Remember the ’90s, when representation was scarce, and actors were often forced to stay in the closet to protect their A-list status? For Desperate Housewives star Doug Savant, the situation was flipped. After starring in Melrose Place as the openly gay and progressive character Matt Fielding, he faced pressure to prove his heterosexuality as a straight man playing a gay role.
Photo Credit: @tvhistorytoday
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In 1992, Doug Savant took on a pivotal role in Melrose Place, portraying one of the few openly gay characters on television at the time. His character, Matt Fielding, was a compassionate gay social worker who remained a mainstay for six of the show’s seven seasons—just shy of the full run, as Matt was tragically killed off in a car crash during season 6 (sigh).
Doug’s portrayal sparked widespread discussions about his own sexuality. Many speculated whether he was gay in real life—he wasn’t. His nuanced and empathetic performance made it difficult for some to believe he could be straight, while others were quick to assume he must be gay. In the ’90s, a time when LGBTQ+ representation was scarce and stereotypes prevailed, this kind of scrutiny was, unfortunately, all too common—a tough pill for many to swallow back then.
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When Doug was doing the show, he tried his best to evade questions regarding his sexuality in order to support his character’s representation in the gay community, which was truly underwhelming and lacking during the 90s. Doug dropped by his wife’s–Laura Leighton– podcast along with co-hosts and co-former Melrose Place stars Courtney Thorne-Smith and Daphne Zuniga, and spilled the beans on why he chose to keep mum over his sexuality even after much prodding from show creator Darren Starr and executive producer Aaron Spelling.
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He recalled a conversation with the show’s publicist, Sam, from Pat Kingsley’s PMK—who also represented Aaron Spelling at the time. During the discussion, he asked her if she “cared to talk about it [the character’s sexuality]” and how they intended to address his character being gay moving forward. He acknowledged that his character was “exceptional” and believed people would naturally take an interest.
@stilltheplace Doug Savant talks about his time portraying Matt Fielding, an openly gay character on Melrose Place. Doug’s episode on “Still The Place” is now streaming! #StillThePlace #MelrosePlace #Podcast #DougSavant #DaphneZuniga #CourtneyThorneSmith #LauraLeighton
Unfortunately, Savant recalled the publicist dismissing the matter, stating, “No, it’s not a big deal. You’re an actor; you’re just…[playing a role].” Reflecting on this exchange during the podcast, Savant remarked, “Clearly, she doesn’t get it.”
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Doug clearly stated on the podcast that during the press rounds and publicity for the show, he would never address his sexuality—neither confirming nor denying whether he was straight or gay in real life—and that was his personal choice. According to Savant, this decision did not sit well with Aaron Spelling and the network, as he was called into a meeting with their publicist.
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During the meeting, the executives and showrunners pressured Savant to publicly confirm that he was a straight man. However, he remained steadfast in his commitment to portraying Matt with as much empathy as possible, respecting the character’s sexuality, even though he identified as straight in real life. This was especially important to Doug, as Matt was not only the sole gay character on Melrose Place but one of the very few on television at the time. Despite the higher-ups’ insistence, Doug flatly refused to comply, firmly stating, “no.”
This was unfortunate because Doug and the podcast hosts explain that this was the show runners’ way of making the show more “palatable” to the American people–we’ve clearly come a long way from show’s in the 90s–to which Doug feels that it was “morally reprehensible.” He clapped back at the show runners by saying, “You may not prostitute my life for the benefit of the show because you think it’s somehow more politically correct.”
It’s a great thing that Doug was firm on his decision to protect his character, and it’s even a better thing that he has a sense of humor. He recalls being interviewed with different ways of asking “are you gay?” In one instance, he was asked sneakily, “What do you have in common?” to which Doug replied, “Well, we’re the same height and we both have a sense of humor.”
Doug has left a truly beautiful and remarkable mark in the gay community, and it’s so admirable to have someone stand their ground for others who didn’t have the same platform or the same voice that was given to him. Respect!
All episodes of the original Melrose Place is available on Paramount+ for streaming if you’re feeling nostalgic!
Source: Still the Place Podcast