The Normal Heart - HBO (TV movie)

[Source]

The Normal Heart (2014)
TV Movie - 133 min - Drama -  25 May 2014(USA)

A gay activist attempts to raise HIV/AIDS awareness during the early 1980s.

Director:Ryan Murphy
Writer:Larry Kramer (screenplay)

Taylor Kitsch	...	Bruce Niles
Matt Bomer	...	Felix Turner
Julia Roberts	...	Dr. Emma Brookner
Jonathan Groff	...	Craig
Jim Parsons	...	Tommy Boatwright
Mark Ruffalo	...	Ned Weeks
Alfred Molina	...	Ben Weeks
Denis O'Hare
Finn Wittrock	...	Albert
Joe Mantello	...	Mickey Marcus
Frank De Julio	...	Nick

--------------------------------------------

It's a HBO television film adopted from the same name play "The Normal Heart".

I haven't watched the play. I wish I lived in the US. I hope I'll be able to watch it someday.

The original play were Off-Broadway production at The Public Theater in 1985, and it was revived in Los Angeles and London and again Off-Broadway in 2004.
In 2011, the play debuted on the Broadway.
Also it was performed at Arena Stage of Washington, D.C. for three weeks in July 2012.
In Canada, a production produced by Studio 180 Theatre at Buddies in Bad Times theatre in Toronto, Ontario.

Matt Bomer's performance was amazing which almost made me believe that he was really ill.
And I kind of become a fun of Mark Ruffalo.
The scene where Tommy (Jim Parsons) recieved a notice of someone's death and took a card (dead person's name was written) from an address card　holder and put it in the desk drawer made me so sad.

Anyways it was a good film.

Jim Parsons Talks Standing On the Shoulders of Giants With Ellen - The Backlot

[Source]

Jim Parsons Talks Standing On the Shoulders of Giants With Ellen

by Ed Kennedy | May 23, 2014

Jim Parsons visited with Ellen, and they had a lot of fun. I loved that when Jim mentioned that he’d been with his partner Todd for ten years the crowd cheered, remembering that the suburban housewife demographic is big for Ellen. I squirmed a bit when it seemed like she tried to convince him to get married, because that seems to be a requirement these days and I don’t know that marriage is for everyone, but I loved how Jim handled it. They also discussed his trip to the Met Ball, his tennis fascination, and his sadness that he didn’t get to meet Roger Federer.

The conversation then moved on to the reason for the visit, discussing The Normal Heart, and Jim’s view that there is a message of hope to the film. Parsons is uniquely aware of the fact that his current life is possible because of people like Larry Kramer and the people he depicted in the film. And he also puts in quite the nice plug for Ellen herself.

HBO - The Normal Heart: YouTube clips

Clip: HBO's channel

The Hollywood Reporter - The Normal Heart video

[Source]

The Cast of 'The Normal Heart' on Bringing Gay Rights to the Big Screen

6:00 AM PDT 4/8/2014 by THR Staff

Matt Bomer, Mark Ruffalo, Jim Parsons and Taylor Kitsch share why they wanted to be part of Ryan Murphy's drama that took 30 years to make.

"One of my big hopes is that people whoi did not experience it directly will A have an understanding of what people went through at that time, but even more importantly, that fact that gay mens health crisis and ACT Up really catalyzed the gay rights movement," says Bomer. "We really stand on the shoulders of these people for the rights we have today."

Jim Parsons on The Late Late Show 26 Sep '12

When I was watching this video again, I felt I should share this part with. This is a little old though.
Jim is so adorable.

Harvey (Theatre) Review - Jim Parsons

[Source]

Stage Review

Harvey (2012)
Reviewed by Thom Geier | Jun 20, 2012

EW's GRADE	Details Opening Date: Jun 14, 2012; Lead Performances: Jessica Hecht, Charles Kimbrough and Jim Parsons; Writer: Mary Chase; Director: Scott Ellis; Genres: Comedy, Revival
B-

Image credit: Joan Marcus

JIM PARSONS IN HARVEY Perfectly suited to reprise Jimmy
Stewart's role from the 1950 film version in new Broadway
revival

Is Jim Parsons the next Jimmy Stewart? I wouldn't have made the connection before seeing the uneven new Broadway revival of Mary Chase's Harvey, which runs through Aug. 5 at the Roundabout Theatre Company's Studio 54. But like Stewart, the two-time Emmy-winning star of The Big Bang Theory is a rail-thin everyman who projects both intelligence and fundamental decency. He's perfectly suited to reprise Stewart's role from the 1950 film version of Harvey, about a seemingly ordinary guy whose best friend and constant companion is a six-foot-three-inch rabbit named Harvey that most of the world (including the audience) cannot see.

Of course, the family of that seemingly ordinary guy, Elwood P. Dowd, don't share his wide-eyed guilelessness. Dowd's prim sister, Veta (Jessica Hecht), is as much put out by his dinner invitations to people he's just met as she is to his constant opening of doors for invisible lapine friends. And how will she ever find a husband for her daughter, Myrtle Mae (Tracee Chimoo), with an uncle whom most of the town regard as a nutcase? So Veta decides to commit Elwood to a sanitarium run by Dr. Chumley (Murphy Brown's Charles Kimbrough). Naturally, things do not go according to plan.

Alas, the same might be said of Scott Ellis' oddly sluggish production, which lurches from scene to scene when it should be bunny-hopping briskly along. Mary Chase's play too often feels like a dated relic, and much of the cast are ill-suited to its demands. Hecht, a strong performer in dramas like A View From the Bridge and After the Fall, seems out of her element in a more broadly comic role as an appearance-minded fussbudget. In a cameo as Chumley's wife, Taxi's Carol Kane is neither grounded nor daffy enough.

