Nelsan Ellis (Lafayette) From ‘True Blood’ Does Not Think Highly Of Luke Grimes, Who Quit Over Gay Stuff

Nelsan Ellis, who plays the mostly wonderful Lafayette on True Blood and who I just actually learned is not actually gay in real life, has Very Strong Opinions on Luke Grimes — the actor who we previously mentioned quit the series after he found out his character was to have a gay storyline involving Lafayette. (Just to clarify, he quit over the gay storyline itself, not because the gay storyline is also terrible.)

In an interview with Vulture, Ellis responded to a question of whether or not he had a chance to bond with Grimes before he homophobed into the sunset.

I didn’t, but I’m completely … I mean, I can say I’m not going to make a comment, but I just think that, you’re an actor, you’re an actor on a show that’s True Blood, we’re all sitting there going, “You quit your job because … really?” I’m just… I’m over him. You quit your job because you don’t want to play a gay part? As if it’s … You know what? I’m going to stop talking.

Yet, he went on to say…

You have to be open. But more importantly, you make a statement when you do something like that. I did a documentary called Damn Wonderful, about gay suicide, and you make a statement, a big statement, when you go, “I don’t want to play this part because it’s gay.” If you have a child, if you have a son, and he comes out as gay, what are you going to do? If you have a daughter who comes out gay …? You just made a statement, and it has ripple effects.

Well said. As I kind of stated before, I’m sure it’s a pretty sucky bait and switch to have to go from Jessica Hamby’s love interest to literally any other love interest on the show — but this is True Blood and no one stays with anyone for very long. So just suck it up, be a man and kiss a boy.

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