegrooms were beautiful, and the man who married them (to each other) was Benedict Cumberbatch ? so yes, it was quite a blast.’

Benedict has had a busy year starring in Star Trek Into Darkness and shooting the new series of Sherlock which returns to screens later this year

It looks like the busy star is makingthe most of his sunshine break as another photo from the White Isle sees the actor posing shirtless with a group of pals in an outdoor restaurant.

The actor beamed for the snap alongside bikini-clad model Katia Elizarova, entrepreneur Ivan Massow, one of the grooms Rob and fashion designer Ben de Lisi, who was modelling a very deep tan.

According to rumours, Benedict and gorgeous Russian Katia, 26 are getting close with Now Magazine reporting that the pair were spotted kissing and cosying up on a sun lounger after the nuptials.

Cumberbatch and Elizarova were first linked last year after being spotted out together.

However, Cumberbatch denied the rumours at the time, telling the Daily Telegraph that the two are 'just old friends'.

Celebrating: The star found out his latest Emmy nomination, for drama Parade's End, just before jetting to Ibiza

It was a weekend of celebrations for Benedict after his arrival in Ibiza on Friday, which happened to be his 37th birthday. The star had just discovered he had been nominated for an Emmy for his part in BBC drama Parade’s End, his second nod following recognition in 2012 for his lead role in Sherlock.

The actor joked that the Ibiza bash would be a double celebration telling Vulture: 

‘My friend doesn’t even know this. I’ve been so busy trying to get luggage from one airport to another, I haven’t even gotten around to telling him. I managed to tell my mum and dad, who are over the moon.’

Next up for Benedict is his portrayal of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange in forthcoming film The Fifth Estate. His portrayal has already set tongues wagging thanks to the critical response from the man himself, and is set for release this October.

Benedict Cumberbatch Officiates Gay Wedding In Lieu Of Comic-Con

[Source]

Benedict Cumberbatch Officiates Gay Wedding In Lieu Of Comic-Con

The Huffington Post | By Christopher Rudolph
Posted: 07/25/2013 11:26 am EDT | Updated: 07/25/2013 11:32 am EDT

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM - MARCH 12: Benedict Cumberbatch attends the South Bank Sky Arts Awards at The Dorchester on March 12, 2013 in London, England. (Photo by Simon Burchell/Getty Images)

Sherlock solves another mystery!

Benedict Cumberbatch, star of BBC's "Sherlock" and the villain from "Star Trek Into Darkness," was surprisingly absent from the year's biggest pop culture event, the San Diego Comic-Con. There was a "Sherlock" panel at the convention, but series stars Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman (who plays Watson on the series) were only seen in a pre-taped greeting to the fans. While Freeman had an excuse (he was on set in New Zealand for the next installment of "The Hobbit" films), the reason for Cumberbatch's absence was never given. Until now.

Cumberbatch himself revealed that instead of attending the "Sherlock" panel, he was busy officiating a gay wedding for his friend Seth Cummings, who tied the knot with Rob Rinder at the Hotel Hacienda in Ibiza. The recently ordained (and now Emmy-nominated) actor did confess he couldn't resist a joke after the ceremony, as he told The Sun:

"Of course, I'm going to make a joke after it, 'I do weddings. Next will be children's parties and bat mitzvahs,' if it goes well. It's a mainly Jewish and gay audience, so hopefully they will be lenient towards me."

(Photo courtesy of Ivan Massow)

The third season of "Sherlock" will not premiere in the US until next year on PBS, and look below to check out Cumberbatch's Comic-Con video.

Johnny Weir Urges No Olympic Boycott

[Source]

Openly Gay Olympic Figure Skater Johnny Weir Urges No Olympic Boycott

July 25, 2013 11:57 AM

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By Nicholas F. Benton

Two-time Olympic figure skating competitor, openly gay Johnny Weir urged in his weekly column today that there be no boycott of the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia next February to protest the recent escalation of Russian anti-gay measures.

Weir, a three-time U.S. men’s figure skating champion who competed for the United State in the 2006 Winter games in Torino, Italy and again in the 2010 games in Vancouver, Canada, states in his column published today exclusively for the Falls Church News-Press (on fcnp.com):

“The fact that Russia is arresting my people, and openly hating a minority and violating human rights all over the place is heartbreaking and a travesty of international proportions. … I respect the LGBT community full heartedly, but I implore the world not to boycott the Olympic Games because of Russia’s stance on LGBT rights or lack thereof.”