The revelation here, aside from David Rockwell's stunning revolving sets, is Parsons. After a promising but tentative Broadway debut last year in A Normal Heart, the preternaturally boyish actor commands the stage in a surprisingly offhanded way. He rivets your attention without any big gestures or look-at-me grandstanding — and without merely delivering a Jimmy Stewart impression. Instead, he captures the essence of Stewart while making an old-fashioned character seem refreshingly modern. It's as if he's internalized Elwood's forthright embrace of the whimsically absurd. ''I've wrestled with reality most of my life,'' he says at one point, in a Sheldon-like deadpan. ''I'm happy to state I've won out over it.'' B-

(Tickets: roundabouttheatre.org or 212-719-1300)

Originally posted Jun 14, 2012

Jim Parsons has officially come out

[Source]

'The Big Bang Theory' star Jim Parsons has officially comes out as gay

Published: Thursday, May 24, 2012, 10:06 AM     Updated: Thursday, May 24, 2012, 10:06 AM
By Geoff Herbert, syracuse.com

The Associated Press

Jim Parsons has won two Emmys for Outstanding Lead Actor in a
Comedy Series for his role as Sheldon on "The Big Bang Theory."

"The Big Bang Theory" star Jim Parsons has officially confirmed he's gay.

Unlike previous actors who have appeared on the covers of magazines to announce their sexual orientation, Parsons only addressed his in passing during a New York Times interview about a new role in a Broadway play. In fact, the tidbit appears quietly on the third page of the article:

"The Normal Heart" resonated with him on a few levels: Mr. Parsons is gay and in a 10-year relationship, and working with an ensemble again onstage was like nourishment, he said.

The understated "coming out" may be because many "TBBT" fans have long suspected Parsons to be homosexual. Parsons didn't tell The New York Times who his partner was, but he's been rumored to be dating Todd Spiewak for years.

As Perez Hilton notes, the 39-year-old actor has been spotted out in public numerous times with Spiewak and even thanked him during a Golden Globes acceptance speech once. Tabloids even speculated the couple was engaged last year, but Parsons never officially addressed his sexuality before.

Danny Moloshok / AP Photo

Actor Jim Parsons, left, and Todd Spiewak, pose as they sit courtside
at the NBA basketball game between the Portland Trail Blazers
and Los Angeles Lakers Friday, March 23, 2012, in Los Angeles.

"For years, Parsons has lived as a gay man in his private life, but in his professional public life he skirted the issue," Out.com writes. The Advocate-affiliated site described him as previously living in a "Glass Closet" along with other stars who have been rumored to be gay, including Anderson Cooper, Queen Latifah and Ellen Page.

Parsons, who won two Emmy Awards for his role as Sheldon Cooper on the CBS sitcom, has also appeared in movies like "Garden State" and "School for Scoundrels." Most recently, he made a cameo in "The Muppets" last year as the human version of Walter to sing the Oscar-winning song "Man or Muppet" with Jason Segel.

"The Normal Heart," referred to in the newspaper's interview, is a Broadway play about AIDS that Parsons starred in last year to rave reviews. According to Us Weekly, the actor is next playing Elwood in "Harvey" on Broadway, the same role made famous by Jimmy Stewart in the 1944 film. "Harvey" opens June 14.

Parsons will return as Sheldon on "The Big Bang Theory" for the show's sixth season premiere this fall.

Related topics: Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory, Todd Spiewak

Raderonline.com - Jim Persons

[Source]

Big Bang Theory'w Jim Persons Comes Out As Gay

Posted on May 23, 2012 @ 02:00PM

By Amber Goodhand - Radar News Editor

It's not the most shocking revelation, but it's official now.

The Big Bang Theory star Jim Parsons confirmed his sexuality in a recent interview that mentions he's a gay man and has been in a 10-year relationship.

PHOTOS: Celebs Who Have 'Come Out'

The Emmy-winning actor did an expose with the New York Times in which they quietly hit on his sexual orientation while talking about a production of The Normal Heart — a play that takes a look at the sexual politics of New York during the AIDS crisis.

Jim, 39, thanked his long-time partner Todd Spiewak once during his Golden Globes acceptance speech…and now everyone knows why.

RELATED STORIES:
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Mitt Romney Held Presumed Gay Classmate Down, Cut Off His Hair, Old Pal Says
Ellen DeGeneres: 'Mr. President, Thank You Very Very Very Much!'

access hollywood

[Source]

Jim Parsons: ‘Gay & In A 10-Year Relationship’

 Credit: Getty Images

First Published: May 23, 2012 5:37 PM EDT

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Caption Jim Parsons has kept his personal life private over the years, but in a new interview with the New York Times, the newspaper reported the “Big Bang Theory” star acknowledged he is gay and in a long term relationship.

In an interview to promote his role in the play “Harvey,” Patrick Healey of the New York Times wrote that Parsons mentioned his relationship in the interview.

“’The Normal Heart’ resonated with him on a few levels: Mr. Parsons is gay and in a 10-year relationship, and working with an ensemble again onstage was like nourishment, he said,” Healey wrote in the piece, however no quotes from the actor accompanied the story.

Parsons previously thanked Todd Spiewack, the man whom many publications, including The Advocate, note is his partner, when he won a Golden Globe in 2011.

A rep for Parsons was not immediately available for comment when contacted by Access Hollywood.

Copyright 2012 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

'Big Bang Theory' Star Jim Parsons is Gay, By the Way

[Source]

'Big Bang Theory' Star Jim Parsons is Gay, By the Way

12:26 PM PDT 5/23/2012 by Seth Abramovitch

Could the casual reference to his 10-year relationship mark a new era in how same-sex-loving celebrities acknowledge their personal lives?

