Hollywood has gone through a great deal of change since the early 1980s. Since then, many famous actors and actresses have been diagnosed with HIV/AIDS. Here’s a brief look at some of the most influential people Hollywood lost to the virus:
Rock Hudson
In the 1950s and 60s, Rock Hudson was known as one of the biggest leading men in Hollywood. He starred many films, including Giant, Pillow Talk and All That Heaven Allows. In his life he achieved great success as an actor on both the big screen and the small. He was admired as one of the great romantic leads of his time. Hudson was also one of the first well-known public figures to die from AIDS-related complications.
In July of 1985, Hudson collapsed while on a trip in France. As he raced home to the United States, the world learned of his illness. He had been battling the disease since his diagnosis in June of 1984. At that time, the country was still unaware of how HIV/AIDS was spread, so the news of Hollywood Royalty being diagnosed with the virus caused a great deal of public discussion and debate. Rock Hudson died on October 2, 1985 in his sleep.
Anthony Perkins
Anthony Perkins is perhaps most famous for his role as Norman Bates in the horror classic, Psycho. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1956 for his role as Josh Birdwell in Friendly Persuasion. He enjoyed a long and successful career up until his death.
Perkins was diagnosed with HIV/AIDS in 1990 but kept his diagnosis secret from the public. After his death, his wife, Berinthia Berenson, claimed that he was afraid he would lose work had he gone public about his illness due to a misunderstanding at the time in the film industry about how HIV was spread. Anthony Perkins died in his home on September 12, 1992 from AIDS-related pneumonia. He was 60 years old.
Denholm Elliott
With over 120 film and television credits to his name, Denholm Elliott was a well-known British actor throughout the second half of the 20th century. He appeared in films like Raiders of the Lost Ark, Trading Places, and The Razor’s Edge. Elliott famously won the British Academy of Film and Television’s Best Supporting Actor award three consecutive years in a row. He was regarded as one of the best character actors of his time.
In 1987, Denholm Elliot was diagnosed with HIV. He would battle the infection for several years, as the virus would develop into AIDS. On October 2,1992, Elliott passed away in his home from complications due to AIDS-related tuberculosis. After his death, his wife, Susan Robinson set up a free hospice care facility for AIDS patients funded by a charity named the Denholm Elliott Project.
Treatment for HIV has advanced greatly since the HIV/AIDS epidemic first broke out. Many people now live long and healthy lives with an HIV diagnosis. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that all sexually active people between the ages of 13 and 64 should be tested at least once in their lifetime for HIV. If you are concerned that you may have been exposed to HIV, the best way to know for sure is to have HIV testing performed.