He added, “I beg the gay athletes not to forget their missions and fight for a chance to dazzle the world. … Olympics are history, and they do not represent their host, they represent the world entire. People make their own futures, and should a government or sponsor steal that future, whether it be a Russian government or American government, it is, as an athlete, the death and total demolition of a lifetime of work. Support the athletes.”

He said that he intends to compete, despite the risks involved with being openly gay in Russia, next February if he qualifies. “There isn’t a police officer or a government that, should I qualify, could keep me from competing at the Olympics.”

Benedict Cumberbatch officiates gay wedding

[Source]

Benedict Cumberbatch officiates gay wedding on Mediterranean island resort

'Star Trek Into Darkness' actor helps friends tie the knot in beautiful Ibiza ceremony.

By Ethan Sacks / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Thursday, July 25, 2013, 1:20 PM

Courtesy of Ivan Massow

Newly ordained Benedict Cumberbatch officiated the wedding of two gay friends Saturday at the Hacienda Hotel Ibiza.

Is there anything Benedict Cumberbatch can’t do?

Fresh off an Emmy nomination for the mini-series “Parade’s End” and a breakthrough role as the villain in “Star Trek Into Darkness,” the 37-year-old British actor married a gay couple on the Spanish island of Ibiza on Saturday.

Courtesy of Ivan Massow

Benedict Cumberbatch flew into the Spanish island of Ibiza on his 37th birthday on Friday to make the wedding.

Cumberbatch, a newly ordained minister, officiated the wedding of his friends Seth Cummings and Rob Ridner, according to the a Facebook post from one of the guests.

Taylor Hill/FilmMagic

Benedict Cumberbatch, star of the BBC's 'Sherlock,' is fresh off an Emmy nomination for miniseries 'Paradise's End.'

The wedding-goer also posted several pictures of the ceremony itself, conducted atop a cliff on the grounds at the Hacienda Hotel Ibiza, overlooking a picture-post card view of the Mediterranean Sea during the ceremony.

NWA/WENN.com

Benedict Cumberbatch arriving at the Ibiza Airport wearing a suit jacket and shorts with a pair of flip-flops Friday, a day before the wedding he officiated.

In the photos, Cumberbatch sported a black suit with a white dress shot, with the buttons left open at the collar.

“It's a very private, lovely thing to be asked to do," Cumberbatch told Vulture last week before the ceremony. "Of course, I'm going to make a joke after it, 'I do weddings. Next will be children's parties and Bat Mitzvahs,' if it goes well.

“It's a mainly Jewish and gay audience, so hopefully they will be lenient towards me."

Lafayette - S6E6

True Blood - Lafayette

Jesse Tyler Ferguson Marries Justin Mikita

[Source]

Jesse Tyler Ferguson Marries Justin Mikita

By Monica Rizzo
07/21/2013 at 08:00 AM EDT

Modern Family Emmy nominee Jesse Tyler Ferguson married longtime love Justin Mikita in downtown New York City Saturday, Ferguson's rep confirms to PEOPLE.

Ferguson, 37, who plays uptight lawyer Mitchell Pritchett on the hit ABC sitcom, and Mikita, 27, a real-life lawyer, became engaged last year when the two vacationed in Mexico, after being together nearly two years.

Playwright and screenwriter Tony Kushner officiated the ceremony, according to Ferguson's rep.

"Never been happier. XO Goodnight!" Ferguson Tweeted early Sunday morning.

Among those in attendance: Nigel Lythgoe, Cat Deeley and Mary Murphy from Ferguson's So You Think You Can Dance guest-judging gig.

"I think the service at Justin and Jesse's wedding was so beautifully honest," Lythgoe Tweeted. "It was so emotional that when we weren't laughing we were crying."

The actor's Modern Family costar Julie Bowen later dubbed the N.Y.C. affair the "#bestweddingever."

Despite residing in California, the Montana-born Ferguson explained last month on The View – a day after the historic June 26 Supreme Court ruling that called the state's Pop 8 unconstitutional – that the couple had already made plans to marry in New York, because "that's where it was legal."

He added, "It wasn't legal in California up until yesterday. Weddings are expensive, y'all, and we wanted to give that money to a state that accepted us as an equal. We're too far down the planning path to change."

