In an interview with gay glossy The Advocate, John Schneider talks about his upcoming movie Hate Crime.

In the film, Schneider, who is best known for playing Bo Duke on The Dukes of Hazzard and Jonathan Kent in Smallville, plays John Demarco, whose son Kevin was murdered by his self-loathing lover, Raymond, now on death row. Raymond's parents – who refused to accept their son's sexuality – struggle with whether they bear some responsibility for his actions.

“We're not talking necessarily about how a man loves another man, how a woman loves another woman,” Schneider said. “We're talking about how parents love their children and how what every parent wants really, ultimately, is for someone to love their child. Whom they can love back.”

He added that homophobia may be caused by “ignorance” or boredom.

“I don't know why people can't just let people be people,” he said. “I have children. And I want my children to be happy. I would never designate who my children could love or be loved by. And I don't know how anyone can.”