Hank Azaria told interviewer Larry King that he worried that his
portrayal of Guatemalan houseboy Agador in the gay classic The
Birdcage would offend the gay community.
The 49-year-old Azaria appeared on Larry King Now to
promote his latest upcoming films: Lovelace, in which he plays
Gerard Damiano, writer and director of the 1972 adult film Deep
Throat, and The Smurfs 2,
in which he plays Gargamel the Evil Wizard, the sworn enemy of the
Smurfs.
“When you play
an outward gay, flaunting the gay ...” King started.
“Yes, a
flamboyantly gay character,” Azaria interrupted.
“Do you ever
hear it from your gay friends?”
“I made it a
point since that movie to have no gay friends, so that I don't get
any feedback like that,” Azaria joked. “I've never heard a
negative comment. Mostly they've loved it. And maybe they think it
but they've never had the nerve to say it to me.”
Azaria added
that he hesitated on the role.
“I
would sit up in bed in the middle of the night terrified, 'Like what
am I doing? I really hope this works.' This is way out there on
several levels. Not only could I be offending all gay people, not to
mention all Guatemalan people, but is the character going to work, is
it funny, you know.” (The video is embedded on this page. Visit
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