Lance Bass Says His CW Show Was Killed After Coming Out as Gay

Lance Bass recently opened up about a challenging career hurdle he faced after coming out as gay in 2006. He revealed that development on a pilot he was planning to shoot for The CW was abruptly halted due to his sexuality.

In an interview on the Politickin’ podcast, Bass shared his experience, stating, “I had a sitcom with The CW at the time, and we were about to shoot the pilot and this came out and they were like, ‘We can’t do the show anymore. Like, they have to believe that you’re straight to play a straight character.’ Every casting director I knew, they’re like, ‘Lance, we can’t cast you because they can’t look past… You’re too famous for being gay now that they can’t look at you as anything other than that.’ So, I lost everything.”

The situation was particularly daunting for Bass, as he explained, “It was a crazy scary situation because all the examples I’ve ever had of anyone coming out, especially in entertainment, was that it’s a career killer.” Bass had transitioned to acting after his time in the boy band NSYNC and had appeared in the romantic comedy “On the Line” in 2001. His decision to come out publicly in a People magazine cover feature in August 2006 coincided with The CW’s launch, following a merger between UPN and The WB.

Following his coming out, Bass struggled to find work in Hollywood. He participated in Season 7 of “Dancing With the Stars” in 2008 and had a successful six-month Broadway run playing Corny Collins in “Hairspray.” Last year, Bass and the rest of NSYNC reunited for a new single titled “Better Place.”

Despite the challenges he faced, Bass has continued to pursue his passion for entertainment and advocacy. His story serves as a reminder of the obstacles that members of the LGBTQ+ community often encounter in the industry. Through his resilience and talent, Bass has carved out a successful career and remains an inspiration to many.