A Different Gay Turn By Robin Williams

The last time funnyman Robin Williams played a gay role, he struck box office gold with "The Birdcage" a decade ago. He and Nathan Lane were a hoot in this comedy that was non-threatening enough to be accepted by the mainstream.

Now Williams, an Oscar winner for the drama "Good Will Hunting," tackles a serious gay role in the psychological thriller The Night Listener which opens Friday. It is based on the novel by the openly gay Armistead Maupin (Tales of the City).

Williams plays a gay radio host who begins speaking to a young boywith AIDS on the telephone who is supposedly his biggest fans. But questions arise about the boy's identity and the life of Williams' character is thrown into chaos. This is based on a real-life experience of Maupin, who has known Williams for 30 years.

Bobby Cannavale, who played Will's boyfriend (once he FINALLY got one!) in "Will & Grace" plays gay again as the ex-boyfriend of Williams' character who he just painfully split with after a 10 year relationship. Toni Collette and Sandra Oh also star.

Director Patrick Stettner told AfterElton.com: “The thing about Bobby [Cannavale] and Robin [Williams] is that they are both open souls. There's a lot of warmth there and there's something very real about their screen relationship.�

Stettner says he knew the two stars were up to the challenge of playing gay lovers in a serious and honest way. “Cannavale has played a lot of gay men before,� he says, “so I don't think it was an issue for him. Robin understood from the big get-go that this was not 'The Birdcage.' This was different—very matter-of-fact—and we're all very proud of that.