Jake Picking, who plays Rock Hudson in
Netflix's Hollywood, said in a recent interview that he
connected with Hudson's “loneliness.”
The limited series follows writers,
agents, and actors during the movie industry's golden age trying to
make it in Hollywood. Creator Ryan Murphy, who is openly gay, has
populated his version of Hollywood with real-life characters who were
in some way rejected by the industry because of their race, gender,
or sexuality.
Hudson's career spanned more than four
decades. In 1985, he revealed that he was gay and fighting a
diagnosis of AIDS. He died several months later at age 59.
"I think there are so many
qualities that make up a human being, and to initially judge someone,
in any way, based on who they are, or who they love, or what their
skin color is, is closed-minded and toxic," Picking told Sharon
Stone for an interview published in UK LGBT glossy Attitude.
"I read somewhere, that a secret
isn’t real unless it’s painful to hold on to, and I feel like
that’s what Rock was doing with his truth and there is a tragedy in
that. Not being able to express who you are."
"I initially connected with Rock’s
loneliness that he described. When he first moved to LA, he would
stand alone in his uniform in front of the studio gates, hoping for a
connection to the business, or a helping hand, you know. I was
feeling that,” he said.
“He was the kindest person,” said
Stone, who worked with Hudson in the 1984 film The Vegas Strip
War.
“And I'm very, very grateful for what
you did,” she
told Picking.