Jim Parsons, the lanky, Texas-born actor who has won two Emmys and a Golden Globe award for playing persnickety genius Sheldon Cooper on CBS's The Big Bang Theory, acknowledges that he is gay and in a 10-year relationship, the New York Times reveals.

But blink and you may have missed it: The information is buried towards the end of the 1,800 word profile -- which focuses mostly on Parsons' lauded stage work in Broadway revivals of The Normal Heart and, now, Harvey -- and doesn't even contain a direct quote from Parsons himself.

PHOTOS: 'The Big Bang Theory' Celebrates 100 Episodes

"The Normal Heart resonated with him on a few levels," the Times' Patrick Healy writes. "Mr. Parsons is gay and in a 10-year relationship, and working with an ensemble again onstage was like nourishment, he said."

Whether or not this constitutes a "coming out" for the popular TV star seems to be a topic for debate. Some industry and online chatter today has argued that Parsons was never really "in," openly and matter-of-factly addressing his relationship whenever it came up in his daily life and work. And it's not the first time a reference to his sexuality has been made in a print publication. (That honor would go to Antenna magazine, which folded shop earlier this year, Parsons gracing the final cover.)

STORY: 'The Big Bang Theory' Finale Postmortem: EP, Cast on Space, Marriage and What's Next

But compared to other primetime stars who identify as gay -- take Modern Family's Jesse Tyler Ferguson, for example, who has been tireless in his vocal support for same-sex marriage rights -- there's no denying that Parsons has been extremely quiet on the topic.

If anything, the news marks what could be a new chapter in the evolution of the celebrity "coming out" story. Unlike the old-school approach --  the magazine-cover-route followed by a string of "revealing" TV interviews, a method trailblazed by the likes of Ellen DeGeneres and later mimicked by everyone from Lance Bass to Neil Patrick Harris -- the new method stealthily embeds the personal information in a larger piece on the "work."

STORY: 'The Big Bang Theory': From 'Star Trek' to 'Lord of the Rings,' the Show's Nerdiest Moments

Credit Zachary Quinto, another in-demand gay actor straddling both Broadway and Hollywood, with having forged the template: In late-2011, the Star Trek and American Horror Story star gave an interview to New York magazine, ostensibly about his performance in another New York theater revival with gay themes -- Tony Kushner's Angels in America. Four paragraphs into the piece, the crucial clause found its way into a sentence:

“And at the same time, 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.”

An article from AfterElton - Jim Persons

[Source]

Jim Parsons Is Gay And In A Ten-Year Relationship

Posted by

snicks

 on May 23, 2012

Emmy-winning Big Bang Theory star Jim Parsons is soon to star on stage in a revival of Harvey, and is the focus of a profile today in the New York Times. Well, we've mentioned this upcoming project before, so why bring it up now? Because buried deep in the profile is this statement:

Mr. Parsons is gay and in a 10-year relationship.

Jim's sexuality has been a source of discussion for quite a while (the comment in the article doesn't actually quote him), but this may be the first time such an enormous mainstream outlet has announced it, and the fact that it was done so matter-of-factly is heartening.
So, does this article officially "out" him, or was he already out enough, and the rest of the world is just catching up? What do you think?

Jim Persons - TheNewYorkTimes

[Source]

Theater

Stalked by Shadows (and a Rabbit)

Sara Krulwich/The New York Times

Jim Parsons as Elwood P. Dowd in “Harvey” at Studio 54.

Jim Parsons in his dressing room. He stars in the play “Harvey,” which opens on June 14.

By PATRICK HEALY
Published: May 23, 2012

AFTER seeing the “The Normal Heart” on Broadway last June, three teenagers from Minnesota were in a frenzy explaining why they had chosen the play. “Sheldon!” they all shouted, naming the socially clueless lead character on the CBS hit comedy “The Big Bang Theory” played by Jim Parsons, who had a small role in the play.

Sara Krulwich/The New York Times

Jim Parsons as Elwood P. Dowd in 

“Harvey” at Studio 54.

Here was celebrity casting in action, yet it had unintended consequences: the teenagers hadn’t known that the show was about gay men dying of AIDS, and they left disappointed that Mr. Parsons wasn’t acting as outrageously pompous as Sheldon, a role that earned him Emmy Awards in 2010 and 2011.

Mr. Parsons is back on Broadway during another summer hiatus from television, and this time he faces audience expectations that are even more complicated.

Not only is he dealing with the shadow of Sheldon again, but also that of a certain actor named Jimmy Stewart. Mr. Parsons is leading a Broadway cast for the first time, in a revival of “Harvey,” the Pulitzer Prize-winning comedy from 1944 about the sweet-natured Elwood P. Dowd and his invisible friend, the title character, a 6-foot-tall rabbit. The show ran on Broadway for four years, opening with Frank Fay as the lead. Stewart later followed as Elwood before bringing him to wider fame in the 1950 film, for which he was nominated for an Oscar. He reprised the role in 1970, the only previous revival on Broadway of this play, which became feared for the task of taking on The Jimmy Stewart Role.

While Mr. Parsons is keenly aware that both Sheldon and Stewart are indelible, he has also drawn confidence from acting techniques and instincts that have served him well for more than 20 years, since choosing his career after performing in the farce “Noises Off” in high school.

“People may not like me as Elwood, people may say ‘I enjoyed Jimmy Stewart more,’ ” he said recently, over coffee at a Midtown Mahattan hotel. “There’s nothing I can do about that. But I have to come in and take a stand on the performance, as it were.”