One thing on which the couple promised they'd spare no expense is good drinks for their guests.

"We really want a great mixologist for a craft cocktail bar," Mikita told PEOPLE earlier this year. "There are some great New York speakeasies, like Milk and Honey. So we're trying to bring a cool vibe like that to our wedding."

In lieu of wedding gifts, the couple asked that guests donate to the marriage equality charity Tie The Knot, to help other same-sex couples win equal rights in other states.

Husband.
— Justin Mikita (@JustinMikita) July 21, 2013

Zachary Quinto and Jonathan Groff Call It Quits, Remain Friends

[Source]

Zachary Quinto and Jonathan Groff Call It Quits, Remain Friends

By Jeremy Blacklow | omg! – Fri, Jul 19, 2013 2:09 PM EDT

Zachary Quinto and Jonathan Groff, June 2012 (Splash News)

UPDATE: Omg! spoke on Friday with multiple sources who have insight to the relationship, who tell us the following: Zachary and Jonathan broke up around five months ago and remain close friends. They even had dinner together a couple of weeks ago.

News of their breakup first surfaced last week, when both were expected to attend the opening night of Outfest (the L.A. gay and lesbian film festival), in support of Jonathan's new film "C.O.G.", but everyone was surprised when Zachary didn't join him on the red carpet.

Zachary was also seen on a date with another guy at a Cinema Society screening of Madonna's new concert  in NYC a few weeks. According to our source, they were "openly affectionate."

They broke up both because of their busy schedules and the fact that they wanted different things from the relationship.

========================================

Zachary Quinto and Jonathan Groff have called it quits as a couple, several outlets report, although they apparently have been dunzo for a while now.

The "Star Trek Into Darkness" star and the "Glee" guest actor broke up last spring, according to Gossip Cop and Us Weekly. While both outlets report that they remain good friends, Perez Hilton claims that things did "not end well." The couple reportedly started dating in early 2012.

Us Weekly points out that it was distance that put a strain on the relationship. "Zach being away and filming was not easy on them," a source tells the mag. "Now he's going to be in New York with his new play ['The Glass Menagerie']. They really loved each other, so it wasn't an easy split."

As mentioned, the thespians are on friendly terms. According to JustJared.com, Quinto went to see Groff perform recently on stage (Groff appeared this spring in L.A. Theatre Works's production of the play "Red," as well as a one-night only benefit performance of "The Pirates of Penzance" in NYC on June 10).

But the couple hasn't been photographed together since back in February, when they were seen out walking their dogs together in Boston. Quinto was snapped walking the pups with a mystery man in NYC in early June.

Zachary Quinto walks the dogs with a mystery friend in NYC, June 2013 (Splash News)

It's been a tough week for Groff, who is best friends with "Glee" star Lea Michele. He reportedly flew immediately to be by her side in the wake of her boyfriend Cory Monteith's death on Saturday. Groff — who was also friends with Monteith — and Michele met when they co-starred on Broadway together in 2006's "Spring Awakenings." He was previously romantically linked to Broadway star Gavin Creel.

Groff is currently in production on "Glee" showrunner Ryan Murphy's film version of Larry Kramer's "The Normal Heart." Next, he'll be shooting a new series for HBO about the contemporary gay male experience living in San Francisco (which some have called "the gay 'Girls'"), in which he plays a video game designer who's looking for love on OKCupid. He recently gave an extended interview to the San Francisco Chronicle talking about his upcoming projects.

This was the first significant gay relationship for Quinto since he came out of the closet in October 2011. The actor acknowledged in a blog post on his personal website that he was motivated to do so by the suicide of teen Jamey Rodemeyer. "In light of jamey's death," he wrote, "It became clear to me in an instant that living a gay life without publicly acknowledging it - is simply not enough to make any significant contribution to the immense work that lies ahead on the road to complete equality."

Omg! reached out to reps for both actors about their breakup. Groff's rep has "no comment" and Quinto's rep has not yet replied as of publication.

(this article was originally published on Thursday, June 18, at 12:23 p.m. PT)

Zachary Quinto ‘splits from Jonathan Groff ‘

[Source]

Zachary Quinto ‘splits from Jonathan Groff ‘

Zachary Quinto

18 July 2013

Zachary Quinto and Jonathan Groff are said to not be on speaking terms after they recently broke up.

The Star Trek Into Darkness actor and his partner dated for almost a year.

