Nathan Lane Says Homophobia Blocked Him From ‘Space Jam,’ ‘Seinfeld’ Roles

Nathan Lane says homophobia may have impacted his chances to star in major Hollywood films and TV shows, including “Space Jam” and “Seinfeld.”

“I don’t know what goes on behind closed doors, but I can’t help but think it played a part,” the legendary Tony and Emmy award-winning actor said in an interview with Vanity Fair,” I was told it did impact a movie that I didn’t really care about: ‘Space Jam.’ I was up for the part that the guy from ‘Seinfeld’ [Wayne Knight] wound up playing.”

He continued: “I was up for that part. Apparently the director [Joe Pykta] saw me hosting the Tony Awards and thought that suggested I was too gay to play the part. So thank God, I didn’t have to do ‘Space Jam.’ But I don’t know. I’ll never know what people say. Homophobia is alive and well still.”

While Lane may be better known for his work as a stage actor, he’s starred in several Hollywood hit films, including “The Lion King” and “Stuart Little.” He is widely known for his Broadway performances, including “Guys and Dolls,” “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum,” and the “The Producers.”

However, Lane said he hit a roadblock during the ’90s after landing the role of Albert Goldman in “The Birdcage,” in which he played alongside the late Robin Williams.

“Then ‘The Birdcage’ came along. I thought perhaps because of the success of that, it’d lead to other films, but then it didn’t,” Lane said. “It really didn’t. I said to my agent, ‘I thought more would happen after ‘The Birdcage.’ He said, ‘Maybe if you weren’t so open about your lifestyle, it would have.'”

Lane ultimately left that agent and signed with CAA, adding that “there weren’t a lot of opportunities” for him at the time.

Lane is currently starring in Hulu’s new sitcom “Mid-Century Modern” with Matt Boomer and Nathan Lee Graham.

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