He memorizes his dialogue well beforehand, writing out lines on white 3-by-5 index cards (he has 200 for “Harvey”). He creates precise physical worlds for his characters, down to where they would place a hat or coat or, in the case of Harvey, where the rabbit would be at every second. He obsesses over body language too: the angular, ungainly stride he created for Sheldon, and the alternately swift and halting paces of Elwood.

And he still has never seen the Stewart film or any stage production of “Harvey.”

“I try to master every facet of a character in order to build a safety net for myself, so I can go on to take more risks to create someone really distinct,” said Mr. Parsons, who is 39, roughly the same age as Stewart when he first played Elwood on Broadway.“One of my very early teachers said over and over again: ‘What are you bringing to the party?’ That expression never left me.

“Well, what about it? What am I bringing to this party?”

“If I’m not making a choice with each and every line,” he continued, “then why are you bothering watching me?”

Mr. Parsons hastened to add that he was not disrespecting Stewart, nor was he cavalier about audience reactions. He is the sort of person, in fact, you could imagine taking his bow then apologizing to theatergoers if any of them were disappointed with his work. His unfailing politeness has an old-fashioned courtliness to it; at a rehearsal for “Harvey” this month, he said sorry every time he had to ask the script prompter to remind him of a line.

It sounded almost automatic, reflecting a tendency to speak his mind without a trace of self-consciousness (a habit that makes his television character so winningly exasperating). At one point during the rehearsal, for instance, the actress Jessica Hecht — who plays Elwood’s sister, Veta — put a prop down on stage in a spot where Mr. Parsons wasn’t expecting it.

“Did Jessica leave that there?” Mr. Parsons said. “That’s never going to work.”

“It won’t happen again,” Ms. Hecht replied collegially.

“It never happened before,” he said — not in an accusatory way but, like Sheldon, with an almost absent-minded bluntness.

“Um, let’s talk about it more,” she joked.

Later, Ms. Hecht described the way Mr. Parsons speaks as a kind of afterthought.

“His concentration is so total that he sometimes says surprising things that I don’t even think he’s aware he’s saying,” said Ms. Hecht, a Tony nominee for her last Broadway role, in the 2010 revival of “A View from the Bridge.” “There’s something so dorky in the best way about him.”

Growing up in Houston, the son of an elementary-school teacher and a plumbing company president, Mr. Parsons was a theater nerd from the start; he recalled throwing himself into the role of the Kola-Kola bird in his first-grade production of “The Elephant’s Child” by Kipling. His curiosity about performance grew from watching the physical antics and reaction shots in the television sitcom “Three’s Company.”

Monty Brinton/CBS
Jim Parsons in the television show
“The Big Bang Theory.”

“There was a kind of musicality to the actors’ timing and rhythms that I really responded to,” said Mr. Parsons, who also played piano as a boy.

A turning point came in junior year of high school, when Mr. Parsons was mulling the idea of becoming a meteorologist (Gulf Coast weather had led to a fascination with hurricanes). Thanks to his drama teacher and a fellow student, he was persuaded to take the role of Frederick Fellowes, a nosebleed-prone actor who beats himself up when things go amiss, in the farce “Noises Off.” But as the show moved toward opening night, he became concerned that he and his castmates weren’t in fine enough form.

“All we had was each other, and our very basic mastery of the play, but at our first performance we pulled together and relied on each other and everything clicked,” he said. “We didn’t mug for laughs, we didn’t do anything showy — we just worked together as an ensemble. I felt totally comfortable in this warped world that was far away from the real world. And I wanted to keep doing it.”

Sara Krulwich/The New York Times

Jim Parsons and Angela Paton in the 

play "Harvey" at Studio 54.

Mr. Parsons went on to perform more than two dozen plays during and after his undergraduate years at the University of Houston; he was so busy that he failed a course in meteorology, putting an end to that career path. He did 17 plays in three years with an experimental theater company, Infernal Bridegroom Productions. He was the exploitative doctor in Büchner’s “Woyzeck” in a parking lot, and the servant Clov in Beckett’s “Endgame” and the gambler Rusty Charlie in “Guys & Dolls,” both performed in warehouses.

After graduation he pursued classical training in the master’s program at the University of San Diego, then spent several years in New York working Off Broadway and in guest appearances on television while making trips to Los Angeles looking for work.

When he received the pilot script for “The Big Bang Theory,” he said, the show — about a group of genius-level scientists with terrible social skills — seemed clever enough to him, but the role of Sheldon felt like a great fit.

“There was something in his inability to understand sarcasm, his inability to read emotions off people in a general sense, that I understood,” Mr. Parsons said with a crooked smile. (For the record, in person he is far more at ease and a much better listener than Sheldon.)

Chuck Lorre, one of the creators and producers of “Big Bang,” said Mr. Parsons’s audition was so “brilliant” that he asked the actor to return another day to make sure the performance wasn’t a fluke.

“He physically embodied a character who was like none we had seen before — the peculiar rhythms of the words, the way he held his body,” Mr. Lorre said. “He was uncanny in the choices he was making second to second.”

(Mr. Parsons is set to return to “Big Bang” in August; “Harvey” opens on June 14.)

By the winter of 2011 Mr. Parsons had won his first Emmy for “Big Bang” and was midway through Season 4 when he felt he was “spinning my wheels” as an actor, and began looking to do a play again. He landed the role of Tommy Boatwright, a young gay activist in “The Normal Heart” who bucks up the main characters in their fight against AIDS. The humanity and intensity of the play appealed to him, he said, just as Beckett and Büchner once did; in graduate school, too, his thesis project was a 15-minute performance piece about a mentally disabled death-row inmate, a psychiatrist and a murder victim’s father — all played by Mr. Parsons.

“If I ever wrote a script myself, it would be strongly emotional material,” he said. “Every time I think about writing, comedy doesn’t interest me in the slightest. I can play comedy, but I don’t think in terms of comic dialogue.”

