Nathan Lane has opened up about how Robin Williams protected him from having to reveal his sexuality on national television during an interview on The Oprah Winfrey Show in 1996. The two actors were there to talk about their film The Birdcage, in which they play a couple, and while Lane was happy to focus on his role, he wasn’t ready to talk about his personal life. However, Winfrey began to ask him about his sexuality, and Lane was afraid he would have to come out on TV. But Williams intervened and redirected the conversation to protect Lane.
In a recent interview with Willie Geist for Sunday TODAY, Lane spoke highly of Williams and praised him as “the greatest person” and “a saint”. He recalled how kind and sensitive Williams was, and how he protected him from having to disclose his sexuality.
Lane eventually came out in a 1999 interview with the Advocate, and last month he appeared on The View to promote his new Broadway show and talk about his 25-year relationship with husband Devlin Elliott. The Tony Award-winning actor said that his partner is “the greatest person in the world” and that he couldn’t imagine his life without him. The couple has been married since 2018 but chose not to celebrate Valentine’s Day this year because they believe in maintaining romance and appreciation all year round.
Lane’s recent interview sheds light on the difficult experience of coming out and the importance of having a supportive friend like Robin Williams. It also shows how LGBTQ people in the entertainment industry have faced challenges to reveal their sexual orientation or gender identity. Despite the challenges, actors like Lane and Williams have made significant contributions to the film industry and LGBTQ representation on screen.