Apparently the pair are no longer on speaking terms after ending the relationship acrimoniously.

A source told PerezHilton.com it "not end well” between the men.

Zachary, 37, was recently seen walking their dogs with another man, according to the website.

The reason for the split remains unclear.

Zachary confirmed their romance during an interview published last September.

“One of the most defining conversations that I had with myself was that absolutely no good can come from me staying quiet about [my sexuality]. Literally, no good can come from it,” he told Out magazine. “But if I take the step to make the acknowledgment and be honest, so much good could potentially come from it.

“I’m incredibly happy, I’m incredibly lucky,” he added in regards to his relationship with Jonathan.

In March, engagement rumours began to swirl.

Apparently Zachary was thinking about popping the question to his love.

"It’s by far the happiest relationship he’s ever been in,” a source told America’s Star magazine. “They’ve been serious for a while now, but things have heated up since they started living together."

Jonathan meanwhile recently stopped work on his new film and jet from New York to Los Angeles to console his best friend and Glee co-star Lea Michele in the wake Cory Monteith’s death.

Lea was dating the actor at the time of his sudden passing on Saturday.

A coroner ruled this week Cory died from a lethal combination of heroin and alcohol.

Zachary Quinto, Jonathan Groff Break Up

[Source]

Zachary Quinto, Jonathan Groff Break Up: Reports

Posted: 07/18/2013 5:17 pm EDT  |  Updated: 07/19/2013 9:20 am EDT

It's splitsville for "Star Trek" hunk Zachary Quinto and boyfriend Jonathan Groff.

According to both US Weekly and Perez Hilton, the handsome pair's conflicting work schedules were to blame for the breakup.

"Zach being away and filming was not easy on them," US Weekly quotes a source as saying. "Now he's going to be in New York with his new Broadway play 'The Glass Menagerie.' They really loved each other, so it wasn't an easy split."

Meanwhile, Perez Hilton cites a source who claims the split was far from amiable, noting that things did "not end well" for the Hollywood pair.

Groff, a Broadway veteran known for his role on TV's "Boss" opposite Kelsey Grammar as well as guest-starring stints on "Glee," is currently gearing up to star in an as-yet-untitled HBO series which he recently described as focusing on "the gay experience." He'll also be seen opposite Julia Roberts and Mark Ruffalo in the film version of Larry Kramer's "The Normal Heart," which is set to air on HBO next year.

Groff is also said to be consoling "Glee" co-star Lea Michele, whom he befriended during the run of Broadway's "Spring Awakening," on the death of her boyfriend Cory Monteith, according to US Weekly.

In September 2012, Quinto confirmed he and Groff were in a relationship, but did not elaborate further.
"I'm incredibly happy, I'm incredibly lucky," Quinto told Out Magazine at the time.

Zachary Quinto splits from Jonathan Groff

[Source]

Star Trek's Zachary Quinto splits from Glee star Jonathan Groff... but pledges to 'remain friends'

By Cliff Renfrew
PUBLISHED: 01:19 GMT, 18 July 2013 | UPDATED: 01:19 GMT, 18 July 2013

Star Trek's Zachary Quinto has split from his long-term boyfriend Jonathan Groff.

The pair are said to be 'remaining friends' following the end of their romance, having quietly parted ways earlier this year.

Zachary, 34, and Jonathan, 28, broke-up in the Spring but they decided not to go public about the end of their relationship.

Quits: Start Trek's Zachary Quinto has split with his boyfriend Jonathan Groff - here the pair walked their dogs last December in Los Angeles

A source close to the situation told the GossipCop blog 'they remain friends' and added there is 'nothing salacious' to the story.

In fact Zachary even recently went to see Jonathan perform on stage

The private couple had last been photographed together last September leading to rumors of a potential rift between them.

Zachary joined the ranks of celebrities like Ricky Martin, Lance Bass and Ellen DeGeneres by publicly admitting that he was gay back in 2011.

The following year he and former Glee star Jonathan went public about their relationship.

Remaining friends: Zachary and Jonathan enjoy a drinks in New York last June

High profile: Zachary went public about being gay in 2011

Speaking to New York Magazine at the time Zachary opened-up about his sexuality.

'As a gay man, it made me feel like there's still so much work to be done, and there's still so many things that need to be looked at and addressed,' he said.

