The ups and downs of the life of the actor of 'The Thorn Birds'

Richard Chamberlain as Father Ralph in "The Thorn Birds". Photo: ABC

The actor passed away in Hawaii after a stroke on March 29, 2 days before his 91st birthday. On social networking forums, many viewers regretted: "Every role he played was great", "Rest in peace Richard. He gave us many memorable moments with the films The Thorn Birds , The Towering Inferno , Dr. Kildare ".

Despite his successful career, Richard Chamberlain struggled with his mental health, hiding his sexuality for decades. In December 1989, the French magazine Nous Deux revealed that he was gay, but the actor did not confirm it until he released his autobiography Shattered Love: A Memoir in 2003, at the age of 69.

The prejudiced social context at that time put a lot of pressure on the actor. According to his autobiography, he lived a double life: being a star loved by the audience, but also having to hide himself. This made him lonely and isolated. Because of work, he often appeared with female colleagues at project launches and red carpet events to promote his work. When asked by reporters about the reason for being single, he only answered generally: "Getting married would be great, but I'm too busy right now."

The actor decided to "come out" in the early 2000s, believing he had nothing to lose or regret. Before that, Richard spent years in therapy.

In an interview, he said: "Growing up, being gay, being weak or anything like that was forbidden. I'm no longer the idol of young girls like I used to be, so I'm not afraid of breaking their hearts. In my time, being gay was a big deal. I was so disappointed in myself that I had to hide my true nature."

In his autobiography, the actor said that he and his father, Charles Chamberlain, were not very close. On NBC , the actor once said that instead of being happy when his son was known to the public, Charles, a heavy drinker, viewed his son's success as a threat because he feared it would get out of control. Writing his autobiography made the actor feel relieved that he no longer had to hide himself.

After many life changes, the actor found peace with his partner Martin Rabbett. He fell in love with his co-star, 20 years his junior, while filming Allan Quatermain and the Lost City of Gold (1986). They lived together in Hawaii in 1986, then secretly married. While Richard was writing the book, Rabbett helped edit his partner.

In 2010, the two split amicably, and Richard moved to Los Angeles. In a 2014 interview, Richard said they were no longer in love but remained friends. In recent years, the two continued to live together in Hawaii. In the Guardian , Richard Chamberlain's spokesman - Harlan Boll - said that Rabbett was an important person to the actor, maintaining a close relationship until his death.

Experts say that Richard Chamberlain has all the elements to be a shining star of the film industry - tall, American appearance, good singing voice and outstanding acting. However, his appearance is also a barrier, making many producers hesitate to give him roles that require psychological depth. With talent and determination, he proved his ability through a series of projects. He attracted attention with Dr. Kildare (1961-1966), in which the actor's handsome appearance was a factor that attracted audiences. At one point, he received thousands of letters from fans every week.

Richard Chamberlain (left) with Martin Rabbett (right), actor Neil Patrick Harris backstage at the play "Hedwig and The Angry Inch" in May 2014. Photo: FilmMagic

In the 1980s, he was known as the "king of short films" with works such as Shogun (1981), The Thorn Birds (1983), Wallenberg: A Hero's Story (1985), The Bourne Identity (1988 ). He won three Golden Globe Awards for Dr. Kildare, Shogun and The Thorn Birds . Photoplay magazine named him the most popular male star for three consecutive years, from 1963 to 1965.

In a press release after Richard's death, Martin Rabbett said: "Our beloved Richard is with the angels. He is free, flying to where his loved ones are. We were so lucky to have known such a wonderful and loving soul. This love is eternal. And our love will carry him on his next great adventure."

VN (according to VnExpress)

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