“The Normal Heart” resonated with him on a few levels: Mr. Parsons is gay and in a 10-year relationship, and working with an ensemble again onstage was like nourishment, he said. As the production was ending last summer, he heard that the Roundabout Theater Company was considering a revival of “Harvey” — initially with John C. Reilly under consideration for Elwood — and last November the play’s director, Scott Ellis, asked him and Ms. Hecht to do a private reading of the work in Los Angeles.

“Jim was solid in ‘The Normal Heart,’ ” Mr. Ellis said, “but his character didn’t really change in the journey of that play, so I wanted to see if Jim could take on a challenge and float a couple of feet off the ground, so to speak, in that magical way Elwood has. And in the reading he was just smart, smart, smart.”

In rehearsals Mr. Parsons focused particularly on his relationship with Harvey — a character who is not there. He chose spots in the Studio 54 theater to fix his gaze, at the exact height where Harvey’s face would be, and developed a series of hand gestures when Elwood was speaking to or making way for the rabbit. If the show has plenty of the laugh lines that Mr. Parsons finds familiar from television, he said he was more aware of the differences between Elwood and Sheldon — and was savoring them.

“Elwood has such warmth, and wants nothing more than to connect with other people, whereas my nine-month-a-year job is a character who says things like, ‘If you don’t mind, I’d like to stop listening to you and talk now,’ ” Mr. Parsons said. “The jump-out-of-bed happiness I feel transcends any nerves about taking on a history-laden role.

“Now, would it have been preferable to take on a role that had not been created before? God yes. But breaking in a new role takes more time than I’ll have until my time on TV comes to an end. And when it does, I hope I’ll be back for longer.”

Favorite TV Characters

AfterElton's Top 50 Favorite TV Characters

Posted by AfterElton.com Staff on February 27, 2012

45. Lafayette Reynolds, True Blood (Nelsan Ellis)

[On Air: 2008-Present] Whether or not you think the show completely messed up his character this past season, from the start Lafayette was a gay character unlike any we had ever seen on television before: smart, proud, flamboyant, and very dangerous. He's the kind of queen who would cut you deep for skipping out on your bar tab ... and then bring you pecan pie and street Valium in the ER. Our kind of guy!

In recent years we saw Lafayette’s vulnerable side through his love affair with good witch Jesus (Kevin Alejandro), which ended - as most True Blood romances do - in tragedy. We’ve also watched him slyly manipulate a gay bloodsucker for cash (Eddie, played by Stephen Root), deliver some tough love to his wayward cousin Tara (Rutina Wesley) and discover his own onsiderable powers as a witch. And he did it all without smudging his eyeshadow.

He’s already outlived his character in the books, and here’s to hoping that we haven’t seen the best, baddest, or ballsiest from Laffy yet.

34. Neal Caffrey, White Collar (Matt Bomer)

[On Air: 2009-present] Fans were captivated by the roguish Neal Caffrey from the moment he debuted on White Collar in 2009. A gentleman thief in the mold of Simon Templar, Raffles and Lupin, Neal's wit, charm and style, not to mention his dazzling smile and sparkling blue eyes, served him well in his life as a con man and forger. Now he uses those talents as a consultant for the FBI.

Initially possessed of a devil-may-care attitude even behind prison bars, Neal's outlook began to change when an old enemy first kidnapped and then murdered his lady love, Kate. Always fiercely loyal to his friend Mozzie, Neal has come to trust and value the friendship of his FBI handler Peter and Peter's wife Elizabeth.

And he paints and sculpts half-naked. Repeatedly.

Matt Bomer brings his own considerable charm and style to bear in full force in playing Neal, winning over male and female, gay and straight fans alike. With Bomer's recent publicized acknowledgment of his entire family, including partner Simon Halls, Neal Caffrey may just be what lays to rest silly notions about whether gay actors can play straight leading roles.

24. Eric Northman, True Blood (Alexander Skarsgård)

[On Air: 2008-Present] Our statuesque Viking vampire god, how we love you so. You arrived on the scene fangs-first, a long-haired badass with a naughty nightclub and a weakness for blonds who played the perfect foil (and boss) for the show’s brooding, long-suffering good guy. We love the way you take what you want without asking. We love how you banter with your sharp-tongued progeny, Pam. And we adore your tendency to get caught with your pants down.

As the years went by, we learned more about your family (slaughtered!), your summer home (Pam memorably called it a “windy sh*thole”), and your romantic side. But just when we thought we had you pegged, a storefront witch stole your memory and you were reborn as a babe lost in the woods.

Eric, consider this an open invite to enter our house any day - windy sh*thole or no.

23. Justin Taylor, Queer as Folk (US) (Randy Harrison)

[On Air: 2000-2005] The brash twink that turns the world of Pittsburgh’s most popular partyboy Brian Kinney (Gale Harold) upside down, Justin was TV’s first unapologetically sexual gay teenager. Sure, he had a dramatic arc over the American series’ five seasons, but a typical tortured teen he was not. Except when it came to Brian’s elusive affections.

Justin, also known as “Sunshine” by good-hearted waitress Debbie Novatny (Sharon Gless), heralded the era of the new gay teen, onscreen and off. Out and proud, he marched to his own drummer and sometimes even wrote his own tune altogether. Like Glee’s Kurt Hummel, he was the victim of a bully (and almost died after a savage beating in the season 1 finale). But ultimately he became a stronger, more confident character as a result — a survivor. Just like many real-life teens then and today.

