"I was very surprised that for a while I could only get cast as straight. It was that way for a few years"

Steve Buscemi's quote speaks to the problem of being an openly gay star in the entertainment industry. For an amount of time, Buscemi was just able to get cast in roles that required him to play a straight character. This could have been due to the fact that there were restricted roles offered for honestly gay actors, or that manufacturers were not comfy casting him in a gay role. This quote highlights the obstacles that openly gay stars face in the show business, and how hard it can be to break through the barriers of conventional casting. It likewise talks to the progress that has actually been made in the last few years, as more and more openly gay actors are being cast in roles that reflect their true identity. Buscemi's quote is a suggestion of the value of representation in the entertainment industry, and how far we still need to go in order to create a genuinely inclusive environment.