Gay Actors Who Play Straight Roles

4.  David Hyde Pierce

He once said (see IMDB.com), “I can vividly recall telling a joke in, like, second grade and realizing it was funnier if I didn’t laugh. I’ve been deadpan ever since.” And that describes David Hyde Pierce perfectly. Most fans remember him as Dr. Niles Crane in the TV comedy series Frasier, which ran for 11 years from 1993-2004. If you were a fan of the show, you might recall that Niles Crane had an almost obsessive, undying love for Daphne (played by actress Jane Leeves).

David officially came out in 2007 and married his long-time writer/director partner Brian Hargrove in 2008. They’ve been together more than 3 decades. Along the way, Pierce has performed on stage, film, and television. In addition to his long-running role on Frasier, you can watch him as Sarah Paulson’s love interest in Down With Love, a 2003 comedy.