22. Veronica Mars, Veronica Mars (Kristen Bell)

[On Air: 2004-2007] She’s alpha-tough, snappy, emotional, and has a world of pop-culture references at her fingertips. Veronica Mars’s O.C. sheen and Columbo pacing make for a strange dichotomy, the hard-bitten detective story that doubles as a teenage melodrama. Kristen Bell’s titular sleuth is a fascinating character of both genres. Her penchant for snooping is exhilarating while her inability to heal mangled friendships is believable and even heartbreaking. Personally, I’d do anything to get the dastardly Logan Echolls back on my side too.

20. Scotty Wandell, Brothers & Sisters (Luke Macfarlane)

[On Air: 2006-2011] The other half of TV's greatest gay relationship, Scotty started out as a flaky and irresponsible cater-waiter with a penchant for bad hair and living in his car. His initial hook-up with Kevin led to a friendship that turned to love. Their relationship has survived Kevin's family, infidelity, Kevin's family, adoption drama, Kevin's family, surrogacy problems. Kevin's family. But through it all, Scotty remained good-hearted and sensitive, and was able to balance out his type A partner's rigidity, creating the greatest gay relationship in TV history.

17. Barney Stinson, How I Met Your Mother (Neil Patrick Harris)

[On Air: 2005-Present] Though “Suit up!” has entered the annals of instantly recognizable TV catchphrases, it’s always the perfect two-word command for summoning Barney Stinson’s gusto and conviction. Barney is dapper, hilarious, gleefully hypocritical, a self-vaunted “bro,” and one of the few people whose love of magic tricks doesn’t make us sprint for the door. It helps that Neil Patrick Harris is perhaps the most charismatic sitcom actor of the past decade.

16. Kevin Walker, Brothers & Sisters (Matthew Rhys)

[On Air: 2006-2011] We'll be forever thankful to creator Jon Robin Baitz for giving us the first fully formed and realistic gay male character on broadcast television. There had been gay characters prior to Kevin, sure, but on broadcast TV at least they were either sanitized one-note characters, surreal comic creations or sad and noble victims struggling with their sexual orientation. Kevin Walker on the other hand was nobody's victim, and for the most part his orientation was a non-issue.

He had a few memorable relationships, including a closeted soap actor and a smoldering preacher, but his relationship with Scotty remains the most complete and satisfying gay relationship in TV drama history, and will probably never be matched.

15. Sheldon Cooper, Big Bang Theory (Jim Parsons)

[On Air: 2007-Present] Though The Big Bang Theory is a glossy CBS production with Chuck Lorre’s ubiquitous, dictatorial name attached, it’s hard not to love the show for bringing geekdom – nutty, delirious geekdom– to the masses. Jim Parsons’ performance as Sheldon Cooper is so convulsively wacky that we can’t even think of an older character to whom it compares. Surely Danny Pudi’s fabulous Abed on Community owes something to Sheldon, but it’s more fun to think of the one-of-a-kind gifts Sheldon has given viewers, namely a believably brilliant character who can still dish spot-on humor in spite of a blindness to sarcasm.

14. Spike, Buffy the Vampire Slayer (James Marsters)

[On Air: 1997-2003] Buffy makes a strong showing in the top 50, and it’s no surprise that bleach-blond bad boy Spike made the cut. Thanks to Marsters' sly, sexy, and unexpectedly witty take on this villainous vamp, Spike blossomed like blood in a swimming pool over the series' seven seasons and wound up having one of the most satisfying character arcs of the whole Scooby Gang.

Whether he was ruthlessly taunting the Buffster and her friends with his lady-love Drusilla, playing house with newbie vamp Harmony, or dealing with the anti-aggression chip planted in his brain by the Initiative, Spike was always criminally fun to watch. But it was when he fell in love with Buffy that his character really came into its own, leading to a heroic sacrifice in the final reels that left us all gasping for more.

Spike, we’d pick you over a Chaos demon any day.

12. Ianto Jones, Torchwood (Gareth David-Lloyd)

[On Air: 2006 - 2009] Ianto had a humble beginning for a man who would eventually go on to make such an impact on viewers. He may have started as a glorified butler who helped maintain the guise that the Torchwood Hub was a mere tourism office, but his strong sense of loyalty and his love for Captain Jack Harkness would give him a lasting place in viewers' memories.

Ianto had a sweet and mild-mannered exterior, but he was also capable of holding dark secrets and keeping Captian Jack's voracious sexual appetite satiated. Sadly, just as he started becoming a more confident and active member of Torchwood, he was killed when joining Captain Jack to confront an alien menace, a death that drew the ire of fans and drove pages and pages of articles, blog posts and heated discussion threads. Years later, any mention of his death can still get people talking.

Ianto lives on in novels, radio plays and comics that explore his history between TV episodes. As long as there are Torchwood fans, it seems likely that they'll be debating the impact his death had on the series.

11. Willow Rosenberg, Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Alyson Hannigan)

[On Air: 1997-2003] Willow Rosenberg, for you we reserve the highest praise: We loved you even before you were a lesbian.

For years, Buffy Summers' first Sunnydale friend got the short end of the stick (though, luckily, not the pointy one - except in an alternate universe), but trudged on as one of the more valuable but under-appreciated members of the Scooby Gang. But all her studies and patience paid off, because over time Will stepped out of the corduroy overalls to become one of the most powerful characters in the Buffyverse. Sure, she almost used that power to destroy the world a few times, but let’s chalk that up to unchecked enthusiasm.

Willow of course also went down in television history as one of the first teen characters on a mainstream show to explore her sexuality and come out as a lesbian, thanks in good part to her first girlfriend, Tara (Amber Benson). We love Potential-jumping Alpha Witch Willow, softer-side-of-Sears Willow, werewolf-dating bookworm Willow, darksided and “kinda gay” vampire Willow, and everything in between.

