Forgot password
Enter the email address you used when you joined and we'll send you instructions to reset your password.
If you used Apple or Google to create your account, this process will create a password for your existing account.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Reset password instructions sent. If you have an account with us, you will receive an email within a few minutes.
Something went wrong. Try again or contact support if the problem persists.
Eric McCormack
Photo by Tibrina Hobson/Getty Images

Is Eric McCormack gay? The rumors, explained

It all started in 1998...

There are so many things that Will & Grace star, Erin McCormack has willingly shared about himself —that he used to be a manager at Baskin-Robbins, that he once performed in front of Notre Dame with a mime, the revelation that his wife Janet Holden is a “real camper,” etc.

Recommended Videos

But being a celebrity comes with the peril of a few curious minds wanting private information pertaining to their personal life, and in McCormack’s case, enter the long-standing rumors that he is actually gay.

While it provides no consolation, McCormack is not the only celeb out there who keeps tackling speculations and intrusive questions directed at his sexuality — on one hand, Hugh Jackman’s recent split from his wife sparked the age-old query about the Wolverine star, but singer-songwriter Kenny Chesney’s equally non-chaotic life developments also manage to poke at theories about his sexual status from time to time.

The fact that McCormack and his wife, Janet Leigh Holden, are splitting after more than 26 years of marriage has only fueled the speculations once again.

What sparked rumors of Eric McCormack being gay?

NBC’s pioneering sitcom, Will & Grace, brought about a revolution by being one of the first network shows to present openly gay characters. But while Sean Hayes, who plays Jack and Will’s best friend in the series is openly gay, McCormack is not. The actor has even looked back at the show’s decision to rope him in to play a gay man, something he is happy to know won’t happen in today’s era of diversity and inclusivity.

Throughout the show’s eleven seasons, Will dated many men and eventually ended up with McCoy Whitman, played by Matt Bomer, who is openly gay in real life. Evidently, it was all enough to give rise to speculations about McCormack being gay, even though he was married to Janet Holden a year before the show started.

The rumors got brand new wings when the actor — who is an avid supporter of same-sex marriage — hilariously kissed his Will & Grace co-star, Hayes, during the ribbon-cutting ceremony of the show’s reboot back in 2017. Of course, his Will Truman also returning to the screens further ensured that any lingering logic left the chat of those huddled together to pass judgment on his private life.

So, is Eric McCormack gay? That’s a question only he gets to answer, when — and moreover, if — he wants to.


We Got This Covered is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Learn more about our Affiliate Policy
Author
Image of Apeksha Bagchi
Apeksha Bagchi
Apeksha is a Freelance Editor and Writer at We Got This Covered. She's a passionate content creator with years of experience and can cover anything under the sun. She identifies as a loyal Marvel junkie (while secretly re-binging Vampire Diaries for the zillionth time) and when she's not breaking her back typing on her laptop for hours, you can likely find her curled up on the couch with a murder mystery and her cat dozing on her lap.