Close family members of the late, great movie star Cary Grant have stepped forward to counter rumours about his sexuality.
For years various Hollywood players had openly speculated Grant had relationships with men – but no direct evidence was ever offered to substantiate the claims.
The leading man died in 1986 at age 82.
He was married five times, with four of those marriages ending in divorce. He welcomed his only child with wife No. 4, Dyan Cannon, in 1966.
Now his sole progeny has decided to end the debate once and for all.
(L-R) Jennifer Grant and Dyan Cannon attend the “Archie” premiere during the PaleyLive NY series at The Paley Museum on December 04, 2023 in New York City. (Dominik Bindl/Getty Images)
“I suppose the [misconception about my father] that comes to mind is the question of, ‘Was he straight? Was he gay?’” his daughter Jennifer Grant told Fox News Digital.
“When I wrote my book [in 2011], I got hate mail saying, ‘Why aren’t you standing up for the fact that your father was homosexual?’” the 57-year-old revealed. “But the truth of the matter is, I never saw anything to indicate that. And had he been homosexual, I absolutely would’ve stood up for it. He had gay friends and there’s just absolutely nothing to be ashamed of there.
“But I had to speak the truth, which was I saw a very straight male who watched women, was married to women, had me,” the actress added. “Did he have affairs earlier in life? Perhaps. I don’t know. I wasn’t there to see it. So, I think it might not be a common misconception, but it’s certainly a rumor out there.”
Ex-wife Cannon has also added her voice to the disclaimers as the four-part docudrama Archie begins streaming to tell his life story.
Irene Dunne and Cary Grant in a publicity portrait for the 1937 Columbia Pictures release “The Awful Truth.” Their famous pooch “Mr. Smith” is Asta, the movie terrier.
“I never saw an indication” of Grant being attracted to men, Cannon recently told uInterview.“Once, on a ship liner on the way to England, I saw him be very cozy, flirty with the captain. But other than that, I never saw anything.”
Before she married Grant in 1965, she was aware of the rumors about his relationships with men, Cannon said. “Honestly, it wouldn’t have mattered to me,” she said.
“What mattered to me was the connection between us, and I must tell you that it was undeniably real, in the beginning.”