Leslie Allen Jordan was an American actor, comedian, writer, and singer. He was born on April 29, 1955, in Chattanooga, Tennessee, to United States Army Major Allen Bernard Jordan and Peggy Ann Griffin. Leslie Jordan’s father died with two others in a tragic plane crash on March 31, 1967. Jordan’s mother was highly supportive and accepting despite never genuinely understanding him.
In a 2014 interview, Jordan shared his experience growing up in a conservative Southern Baptist Community. He jokes, saying he would always step forward whenever the preacher asked sinners to come forward. He moved to Los Angeles and got involved with drugs and drinking. Fortunately, he recovered and overcame his struggles.
Jordan began his acting career in 1986 and appeared in multitudes of films and TV shows in various roles. Jordan quickly became identifiable thanks to his small stature and prominent Southern accent. He is most famously known for his role as Beverly Leslie in the television series “Will & Grace.”
Jordan became a hit on Instagram during the 2020 lockdowns. He amassed nearly six million followers that year and published his autobiography, “How Y’all Doing? Misadventures and Mischief from a Life Well Lived,” in April of 2021. With his followers getting a peek into Jordan’s personal life through his Instagram posts, people began wondering about his sexuality and asked the question, “Was Leslie Jordan gay?” Let’s take a closer look at the iconic actor’s personal life and find out for ourselves.
VOTE: What was Leslie Jordan’s Sexuality?
Leslie Jordan’s Relationships
Leslie Jordan was never one to discuss his personal life in interviews. He liked to keep his personal relations a private affair. However, fans noticed that Jordan would always play flamboyant homosexual characters. This led to many speculating that Leslie Jordan was gay.
In a 2017 interview with “The Gay Times,” Jordan revealed that he once had a relationship where his partner proposed to him three days after their first meet! He said:
Now, I have a guy who’s 20 years younger than me, but he has a fetish for silver-headed men. It was an online thing for a long time. He flew to LA three days before I left for London. After three days he asked me to marry him, and I will. I told him, ‘I’m gonna go to London for 30 days and let’s see what happens when I get back.’ It was this connection. We tried to have sex about 10 times but we couldn’t because we’d keep talking.”
Leslie Jordan, interview with The Gay Times, 2017
Unfortunately, it didn’t work out for the two, citing the distance as the reason for the breakup.
On a radio talk show with Andy Cohen, Jordan stated that he was currently single at the time and revealed that he had never been on a date, saying:
I am perfectly content being single. I am so set in my ways. I’m going to tell you the honest-to-God truth — I have never been on a date. Like, where you come pick me up and take me somewhere. My generation, we didn’t do that. There were a lot of bars. You headed out, you went here, and you went there. But, I don’t remember ever going on a date.”
Leslie Jordan, Radio Andy, 2021
A year later, Jordan revealed through an interview with Chris Azzopardi that he had a boyfriend. He was on record saying his boyfriend was helping him with his self-esteem issues. He said:
My boyfriend constantly says to me, ‘When someone compliments you Leslie, you compliment them back.’ And I said, ‘No, no, I’m too busy…’ But he’ll say, ‘Own it, and say, by the way, you….’ and that’s what you do. I’m working on that. I’m working so hard on that.”
Leslie Jordan, Pride Source, 2021
Leslie Jordan’s Death
On October 24, 2022, Jordan was driving his car on his way to a filming studio when he crashed into the side of a building. His car was found at Cahuenga Boulevard and Romaine Street in Hollywood. Paramedics determined that Jordan may have had a medical episode that led to the crash. Jordan was pronounced dead at the scene, he was only 67 years old.
An autopsy report revealed that he had died due to a “sudden cardiac dysfunction” due to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease. People were quick to refer to his earlier habits of drinking, but medical examiners didn’t find any traces of alcohol in his blood. He had been sober for more than 20 years when the accident happened.
Leslie Jordan’s Other Pursuits
Jordan also took up theatre. He starred in his autobiographical play, “Lost in the Pershing Point Hotel,” which was later adapted into a movie. He also toured the United States in 2004, performing a one-man stage comedy titled “Like a Dog on Linoleum.” He also released an album, “Company’s Comin’,” in 2021. Millions of people learned more about Jordan after he became trending on Instagram. His quirky personality and iconic Southern drawl made him a fan favorite on social media during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Was Leslie Jordan Gay?
Yes, Leslie Jordan was gay. He was openly gay and discussed his homosexuality openly. He has had many relationships with men but kept their names private. Jordan was a prominent member of the LGBTQ+ Community and was a staunch advocate for HIV and AIDS awareness. Jordan was a beloved figure in film and television, and his untimely death came as a surprise to his fans and fans of his shows.
Featured Image: “Leslie Jordan”, by Library of Congress Life, licensed under CC0 1.0 DEED