The actor also became vocal about the bullying of young gay and lesbian teenagers -even making a video for the It Gets Better campaign'

And again, as a gay man I look at that and say there’s a hopelessness that surrounds it, but as a human being I look at it and say Why?

'Where’s this disparity coming from, and why can’t we as a culture and society dig deeper to examine that? We’re terrified of facing ourselves,' he said in reference to bullying.

Global star: Zachary has become know around the world as Dr Spock in the new Star Trek franchise

John Barrowman Is Happy To Be Married, But Hopes To Get Naked With Costar Stephen Amell

[Source]

John Barrowman Is Happy To Be Married, But Hopes To Get Naked With Costar Stephen Amell

Newlywed actor John Barrowman attributes the success of his recent marriage to Scott Gill, his partner of 20 years, to a single word: “tolerance.”

“I always say, if life is like a road, or a relationship is, then we have these speed bumps,” Barrowman, known (and worshiped) for roles in Arrow, Dr. Who and Torchwood, said during an interview with We Love Soaps. “Every so often they kind of jolt you.”

The 46-year-old actor takes inspiration from his parent’s long marriage.

“My mom and dad always said that relationships are work; you work at them,” he said “If something goes wrong or someone makes a mistake, you have to be able to forgive and forget and move on from it. If you decide to end something because of something stupid — like someone making out with someone at a party because they were drunk — is it really ruining your whole relationship over it, just because of that one little mistake?”

Gill must also consider this solid advice with such a dashing actor husband, particularly one eager to get naked with his stunning Arrow costar Stephen Amell.

As Barrowman reveals, ”One of the criteria when I got the job: I said to Andrew Kriesberg [the show's writer-producer], ‘I’ll go ahead and do it, but you have to write me a scene where Stephen Amell is naked.’”

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By: Jeremy Kinser
On: Jul 18, 2013

Zachary Quinto, ‘Glee’ actor Jonathan Groff split

[Source]

Zachary Quinto, ‘Glee’ actor Jonathan Groff split: report

The couple have reportedly pulled the plug on their relationship due to distance and conflicting work schedules.

By Rachel Maresca / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Thursday, July 18, 2013, 2:24 PM

Jason Webber / Splash News/Jason Webber / Splash News

During happier times, Zachary Quinto and boyfriend Jonathan Groff seen out and about in the West Village.

During happier times, Zachary Quinto and boyfriend Jonathan Groff seen out and about in the West Village.

Distance has apparently stood in the way for Hollywood couple Zachary Quinto and boyfriend Jonathan Groff.

According to an Us Weekly report, "Star Trek" lead Quinto and "Glee” actor Groff have called it quits due to their busy acting schedules.

PHOTOS: CELEBRITY BREAKUPS: THE EX FILES

"Zach being away and filming was not easy on them," a source explained to the mag.

"Now he's going to be in New York with his new Broadway play 'The Glass Menagerie.' They really loved each other, so it wasn't an easy split."

RELATED: WATCH: LEA MICHELE AND JONATHAN GROFF PERFORM ADELE'S 'ROLLING IN THE DEEP'

The couple's break up has reportedly been an amicable one but the relationship "just ran its course," the source added.

"Zach has been out and about and he seems fine."

Bunny, PacificCoastNews.com/Bunny, PacificCoastNews.com

Zachary Quinto and boyfriend Jonathan Groff have reportedly called it quits, Groff confirmed his relationship with Quinto in September 2012.

PHOTOS: SAME-SEX STAR COUPLES

As Quinto, 36, gears up for the stage, Groff is currently consoling his close friend Lea Michele, his costar from the play "Spring Awakening" and "Glee," in wake of her boyfriend Cory Monteith's sudden death.

"He flew to be with her as soon as he heard," a pal told Us.

RELATED: ZACHARY QUINTO IS A GAY MAN, 'STAR TREK' ACTOR REVEALS IN NEW INTERVIEW

"His heart is broken for her — and he loved Cory too. The three of them would hang out together."

Groff, 28, and Quinto's relationship was first confirmed in September 2012 just a month shy of a year after Quinto officially came out as a gay man during an interview in October 2011.

"I'm incredibly happy, I'm incredibly lucky," Quinto told Out Magazine of their relationship at the time.

"I found myself in a pattern of being attracted to people who were somehow unavailable, and what I realized was that I was protecting myself because I equated the idea of connection and love with trauma and death."