9. Captain Jack Harkness, Torchwood (John Barrowman)

[On Air: 2005 - pending] When Doctor Who introduced the roguish Captain Jack, it was impossible to look away. Not only did he have charm and confidence to spare, Captain Jack also had John Barrowman's good looks and disarming swagger to reinforce the character's appeal. No matter how grim the situation, he faced every threat with determination, a sly grin and a certainty that made him a valuable ally.

The omnisexual time traveler has left an impact that goes beyond the iconic Doctor Who franchise. He's been parodied and referenced on a variety of shows and comic writer Peter David named Captain Jack as an influence in how he wrote a bisexual superhero. While it's not clear when we'll see Captain Jack again, his influence will be felt for a long time.

6. Buffy Summers, Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Sarah Michelle Gellar)

[On Air: 1997-2003]Spider Man may have imparted the lesson that "with great power comes great responsibility," but Buffy the Vampire Slayer did it one better: "With great power comes great fashion sense and a weakness for kicking ass in expensive shoes."

For seven seasons on two fledgling networks, reluctant hero Buffy Anne Summers grew, stumbled, loved, groused, and of course kicked a lot of vampire butt as she developed from a petulant SoCal princess to a strong, independent, wonderfully layered woman. She also died a few times along the way, but hey - nobody's perfect!

Buffy won us over because even though she wasn't perfect, she tried her best. She didn't ask to be the savior of the human race, but when push came to shove (and kick, and roundhouse, and pile driver), she was willing to sacrifice life as a normal teenage girl in order to save us all. Her father/daughter relationship with her doting watcher, Giles (Anthony Stewart Head) was the emotional core of the show, but it was her close bond with her mother, Joyce (Kristine Sutherland) that delivered some of the series’ most stunning moments.

And come on - at one point she dated a guy who later came out as gay (Scott). How could we not love this woman?

In the years since there have been legions of imitators, but no one will ever match the wit, strength, and just-stepped-out-of-the-salon hair that Buffy brought to the business end of Mr. Pointy.

3. Brian Kinney, Queer as Folk (US) (Gale Harold)

[On Air: 2000 - 2005] It's just a law of nature that Queer As Folk's resident bad boy Brian Kinney will always show up at or near the top of any favorite TV character list we ever do. Remarkable, since the sexy rogue has been off the airwaves since 2005! No doubt we'll take another favorite TV character poll in the year 2050 - and he'll still be right there in the top ten.

People just never can forget Brian. He's the king of all gay scoundrels, the patron saint of unapologetic homo hookups. For a brief period he made puka shell bracelets cool. (No mean feat). And, well, he's played by Gale Harold and so he's just ineffably hot.

Once on the show he was described as "the love child of James Dean and Ayn Rand." That fits, though thankfully he takes after Dean in the looks department.

2. Kurt Hummel, Glee (Chris Colfer)

[On Air: 2009 - Present] Kurt strikes a chord with many gay viewers because he reminds us of our own high school experience: the social outcast, loner or misfit.

A groundbreaking TV character on a one-of-a-kind series, Kurt has been slowly evolving out of the victim role (being thrown in a dumpster in the pilot, multiple Slushies to the face) into a more mature, stronger mentor. Witness his recent forgiveness and friendship with former bully, Dave Karofsky (Max Adler) for proof.

While many of Kurt’s storylines in the first two seasons of Glee revolved around his sexual orientation (and they sometimes still do) his character has become more well-rounded and is currently looking hopefully toward the future — life after high school. Kurt is a hopeful sign of the future for many of today’s gay teens: It may be a long, rough journey, but it will get better.

The Normal Heart

Anthony Rapp, Matthew Bomer and More Show Some Love for The Normal Heart

Celebs visit The Normal Heart the weekend of April 29-May 1, 2012.

It was a busy weekend on the receiving line at The Normal Heart, as stars of all stripes came out to the Golden Theatre support the emotional play’s Broadway debut. The lineup of guests included stage vets like Anthony Rapp and Valerie Harper, along with television star Matthew Bomer (White Collar) and cultural icon Dr. Ruth Westheimer. The famous faces took in Larry Kramer's landmark play, then stopped backstage to say hello to the starry cast. Click on below to check out these picture-perfect meet-and-greets.
[Source]

An article from celebitchy

Jan 28 '11
[Source]
Jim Parsons’ boyfriend called off their wedding because Jim doesn’t want kids

Jim Parsons of The Big Bang Theory is having a great run at awards ceremonies. He won the Emmy and he’s fresh off a win at the Golden Globes. Life is a bit bumpier in his private life. According to National Enquirer, Jim’s fiancé Todd Spiewak called off their wedding because Jim doesn’t want kids.

The wedding is off for Big Bang Theory star Jim Parsons!
The actor’s fiance, Todd Spiewak, put the brakes on their marriage plans after the couple disagreed on whether to adopt children.
“Jim and Todd have been together for quite a while, but never really talked kids. Todd always assumed that Jim wanted to have a family,” stated a friend of the couple.
“Jim recently made a joke about how he couldn’t handle being around children, and when Todd asked him about having kids together, Jim said ‘no way.’ Todd was heartbroken. They both love each other very much and are still living together, but their relationship is shaken up right now.”
…Jim, 37, proposed to 33-year-old Todd, an art director, and the two had been planning a Christmas wedding in Massachusetts, where gay marriage is legal. Those plans unraveled before the holidays when the men began serious discussions about starting a family.
However, in recent weeks Jim has started to reconsider his “no-kids” policy, says the friend.
“Jim loves Todd deeply and can’t imagine life without him, so he’s seriously rethinking his view on children. For now, everything is on hold.”

