Q&A: Catching Up with Richard Chamberlain
By Patricia SheridanPittsburgh Post-Gazette
In "Shattered Love," the 2003 confessional book in which he came out, actor Richard Chamberlain shares his thoughts on homosexuality, aging and stardom. His career got a major boost when he played the dashing Dr. Kildare on TV in the early '60s. Today the 72-year-old actor lives in Hawaii with his partner of more than 25 years.
He returns to television in the Hallmark Channel miniseries movie "Blackbeard," which premieres at 8 p.m. EDT June 17, 2006.
Here, he talks about aging, vanity and being a closeted gay actor projecting a romantic-lead image.
Q: What do you think it was about your personality that propelled you into acting?
A: It's a fairly usual showbiz story. I was a shy kid, kind of withdrawn and not with a ton of self-esteem. I didn't very much like real life. I hated going to school when I was a kid, and so a life of fantasy seemed very attractive. (Laughs)
Q: Did it live up to your expectations?
A: Yes and more so. With the sudden success of "Dr. Kildare," it was so astonishing. And I loved every second of it. Young people can have a lot of trouble with success, but I was working so hard it didn't really ruin my character. But, oh, God! I loved being famous. I needed it so badly because, as I said, I had a self-confidence problem of major proportions. It really helps on a superficial level. Now the time comes when you realize that no amount of fame or even money, though both are wonderful, will solve the essential problem.
Q: When did you realize that?
A: It came over a long period of time. I did a lot of therapy. I did a lot of spiritual workshops. So gradually over time I became less of a control freak and less worried that if people really knew me they wouldn't like me. Q: It seems you were acting most of your adult life -- and it wasn't all on the stage.
A: Yes, I was acting in real life as well as on the stage. I wrote a book about all that ("Shattered Love"). It wasn't really until I was 68 years old that some of the fears that I had disappeared.
Q: Do you have any regrets about writing "Shattered Love"?
A: Oh, no, not at all. It was a marvelous experience. It's a wonderful way to focus your being on whatever it is you want to focus. In writing the book, I discovered so many things that seemed true to me.
Q: Knowing what you know now, would it have been OK to come out earlier?
A: No, because my career demanded that I keep all that as secret as possible. I was playing a romantic leading man most of my life. So you don't go around saying you live with a guy when you are playing a romantic lead. A lot of people don't get over it. Even today. We who live in more liberal areas feel that times have changed a lot, but the fact is society moves glacially. Very, very slow. Prejudice lives on.
Q: You have a very interesting philosophy on homosexuality. You see the masculine and feminine being balanced.
A: Oh, I think it's very true, maybe not in every case. I think it's often true with homosexuals that there is a kind of androgynous quality. You know the word "androgynous" is not a happy word in America. I think it's wonderful to have a balance of male and female in the same person. It doesn't necessarily lead to homosexuality. A person can still be straight. I think all my friends have this balance, gay and straight. ... I think it's a very creative combination also.
Q: At some point we all have to deal with aging. Being a teen idol and a romantic leading man, how have you faced the years?
A: Well, to begin with, I stayed young miraculously until 60. I mean well into my 50s, I still looked young, I felt young; I thought I was young. I do take care of myself, and you know there's no surgery or anything involved. My parents were like that, too, and my brothers were all like that. Getting old -- what a shock! You know I'm 72 now, and, no, I don't look and don't act it, but one's energy begins to diminish and it's a pain in the ...
Q: Is vanity something you let go of as you age or use to improve your health?
A: Vanity rules my life, and I think it's an excellent component of health. I mean I've always been an exercise freak and do it every day in one form or another. If I don't exercise, I can't sleep. I need it and I enjoy it. I like moving and I like doing stuff. It's largely a component of vanity. (Laughs)
Patricia Sheridan can be reached at psheridan@post-gazette.com
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