"I had to do a lot of work on the couch to really get to a place where I was able to show up to a relationship with someone who was actually capable of being in one — and that took a lot of trial and error," he added.

Zachary Quinto, Jonathan Groff Break Up

[Source]

Zachary Quinto, Jonathan Groff Break Up

Celebrity News July 18, 2013 AT 10:00AM By Joyce Chen

Zachary Quinto (r.) and Jonathan Groff reportedly broke up.
Credit: PacificCoastNews.com

Distance may have just done them in. Zachary Quinto and boyfriend Jonathan Groff have reportedly broken up after their work schedules got the best of their relationship, a source tells Us Weekly.

"Zach being away and filming was not easy on them," the source explain. "Now he's going to be in New York with his new play [The Glass Menagerie]. They really loved each other, so it wasn't an easy split."

The pair's split is an amicable one, however. "It just ran its course," the source says of the pair. "Zach has been out and about and he seems fine."

Quinto, 36, who is best known for his turn as Mr. Spock in two Star Trek films and terrifying turns in seasons one and two of American Horror Story, is currently preparing to make his Broadway debut in The Glass Menagerie this fall. As it happens, Groff has put aside any of his own heartache to console his close friend Lea Michele -- now grieving the death of her boyfriend, Cory Monteith. "He flew to be with her as soon as he heard," another pal says. "His heart is broken for her."

He and Glee actor Groff, 28, first confirmed their relationship in September 2012, nearly a year after Quinto officially came out as a gay man in October 2011.

"I'm incredibly happy, I'm incredibly lucky," he told Out magazine of their relationship at the time, noting that his past relationships weren't quite so healthy. "I found myself in a pattern of being attracted to people who were somehow unavailable, and what I realized was that I was protecting myself because I equated the idea of connection and love with trauma and death."

"I had to do a lot of work on the couch to really get to a place where I was able to show up to a relationship with someone who was actually capable of being in one -- and that took a lot of trial and error," he added.

I am so proud we have had the courage to make love equal by David Cameron

[Source]

Exclusive: I am so proud we have had the courage to make love equal by David Cameron

by David Cameron
18 July 2013, 11:04am

David Cameron said that the law should never divide
love

Writing exclusively for PinkNews.co.uk and the media partner of our Out4Marriage campaign, the London Evening Standard, the Prime Minister has said that love should not be “divided by law”. David Cameron also heaped praise on Out4Marriage and Freedom to Marry, the Conservative equal marriage group founded by MP Nick Herbert.

I am proud that we have made same-sex marriage happen. I am delighted that the love two people have for each other – and the commitment they want to make – can now be recognised as equal. I have backed this reform because I believe in commitment, responsibility and family. I don’t want to see people’s love divided by law.

Making marriage available to everyone says so much about the society that we are and the society that we want to live in – one which respects individuals regardless of their sexuality. If a group is told again and again that they are less valuable, over time they may start to believe it. In addition to the personal damage that this can cause, it inhibits the potential of a nation. For this reason too, I am pleased that we have had the courage to change.

I also want to acknowledge those that worked to bring about this moment: the campaigners, groups such as Out4Marriage and Freedom to Marry, and the team in the civil service and Parliament who worked to deliver it.

The UK is rated as the best place in Europe for LGBT equality – but we cannot be complacent. There are subjects we must continue to tackle: not least taking a zero tolerance approach to homophobic bullying, and caring for elderly members of the LGBT community. Rest assured, this Government will work tirelessly to make sure this happens.

As the sun shines this week on our country, the LGBT community now know that the unique bond of marriage is available to them. As Lord Alderdice put it when arguing for civil partnerships in 2004: ‘One of the most fundamental rights of all is the right to have close, confiding, lasting, intimate relationships. Without them, no place, no money, no property, no ambition – nothing – amounts to any value.. It seems to me a fundamental human right to be able to choose the person with whom you wish to spend your life and with whom you wish to have a real bond’,

I couldn’t agree more. Yesterday was an historic day.

Zachary Quinto & Jonathan Groff Split

[Source]

Wed, 17 July 2013 at 6:25 pm

Zachary Quinto & Jonathan Groff Split

Zachary Quinto and Jonathan Groff have ended their relationship after over a year together.

The actors “remain friends” and there is “nothing salacious” to the story, according to Gossip Cop. In fact, Zach reportedly went to see Jon on stage recently, despite quietly breaking up in the spring.