[National Enquirer, print edition, February 7, 2011]
Having or not having kids is a big deal in a relationship. With Neil Patrick Harris and Elton John both having children through surrogate mothers, Jim may lessen his view on not having kids. But it’s definitely something he and Todd should decide before getting married.
Don’t expect to see Jim and Todd at this Sunday’s SAG Awards. The Big Bang Theory was shut out of any nominations.

An article from celebitchy

Sep 10 '10
[Source]
Enquirer: Jim Parsons is gay, and he just proposed to his boyfriend

**Note: The dude behind Jim Parsons in these photos might be his alleged boyfriend/fiancé Todd Spiewak, but I don’t know. These are the best we can do with the photos we have.

Who knew that Jim Parsons was gay? I sure didn’t. Then again, I never really thought about it - I don’t watch that show The Big Bang Theory, so my only exposure to Parsons has been in little Entertainment Tonight interview snippets and such. He comes across as a very strange, sweet little bird, and I thought his oddness placed him firmly on Team Vagina-Lover. Isn’t that always the case? The Gays get all of the suave, great-looking dudes with awesome bodies, and Team Vadge gets the weird, quirky, skinny boys that look like baby ducklings. Anyway, welcome to The Gays, Jim! Here’s your Mojito.

According to the Enquirer, Parsons is not only gay, but he’s in a secret (not so much) committed relationship with a dude named Todd Spiewak. The Enquirer’s sources say that Parsons was so thrilled with his Emmy win a few weeks ago, he dropped to his knees (wait for it) and proposed! Yay!

Jim Parsons walked off with two fantastic prizes the very same night - an Emmy and a husband! The 37-year-old star celebrated his victory by proposing to longtime boyfriend Todd Spiewak - and now they are planning a Christmastime trip to Massachusetts where they’ll tie the knot, say insiders.
“After he got his award, he told Todd the only thing that would make him happier is if they got married - and Todd quickly said yes,” a close pal of the couple told The Enquirer.
Jim and 33-year-old Todd, an art director, began dating three years ago and moved into an LA house last year. The actor has never publicly come out of the closet, but he hasn’t attempted to hide the fact that he and Todd are a couple.
“Jim is very quiet about the relationship because he lives an extremely private like, but they’re very much in love,” said the pal.

[From The National Enquirer, print edition]
First: He’s 37 years old?!? Goodness. He looks about 15. Back on topic: if all of this is true (why not?), then congratulations to the happy couple! I don’t know if we should be talking about this if Jim hasn’t officially come out of the closet though - I can’t find any photos of Jim and Todd together, walking any kind of red carpet, or even some candid photos. Of course, are paparazzi really going to be staking out Jim and Todd’s house? No. And allegedly, Jim did bring Todd to the Emmys, and they sat beside each other and everything (video below), although they didn’t walk the red carpet. Hm. Oh well, we’ll never know for sure unless Jim confirms it. Queerty pointed out something hilarious though: Neil Patrick Harris, “de facto president of the gay mafia” is a big fan of Parsons. One more thing: Jim name-checked Todd in his Emmy speech:

Jim Parsons proposed to his boyfriend

[Source]
Sep 10 '10
Enquirer: Jim Parsons is gay, and he just proposed to his boyfriend


**Note: The dude behind Jim Parsons in these photos might be his alleged boyfriend/fiancé Todd Spiewak, but I don’t know. These are the best we can do with the photos we have.
Who knew that Jim Parsons was gay? I sure didn’t. Then again, I never really thought about it - I don’t watch that show The Big Bang Theory, so my only exposure to Parsons has been in little Entertainment Tonight interview snippets and such. He comes across as a very strange, sweet little bird, and I thought his oddness placed him firmly on Team Vagina-Lover. Isn’t that always the case? The Gays get all of the suave, great-looking dudes with awesome bodies, and Team Vadge gets the weird, quirky, skinny boys that look like baby ducklings. Anyway, welcome to The Gays, Jim! Here’s your Mojito.
According to the Enquirer, Parsons is not only gay, but he’s in a secret (not so much) committed relationship with a dude named Todd Spiewak. The Enquirer’s sources say that Parsons was so thrilled with his Emmy win a few weeks ago, he dropped to his knees (wait for it) and proposed! Yay!

Jim Parsons walked off with two fantastic prizes the very same night - an Emmy and a husband! The 37-year-old star celebrated his victory by proposing to longtime boyfriend Todd Spiewak - and now they are planning a Christmastime trip to Massachusetts where they’ll tie the knot, say insiders.
“After he got his award, he told Todd the only thing that would make him happier is if they got married - and Todd quickly said yes,” a close pal of the couple told The Enquirer.
Jim and 33-year-old Todd, an art director, began dating three years ago and moved into an LA house last year. The actor has never publicly come out of the closet, but he hasn’t attempted to hide the fact that he and Todd are a couple.
“Jim is very quiet about the relationship because he lives an extremely private like, but they’re very much in love,” said the pal.

[From The National Enquirer, print edition]
First: He’s 37 years old?!? Goodness. He looks about 15. Back on topic: if all of this is true (why not?), then congratulations to the happy couple! I don’t know if we should be talking about this if Jim hasn’t officially come out of the closet though - I can’t find any photos of Jim and Todd together, walking any kind of red carpet, or even some candid photos. Of course, are paparazzi really going to be staking out Jim and Todd’s house? No. And allegedly, Jim did bring Todd to the Emmys, and they sat beside each other and everything (video below), although they didn’t walk the red carpet. Hm. Oh well, we’ll never know for sure unless Jim confirms it. Queerty pointed out something hilarious though: Neil Patrick Harris, “de facto president of the gay mafia” is a big fan of Parsons. One more thing: Jim name-checked Todd in his Emmy speech: