“I was too gay to play the part” - Nathan Lane reveals Space Jam role he lost due to homophobia

In an interview with Vanity Fair on March 24, popular American actor Nathan Lane was asked that has homophobia has ever limited his opportunities. To answer the question, Lane came up with an example where the actor was afraid that homophobia might make him lose a part in the film:

“I don’t know what goes on behind closed doors, but I can’t help but think that it played a part. 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 wound up playing.”

The actor from Seinfeld who played the role of Micheal Jordan's assistant in the movie was Wayne Knight.

Lane elaborated that the film's director saw him hosting the Tony Awards and was impressed. Joe Pytka offered him the role which he rejected. Lane emphasized that homophobia is still alive and exists:

"I was up for that part, apparently the director [Joe Pytka] 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. [Laughs] But I don’t know. I’ll never know what people say. Homophobia is alive and well still.”

That very year, Lane got a chance to share the screen with Robin Williams in The Birdcage, which was a blockbuster hit. Lane said that his agent said that if the actor wasn't so open about his lifestyle, he would have got better roles.

“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. 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 also admitted that he later fired that agent.

---

How actor Robin Williams helped Lane in coming out

It was in 1996 that Nathan Lane co-starred with actor Robin Williams in the movie, The Birdcage.

According to NME, the actor admitted that Robin Williams protected him when the actor was wondering about coming out in public as gay or not. Both the actors played the role of a gay couple in the movie. Lane decided to keep his s*xuality private before coming out in the year 1999.

Lane took the opportunity to make a speech at an LGBTQ+ Cinema & Television event for bringing all the help and support that Robin Williams offered to his co-star and friend:

“I had expressed my fears beforehand to the late, great Robin Williams,” he Lane. “He kindly said to me, ‘Don’t worry, Nathan, you don’t have to discuss it if you’re not ready’.”

The actor added that Williams was there in all his awkward moments with him:

“And he went on to protect me whenever he could, throughout the awkward moments.”

In another interview with Oprah Winfrey in 1996, Lane admitted that he was scared of coming out of coming out in public and admitting his s*xuality on national television:

“I don’t think Oprah was trying to out me. I said to Robin beforehand, ‘I’m not prepared. I’m so scared of going out there and talking to Oprah. I’m not prepared to discuss that I’m gay on national television. I’m not ready."

Lane elaborated on a story that one day when Williams asked him why was he upset he confided in him.