James Dean: The Bi Hollywood Icon We Lost Too Soon
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Published 2023-01-31
James Dean has long been a Hollywood legend after his short career and tragic young death rocked movie history. But behind his popular image was a bisexual man in a constant struggle to understand himself and what he wanted-- a journey he never got to complete. Come learn with me about Hollywood's favorite rebel!
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Sources
James Dean: The Biography by Val Holley
The Real James Dean by John Gilmore
Live fast, die young : remembering the short life of James Dean by John Gilmore
James Dean by George Perry
James Dean on Location by Marceau Devillers
The Importance of James Dean by Walter Oleksy
Marcus Winslow jr. Memories of James Dean. By JATVMedia archive.org/details/Marcus_Winslow_jr._Memories_ofā¦.
Remembering James Dean with Jim Grindle. By JATVMedia archive.org/details/Remembering_James_Dean_with_Jiā¦.
Surviving James Dean by William Bast
James Dean transfigured : the many faces of rebel iconography by Claudia Springer
Gays and Queers: From the Centering to the Decentering of Homosexuality in American Films by James Joseph Dean
Gay Fandom and Crossover Stardom: James Dean, Mel Gibson, and Keanu Reeves by Michael DeAngelis
Rebel masculinities of star/director/text: James Dean, Nicholas Ray, and Rebel Without a Cause by Will Scheibel
An Interview with John Gilmore from The Original Van Gogh's Ear Anthology theoriginalvangoghsearanthology.com/2017/06/05/an-ā¦
Modes of Masculinity: the Depiction of Men in Rebel Without a Cause by Gabriel Fargher gabrielfargher.medium.com/modes-of-man-how-masculiā¦
Full service : my adventures in Hollywood and the secret sex lives of the stars by Scotty Bower
All Comments (21)
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One correction: Sal was also bi. He stated it on the record at least twice in later life, 1972, and 1975 I think. People continuously ignore it because his longest lasting and later relations were with a man. But since he clarified it, at least twice, we should believe I think.
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James Dean is from the era where cool people could be from Indiana, which unfortunately ended.
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I never knew he only starred in three movies! And he died at 24, so tragically, desperately young yet his image and legacy endures to this day. Shows you how iconic he was despite his very short career. A star that truly did burn bright and fast.
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James Dean was troubled and you can tell the trauma of not only being bisexual but being brought up, neglected, shunned, even heartbroken, just played a role in his demeanor. And all he wanted was a thrill, to feel alive it seems. It's really sad. You can only hope that he got what to some degree towards the end. God bless him.
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It still somehow baffles me how young he was when he passed away, Iām 23 and feel like Iāve barely done anything with my life
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I'd always heard that James Dean was bisexual, but for the most part, articles and videos I found made it seem like they were just rumors or subtle hints. I had no idea he had several documented relationships with men. You learn something new every day, I guess!
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I remember when I saw āRebel Without a Causeā I thought āOh wow, I get the hype now, and itās not just hype. This guy is breathtaking to watch!ā And just knowing he was platonic soul mates with Eartha Kitt is just downright magical and wholesome.
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I'm no James Dean historian, nor am I a mental health professional, but speaking as someone with Borderline Personality Disorder, the recklessness, the hot/cold relationships, and the lack of a strong sense of personal identity are all extremely familiar to me. Given his childhood rejection by his father, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if he did have BPD.
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i find it kinda funny how i dressed up as him for a 5th grade dance and like 8 years later i finally accepted that i was bisexual
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It never ceases to amaze me how many of my childhood favorite actors/singers were secretly queer. My childhood subconscious queerdar was so on point. Thanks for giving me all the gory details on their lives and times! š„°
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The PSA he filmed about speeding is chilling to watch in retrospect
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You know, it's always nice when another bi is un-erased and has their story told - so much queer culture is lost in so many communities! Thank you for putting in the time and effort to tell a bi man's story, when the rest of the world would deny him who he truly was, even now.
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These I never knew! James Dean is literally portrayed at āTHE MANā all the while, his real identity and struggles were erased to benefit others. How sad. Thank you Kaz for this. Excited to watch the video in its entirity.
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As a bi person with BPD it really sounds like he might have struggled with it. Of course there isn't much point in spectating it but I think it's a good warning story for it
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Fun fact: Tommy Wiseau and Greg Sestero, creators of infamous movie The Room were heavily inspired by James Dean. The line "You're tearing me apart Lisa!" Was directly inspired by his famous line from Rebel Without A Cause.
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This is spooky, I was thinking about James Dean a lot this week and wondering whether he really was as outstanding of an actor or if his legacy precedes him so much these days that we can't appreciate his acting for what it actually was. It's hard to put into words, don't get me wrong because I love his work.
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I feel like thereās also some evidence that he could have been bipolar/bpd. The high turnover of friendships, whirlwind romantic relationships, temper issues, lying about his background, recklessness, etc. all seem to add up to a diagnosis like that.
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As a member of the LGBT+ community, it's comforting knowing that such a dominant American icon was bi himself. This was a fascinating documentary, thank you Kaz for sharing this with us!
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I misread the title as "John Wayne" and I think I had an aneurysm.
