Patrick Swayze was an American actor best known for his impressive dancing and smoldering good looks. He was born on August 18, 1952, in Houston, Texas to Jesse and Patsy Swayze with four other siblings. Swayze took after his mother who was a dance instructor and choreographer, and started his artistic training as young as high school. He took lessons in classical ballet, ice skating, football, and even martial arts. In 1972, Swayze moved to New York City and completed his formal training at Harkness Ballet and Joffrey Ballet.
At the start of his career, Swayze appeared in supporting roles and Broadway shows. It wasn’t until his role in Francis Ford Coppola’s 1983 film, “The Outsiders,” did he made his official Hollywood debut. He was then cast in the 1985 miniseries “North and South” and achieved further commercial success. A couple of years later, Swayze took on the role of Johnny Castle in a low-budget movie called “Dirty Dancing.” The film was an instant hit and received national and international acclaim, further solidifying Swayze’s place in showbiz.
In 1990, Swayze bagged the leading role of Sam Wheat in the romance-thriller film, “Ghost.” It quickly became the highest-grossing film of the year, earning multiple Academy Award nominations including Best Supporting Actress and Best Picture. The film also created some of the most iconic moments on screen such as Swayze and Moore’s pottery wheel scene. Fresh off his success, Swayze starred alongside Keanu Reeves in the action film, “Point Break.” He was also named People Magazine’s “Sexiest Man Alive” in the same year.
In the 2000s Swayze appeared in many films including “Donnie Darko,” “One Last Dance,” and “Powder Blue.” Months before his death, the actor was filming the pilot for the drama series, “The Beast.” Unlike the leading men of his time, Swayze mostly kept to himself and was extremely private about his relationships. His laidback profile and questionable role choices led fans to speculate about his sexuality. So, was Patrick Swayze gay? Learn more about the actor and his past below.
VOTE: What was Patrick Swayze’s Sexuality?
Patrick Swayze’s 34-Year Marriage
When it came to Hollywood marriages, Swayze’s love story was extremely rare. In 1970, when the young actor was just 18 years old, he met his future wife, Lisa Niemi. At the time, Niemi was taking dance lessons from Swayze’s mother. The pair immediately bonded and found themselves working together in films and television shows. Their love for dancing was a big part of their relationship.
Swayze and Niemi tied the knot on June 12, 1975, and remained married until his death in 2009. After suffering a miscarriage, the couple decided not to have children and instead focused on their passion for performing. In 2008, Swayze revealed that his wife was the inspiration for one of his hit songs, “She’s Like The Wind.”
After Swayze’s death, Niemi became an advocate for pancreatic cancer. She eventually remarried years after the actor’s passing but shared that Swayze was still a part of her life.
Patrick Swayze’s Love Child
Swayze and Niemie didn’t have any children, so it came as a total shock when a man named Jason Whittle came out and claimed to be the late actor’s son shortly after his death. It was an even bigger surprise when it turned out that the Whittle was indeed Swayze’s son. According to reports, Swayze had a one-night stand with a woman named Bonnie Kay Whittle in the 1970s. However, Bonnie never told the actor about their son and she never revealed Whittle’s true paternity until she was on her deathbed.
Whittle took several DNA tests to confirm that he was Swayze’s biological child. Although the results were positive, Swayze didn’t have a relationship with Whittle because he didn’t know about his existence.
Patrick Swayze’s Gay Allegations
In 1995, Swayze was cast in one of the leading roles in the comedy film, “To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar,” together with Wesley Snipes and John Leguizamo. Up until that point, the actor had only taken on typical macho male roles, so his choice to play a drag queen was quite controversial. This film together with his love for dancing and choreography started the rumor mill. Talks started spilling out, accusing Swayze of being a homosexual.
Fortunately, Swayze never paid attention to any of the allegations and never commented on his sexuality. The film was a success and the rumors eventually died out afterwards.
Patrick Swayze’s Battle With Cancer
In 2008, after filming the pilot for the series, “The Beast,” Swayze was rushed to the hospital because of abdominal pains. He was later diagnosed with stage VI pancreatic cancer and immediately started chemotherapy. Despite his illness, Swayze continued to work on his projects and made public appearances, reassuring his fans that he was responding well to treatment.
A year after his diagnosis was made public, Swayze was hospitalized due to pneumonia. Unfortunately, it was a complication that was brought on by his chemotherapy treatments. He peacefully passed away at home on September 14, 2009.
Was Patrick Swayze Gay?
No, Patrick Swayze wasn’t gay. Although they didn’t have any children, the actor was married to his high school sweetheart throughout his entire life. Many people assume that because of his love for dancing and his decision to take on gay roles, meant that Swayze was gay. However, to make assumptions based on these observations would be inaccurate. Swayze identified as straight and has never commented on his sexuality otherwise.
Featured Image: “Patrick Swayze”, by Alan Light, licensed under CC BY 2.0 DEED