It was tough being gay in the 1950s, and even more so if you were in the public eye and one of the most famous men in the world. That’s the position Hollywood teen idol Tab Hunter found himself in, living one life publicly – incuding going on studio mandated dates with women – and another privately. Hunter recounted his experiences of coming to terms with his sexuality and his experiences of being a gay star in the 50s in his memoir, Tab Hunter Confidential: The Making of a Movie Star.
That was then turned into an acclaimed documentary of the same name in 2015 (you can read our review here), and it’s now set to inspire a movie with Hollywood hotshot JJ Abrams (Star Wars: The Force Awakens) producing, alongside his Star Trek colleague, Zachary Quinto.
According to THR, as well as dealing with Hunter’s experiences of being gay in 50s Hollywood – which included being blackmailed, semi-outed and being put under immense pressure – it will also dramatise his love affair with Anthony Perkins, the actor best known for playing Norman Bates in Hitchcock’s Psycho. The role of Perkins is one it’s easy to see Quinto stepping into, but there’s been no confirmation of that.
Pulitzer Prize-winner Doug Wright will write the screenplay, with 86-year-old Hunter giving the film his backing, and his longtime partner, Allan Glaser, producing. There’s no news on when we might see the movie.