A team of researchers tested the hypothesis claimed by recent news columns that an “out” actor cannot convincingly play a heterosexual because knowing someone is gay will bias perceptions of his or her performance.

“Early research showed that people tend to perceive a direct connection between sexual orientation and established gender roles, especially in the entertainment industry,” Paul Merritt, lead researcher and a professor in the psychology department at Clemson University said.

“However, these new findings indicate that knowledge of an actor’s sexual orientation doesn’t necessarily cause their performance to be perceived in light of stereotypes about gays and lesbians,” he said.