Zachary came out of the closet back in 2011 and confirmed his relationship with Jonathan the next year. They were last photographed together back in September in Los Angeles.

ARE YOU SAD that Zachary Quinto and Jonathan Groff called it quits?

The Marriage Equality bill has passed the House of Commons

[Source]

Equal marriage bill passes final House of Commons stage and will receive Royal Assent

by Joseph Patrick McCormick
16 July, 9:21pm

The House of Commons passed the equal marriage bill
this evening

The equal marriage bill for England and Wales has once again been passed in the House of Commons, and will soon will be given Royal Assent to become law.

Conservative MP David Burrowes had tabled an amendment and was today once again accused of trying to delay implementation of the bill. Pro-equal marriage MPs padded out their speeches so that Mr Burrowes could not propose his amendment.

The amendment he tabled sought to force the government to hold individual public consultations for changes to secondary legislation.

This process was used from time to time on other laws, such as the Digital Economy Act 2010, but it was not proposed for the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill.

The amendment was not considered, as the two-hour time limit for discussions came to an end before MPs could debate it.

The equal marriage bill was passed in the House of Commons, and as all amendments added in the House of Lords were accepted, it will not be required to go back to the Lords.

Prior to the bill, Culture Secretary Maria Miller said the Government would protect those on both sides of the question of the same-sex marriage debate.

The publisher of PinkNews.co.uk and Out4Marriage founder Benjamin Cohen said this evening: “We are delighted that after five years of editorial campaigning and just three years after we received the support of the three main party leaders, Parliament has finally approved same-sex marriage.

“Giving gay couples the right to marry will make Britain a more tolerant, open and welcoming place to live in and significantly increase the life prospects of so many people. It is absolutely fantastic that this change in the law, almost uniquely, was proposed by a Conservative prime minister and his Liberal Democrat Deputy with the support of the Labour party leader. Sometimes politicians can work together for the common good and this is a stunning example of this.”

Writing for PinkNews yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said: “I first talked about this issue on PinkNews over 3 years ago. Back then, I know many of you feared that equal marriage might never happen. The obstacles to us achieving reform seemed insurmountable.

“But we consulted. We debated. And whatever has been said in Parliament since this process began, we know the majority of people in Britain support equal marriage. They see it is right. They say it is fair.”

Leader of the Labour Party Ed Miliband in a column for PinkNews wrote: “When I first pledged my support for equal marriage – in an article for PinkNews.co.uk during the Labour Party leadership campaign in 2010 – few people would have thought that in less than three years the legalisation would have passed through Parliament. This shows how far we have come as a country in recent years- and is also a tribute to the fantastic campaigning by PinkNews and other groups.

“But we must also remember that the fight for equality is not over. People across the world continue to face discrimination and hatred because of their sexuality. And closer to home too many people suffer bullying and hate crimes because of their sexuality.”

An article from The Backlot

[Source]

“Major Crimes” Tackles Coming Out And Gender Dysphoria

by Jim Halterman | July 15, 2013

**Warning, this post contains moderate spoilers for tonight’s episode of Major Crimes.**

Graham Patrick Martin as Rusty Beck on TNT’s Major Crimes

Procedural crime dramas aren’t typically the venue for three dimensional gay characters and nuanced coming out stories. The popular TV genre tends to focus more on the case of the week than character, but this season TNT’s Major Crimes is finding a healthy balance between the two.

The spin-off of The Closer is currently in its second season with high ratings and a weekly plethora of whodunit criminal cases dissected (and solved) by Captain Sharon Raydor (Mary McDonnell) and her team, comprised primarily of characters carried over from The Closer like Detectives Provenza (G. W. Bailey) and Flynn (Tony Denison).

And then there’s Rusty.

Initially brought in for one episode at the end of The Closer, the troubled teen (played by Graham Patrick Martin) was carried over to Major Crimes as a regular character. (As he’s a major witness in a murder case, he’s been living with Raydor under protective custody.) Rusty’s orientation has been thus far unclear, but his past as a homeless a teen prostitute has certainly raised questions.

Rusty is heavily impacted by the crime in tonight’s episode, “Boys Will Be Boys” (written by Jim Leonard and out Executive Producer James Duff). The episode revolves around identity in that a 13-year old murder victim named Michelle. It’s quickly revealed that is a physiological male with gender dysphoria. We also learn that her family members are suspects– and they display various levels of acceptance with Michelle’s gender dysphoria. Rusty may not be involved in the solving of the crime, but he’s around enough to realize that the question of identity is something he can very much relate to.

