By Wonderwall.com Editors
5:53am PST, Dec 1, 2020
Hollywood stars come from all types of families. Wonderwall.com is taking a look at some of the celebrities who grew up with LGBTQ parents, starting with this "WandaVision" actor… "Avengers" franchise star Paul Bettany opened up to Total Film magazine in November 2020 while promoting his movie "Uncle Frank" — in which he plays a gay man in the 1970s who confronts his past — to share his experience with a gay parent. Paul said his late father, actor-dancer Thane Bettany, came out at 63 and entered what would be a 20-year relationship with love Andy Clark after divorcing Paul's theater teacher mother, Anne, after 25 years of marriage. However, "once his partner died [in 2015; Thane died not long after], he was in his 80s at that point, my dad decided to go back inside the closet and say that it had all been a big misunderstanding because he was a Catholic and concerned about getting past Peter through the pearly gates," Paul explained. "The shame he felt for his sexual identity was devastating. He was unable to mourn the person who I think was the love of his life."
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"This Is Us" star Mandy Moore's mom, Stacy, divorced her father to be with a woman. Mandy has said she loves her "nontraditional," "extraordinarily close" family. "Nobody is hiding who they are. There are no secrets in our lives," Mandy told People magazine of her mom, who identifies as a lesbian, and her two brothers, who are also gay. "I love and support my mom and my brothers with my whole heart. And nothing makes me happier than seeing anybody live their authentic self, and to choose love. If anyone can find love, I support it, I salute you and I celebrate that."
RELATED: Celebs who came out later in their careers
Music mogul Jay-Z was raised by a single mother who publicly came out as a lesbian in 2017. The rapper said he always knew his mom, Gloria Carter, was gay and cried with happiness when she finally told him the truth about her sexual identity. "Imagine having to live your life as someone else and you think you're protecting your kids. And for my mother to have to live as someone that she wasn't … [she] didn't want to embarrass her kids for all this time. And for her to sit in front of me and say, 'I think I love someone…' I mean, I really cried. That's a real story," Jay said on Netflix's "My Guest Needs No Introduction With David Letterman."
RELATED: Stars who came out of the closet
Robert De Niro's father, artist Robert De Niro Sr., divorced the actor's mother in 1945 and came out as a gay man. The "Taxi Driver" actor made a documentary about his father, "Remembering the Artist: Robert De Niro Sr.," to commemorate his legacy. "About his homosexuality? Yeah, he probably was [conflicted], being from that generation, especially from a small town upstate. I was not aware, much, of it. I wish we had spoken about it much more," Robert told Out Magazine.
Jodie Foster's mother, Evelyn "Brandy" Almond, was a lesbian who raised Jodie with her female partner after divorcing Jodie's father. The "Inside Man" actress and her siblings referred to her mom's girlfriend as Aunt Jo. Jodie herself publicly came out as a gay woman during her acceptance speech at the 2013 Golden Globe Awards.
Rapper 50 Cent was raised by his mother, Sabrina, who was a lesbian and drug dealer, according to the rapper. She died in a mysterious fire when he was 8 and he went to live with his grandparents.
Liza Minnelli's father, Vincente Minnelli, was long rumored to be gay or bisexual. Biographers have said that he was openly gay while directing in New York but was pressured back into the closet after moving to Hollywood, where he met Liza's mom, Judy Garland, whom he married in 1945.
Judy Garland's dad, Frank Gumm, was reportedly gay but was forced to live his life in the closet. Judy later married and divorced Vincente Minnelli, who was also rumored to be gay or bisexual.
Ally Sheedy's mother, literary agent and activist Charlotte Sheedy, came out as a lesbian after divorcing Ally's father, John J. Sheedy Jr., when Ally was 9. "It's difficult for me to understand a family member judging or not loving or accepting another family member because they are gay," the "The Breakfast Club" alum told the Windy City Times. Ally's son Beckett — born Rebecca — previously identified as queer and gender fluid but later transitioned and now lives his life as a man. Acceptance, Ally has said, all comes down to one question: "Do you love that person or not?"
The late Natasha Richardson and actress Joely Richardson's father, Tony Richardson, was bisexual but never acknowledged it publicly until after he contracted HIV. He died of AIDS-related complications in 1991. In 2011, Joely — whose mom is acclaimed actress Vanessa Redgrave — told The Telegraph, "My father's bisexuality is a foot note if anything, not a headline of what defined his great contribution to the arts."
Natasha and Joely Richardson's mother, actress Vanessa Redgrave (right), and aunt, actress Lynn Redgrave (left), grew up with a bisexual father, actor-director Michael Redgrave. Their actor and activist brother, Corin, wrote a biography of their late father in 1995 that was inspired by Corin's memory of when his dad — who was unfaithful to their mother and once had a relationship with playwright Noel Coward, among other men — came out to him. "I think I ought to tell you, that I am, to say the least of it, bisexual," Corin recalled his dad confessing before dissolving into tears.
Jennifer Grey's father, Academy Award-winning actor Joel Grey, came out as a gay man in 2015 at 82. "I feel very happy for my dad that he has come to a point in his life where he feels safe and/or comfortable enough to declare himself in a public way as a gay man," Jennifer told People magazine. "To love who you love," the "Dirty Dancing" star added, "I think it can only be a good thing."
"The Hunger Games" actress Jena Malone was raised by her mother, Deborah Malone, and her mother's girlfriend, whom she's called her "godmom." "When I was younger, I didn't know it was any different. They never really came out as gay," Jena told LA Weekly in 2014. "My godmom was more open about it than my mom. My mom still renounces it. She doesn't like to talk about that. It was the only relationship she had with a woman. She found Christianity when they broke up, and she started dating men again."
Andy Richter's parents divorced when he was 4 and his father, Laurence Richter, later came out as a gay man. The "Conan" comedian discussed the experience during a 2010 episode of "The Greg Fitzsimmons Show" podcast.
Actress Dorothy Dandridge's mother, Ruby Dandridge, was bisexual. Ruby reportedly began dating her partner, Geneva Williams, after divorcing Dorothy's father.
In a 2001 interview on "Larry King Live," Anne Heche said that her father, Donald Heche, died in 1983 after a secret battle with AIDS when she was 13. "We were told — he never admitted it. He was in complete denial until the day he died," she said. "We know he got it from his gay relationships. Absolutely. I don't think it was just one. He was a very promiscuous man, and we knew his lifestyle then." Anne also claimed her dad sexually abused her when she was a young girl.
Scissor Sisters singer Ana Matronic's father came out as a gay man after divorcing her mother. He died of AIDS-related complications when Ana was 15. "My mother told us she'd separated from my father because he was gay," she told Metro in 2013. "When I was 15, he became very ill, due to having HIV, and passed away."
