It's not really about "intolerance". Having worked once in Hollywood, a place where the majority of men -- in front of, and behind, the camera -- are gay. I can tell you that the "paranoia" about box office sales being affected is there because focus group studies have shown over and over again that the majority of women are turned off by a leading man who is known to be gay IRL. Movies depend on the audience's ability to suspend disbelief for two hours. If the audience can't suspend disbelief, the film fails on every level.

Personally, I don't believe that focus group studies are necessarily the last word on what the public wants, but business decisions are rarely made without lots and lots of marketing research.

Me, I love a hot actor no matter what his sexual orientation is. But if he's gay, he'd better be GREAT in the role, or it will be telegraphed and that will ruin the illusion for a lot of women.