(l-r) Guest Star Tom Berenger, Martin and Mary McDonnell

In one scene from the episode, Rusty discusses the case with Raydor’s estranged husband, played by guest star Tom Berenger. Here’s how EP and episode co-writer James Duff describes the scene:

The transgender child’s father gives her dresses and Rusty’s like ‘why didn’t you just put a great big target on her back?’

‘Raydor’s husband responds, ‘I think it was very brave of her to wear those dresses. Sometimes it’s as dangerous trying to hide who you are as it is wearing something outlandish. And people can’t always hide who they are as you probably know.’

Rusty looks at him and says ‘why do you say that?’ And Sharon’s husband has to struggle to come up with an answer because obviously Rusty believes he isn’t, in some ways, batting on our team. And that’s a great moment for his character.”

Wisely mirroring real life, Rusty’s coming out has not been easy or fast as is evident by the recent plot point of Rusty taking on a girlfriend, which Duff said would only confuse things more for the teen. “He’s going to ask this girl to come study with him and things are going to get serious between the two of them because she really likes him and he doesn’t know how to handle it.”

In playing Rusty, Martin said there is a reason behind everything the character is doing. “Rusty’s never had normal, but he strives for it. I think it’s the driving force behind everything he does,” Martin told us from the show’s set during the filming of this episode. “Last season when he realizes his mother isn’t coming back…it’s devastating and now ‘how do I make this normal?’ and Sharon really presents that for him. I mean she’s a fantastic mother. She has been a mother and so it’s just kind of like making this life, this new life work, I think.”

Rusty may have found the mother he never had in Captain Sharon Raydor.

But more is coming this season, and an upcoming case also affects Rusty more than may initially be seen on the surface. “We come across a case of sexual abuse that really begins to unravel him,” Duff said. “When you have sex as a younger person, when you’re 15, 14, 13, boys think they want it, and boys will go after it, but it leaves a scar. It’s like violence. Because while our bodies are physically ready for it, emotionally we are not. And in sex with older men, which is what [Rusty] was doing on the streets, as he’s fond of saying, he was a teenage prostitute. And he has repressed memories [and] his repressed feelings about that come back to haunt him and end up desolating him. And he’s trying so hard to be normal and be a good kid and it’s more than he can handle. It’s actually more than virtually any child can handle.”

Rusty’s story certainly isn’t the norm for a television crime drama. “It was an awkward thing to put at the center of a procedural,” admitted Duff, who co-created The Closer and created Major Crimes. “But it served so many values at once because I think it helps to humanize the lead, Sharon, her character. And it gave her a challenge and a chance to see another side of herself.”

Martin agreed and added that Rusty has also found family figures in the variety of detectives that Raydor manages. “Sharon is the immediate family member, but by association,” Martin said, “Provenza is definitely a father figure and Rusty kind of has moments with each of the cast members and everyone takes this kind of protective role over him.”

Executive Producer/Creator James Duff

Duff said that Rusty’s story is one that has taken him back to his own past. “It’s really put me in touch with the calamities of my childhood,” he said. As a teen, Duff was trying to figure his sexuality out and went to someone he trust for help – a priest. “I thought I was being incredibly brave by going and talking to him about it because I didn’t know what else to say. And he told me that the reason I was having these feelings was because the devil wanted me. I was a devout Christian, and Jesus loved me, and he wanted to separate me from Jesus so I all I had to do was pray. And if I prayed hard enough, the temptation would be taken from me. So I prayed like mad for months, on my knees, in my bedroom.” Needless to say the feelings didn’t go away (though Duff told the priest they had so he wouldn’t go to his parents) and he now realizes “that’s how intensely I did not want to be out of the norm and out of my religion, really.”

And as for what is coming with Rusty throughout the rest of the season, expect the Philip Stroh case (the one in which Rusty is the star witness) to continue to pop up. This will put the teen, and perhaps those around him, in a not-so-safe place. “I can tell you that yes, he is in danger. It’s not just smooth sailing,” Martin teased. “Throughout this season it really comes back to haunt Rusty, and Philip Stroh is not just silent in a way.”

Major Crimes airs Mondays at 9pm on TNT. Fans can also live tweet with Duff and cast members during tonight’s episode.