Doc rock gay

Still protective of his public reputation, and fearful of the reaction of his fans, Hudson kept his diagnosis a secret, telling only a few former partners and a handful of friends. But by the end of the 1960s, Hudson had begun aging out of his leading man roles, and he increasingly turned his attention to television, starring in the long-running series McMillan & Wife.

“Instead of using their privilege and their position for real social change, they just said, ‘What’s the point?’ If we’re going to criticize him for anything, it’s not taking a moment to realize that there could be some benefit to that.”

Hudson’s “McMillan & Wife” co-star Susan Saint James shared a similar perspective in a 2021 interview with Page Six.

At the time, the actress said it was “ingrained” in Hudson to remain in the closet.

In one of Hudson’s big hits, the 1959 rom-com Pillow Talk, “you have a gay actor playing a straight man impersonating a possibly gay man—it’s a house of mirrors,” according to critic Tom Santopietro.

Many of the talking heads in All That Heaven Allowed are not actually heads—they’re only heard in voice-over as an endless stream of photos of Hudson and footage from his movies plays.

Following his death, his ex-lover Marc Christian MacGinnis won a multimillion-dollar settlement from the actor’s estate after claiming Hudson knowingly exposed him to AIDS.

The documentary “Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Knows,” which is now streaming on HBO, explores the actor’s closeted life, which included a tight circle of gay male friends and a lot of parties at his Hollywood home, nicknamed “The Castle.”

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Kijak tells Page Six that Hudson led a “pretty loose, kind of wild, fun life” behind closed doors, despite the effort that went into protecting his public image.

The film includes interviews with the late actor’s former lovers and close confidants, as well as a phone recording of Hudson’s friend setting him up with a young man.

“They’re arranging this sex date in such a polite, genteel kind of way,” Kijak says with a laugh.

All That Heaven Allowedshines a spotlight on the life that existed outside of the spotlight, and it’s full of people who knew Hudson (and had sex with him). Among his bequests was $250,000 for medical research, funds that were used to launch the American Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR). Time and time again, you’d hear stories and anecdotes of just a kindness, of a generosity, of helping people.”

But Kijak notes that Hudson also had a guarded quality about him that was likely due to his homosexuality.

“He’s a very conservative interview subject,” the filmmaker explains.

The news flashed around the world, but his publicist team claimed that Hudson was suffering from liver cancer. And decade after decade, he was very, very tight-lipped and really stuck to a script that was kind of fascinating to see.”

The documentary also examines the actor’s movie and television roles, including “Pillow Talk” in which he played a straight man pretending to be gay.

“It’s mind-blowing, really.

Homophobia, fear and the reluctance of the federal government to intervene infuriated many and worsened the growing crisis. “He lets nothing out.

Hudson was given a complete makeover, with Willson hiring coaches to help the aspiring actor lower his voice and present the highly masculine physicality that helped launch what became known as Hollywood’s “beefcake craze.” Within a year, Hudson had landed his first role and was soon put under contract.

Rumors about Hudson’s sexuality soon swirled

His relationship with Willson helped fuel the rumors, as many had long assumed that the agent’s stable of actors were required to sleep with him to secure support for their careers.

Hudson would never remarry, and he would soon end his business relationship with Willson.

Despite the innuendo, Hudson’s career skyrocketed

Thanks to a series of lighthearted romantic comedies with Doris Day, Hudson had become one of Hollywood’s biggest stars — and hottest heartthrobs. You simply have to see it and keep seeing it to believe it.

Many of the gay guys who knew Hudson reflect on his personal life.