Legendary gay leading man Rock Hudson is the subject of a new documentary from HBO, Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed.
Today, HBO debuted an emotional trailer for the film, which puts a spotlight on the star's life in the Hollywood closet, as well as his tragic death from AIDS-related complications in 1985.
Though his friends and colleagues in the film industry knew he was gay, Hudson kept his sexual identity a secret throughout his life. He was one of the premiere leading men in Hollywood in the '50s and '60s, known especially for his work with director Douglas Sirk on The Magnificent Obsession, All That Heaven Allows, and Written on the Wind.
He also starred opposite James Dean in the 1956 film Giant, a role that earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Actor.
Hudson was the first major celebrity to die from an AIDS-related illness. His passing rocked the world and helped bring the HIV/AIDS crisis into the public eye.
"He was seen as the all-American boy, and the all-American boy gets AIDS. It's really changed a lot of people's attitudes," says one of the interviewees in the trailer.
"He pretty much did change the course of history around AIDS," says another. "He didn't intentionally do it, but there was no other star that made that kind of impact before. There hasn't been one since, really."
The documentary's world premiere is set for Sunday, June 11 at the 2023 Tribeca Festival in New York. Later in the month, it will screen at Frameline47, a prominent LGBTQ+ film festival in San Francisco.
Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed releases on HBO and Max June 28.
Check out the new trailer below.
Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed | Official Trailer | HBOyoutu.be
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