Rock Hudson was terrified of kissing Linda Evans.
It was 1984 and the actor, who was diagnosed with AIDS earlier that year, was starring in the primetime soap opera “Dynasty.” The former ‘50s heartthrob, who was keeping the details of his illness a secret, agonized over giving his co-star a “lethal injection” of the disease a week before filming. And when the day came, he used multiple sprays, gargles and mouthwashes – anything that he felt could disinfect himself and protect her.
Evans didn’t learn the heartbreaking truth until years later.
“Nobody knew,” director Stephen Kijak told Fox News Digital. “Here was the moral quandary of, ‘Am I going to give Linda Evans AIDS?’ I just can’t imagine being in that space at the time when there was just no information available… Internally, Rock was losing it.”
Rock Hudson films an episode of ‘Dynasty’ in February 1985. He passed away in October of that year. (ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images)
It wouldn’t be until July 1985 that Hudson announced he had been diagnosed with AIDS. He passed away in October of that year at age 59. His death occurred nearly four years into the AIDS pandemic, and he was the first major public figure to die from an AIDS-related illness.
The late star is now the subject of a new documentary premiering June 28 on HBO and Max titled “Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed.” It explores the Academy Award-nominated idol’s rise to stardom, how his public persona was carefully orchestrated by the studio system as he privately lived as a gay man, as well as his final tragic years. It features sit-down interviews with several of Hudson’s former partners and pals. Evans, 80, is also heard in the film.
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“Rock Hudson is one of the greats of the golden age of Hollywood who I think needs to kind of be reset back in the pantheon in a way,” Kijak explained. “This was someone who [was] so carefully crafted by the studio. He was a huge star in the ‘50s and ‘60s. Every aspect of his life had been crafted and created for him by the studio, by his PR team.”
Linda Evans, shown with Rock Hudson, is heard breaking down in the documentary. (ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images)
“There was so much of a façade,” he shared. “We had every single interview the man ever did, and he was almost incapable of revealing himself. He was so repressed and so controlled across all his interviews. He doesn’t really reveal himself. We had to find other ways to reveal the inner life.”
According to Kijak, Hudson’s kissing scene with Evans was “a really traumatic experience for him.”
“We had the benefit of having excerpts from George Nader’s diaries,” he explained. “George Nader was an actor. George and Mark Miller, who was George’s long-term partner, were like Rock’s best friends all through his life, before he was famous to his death. George was keeping this account of everything that was happening, especially during the ‘80s. It’s through that we get an insight into Rock’s headspace. They knew he had AIDS, but nobody knew anything about it. In those days, people still thought you could get AIDS by kissing someone or shaking somebody’s hand. It was total fear and confusion.”
Rock Hudson tried to keep busy by filming “Dynasty” while he secretly battled AIDS. (ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images)
Miller was Hudson’s secretary at the time. When the “Dynasty” script landed on his desk, he reportedly told Miller, “I’ve got to kiss Linda. What the hell am I going to do?”
Hudson’s passionate kisses from his films were legendary and often left his female co-stars swooning. But when it came time to smooch Evans, he refused to open his mouth and kept his lips as pressed as possible, leaving Evans puzzled.
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Rock Hudson is seen here at a press conference several months before his death. (Paul Harris/Getty Images)
“Rock is still in complete denial,” Kijak explained. “He’s thinking he can keep on working, that he can take a job on ‘Dynasty.’ Then he’s presented with a scene where he has to deeply kiss Linda Evans after she falls off a horse… He kept his mouth shut as best as he could even though the director kept going ‘Again.’ Everyone was wondering, ‘Why isn’t he kissing her properly? What’s going on?’ It was just a very strange moment for everybody on set… Rock later said it was the worst day of his life having to do that.”
Rock Hudson was known for his passionate kisses on screen. (Screen Archives/Getty Images)
In the film, Evans admitted she didn’t know what was happening at the time. The thought of Hudson trying his best to protect her from the devastating disease caused her to break down in tears.
“She found it very moving to learn what was going on in his head, that he was so fearful, and yet all he was thinking about was how to keep her safe,” said Kijak.
According to Nader, Hudson “did not open his mouth” and “no saliva was exchanged.” He reportedly told Miller, “The kiss is over with – thank God.” Evans later recalled in a “Lifetime Intimate Portrait” episode how, after Hudson’s diagnosis was made public, some people “started staying away from me.”
Rock Hudson led a double life that was fiercely protected by the movie studios. (Leo Fuchs/Getty Images)
“People wouldn’t hug me anymore,” she added.
Before Hudson battled AIDS, he had a thriving Hollywood career that spanned five decades as a dashing, leading man. On screen, he was often paired with America’s sweetheart, Doris Day, in romantic comedies. While his sexuality was an open secret, the studio used its power to ensure that it would never be released to his adoring public.
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Rock Hudson was a sought-after movie star during the ’50s who made women swoon. (Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
“Nobody had cellphones in those days and [paparazzi] weren’t following him day and night,” said Kijak. “He could enjoy this double life. You go to work, you play a heterosexual leading man called Rock Hudson, and at home, you’re Roy Fitzgerald, a handsome gay guy with a bunch of friends. You’re having good times, you’re having sex, you’re enjoying these two worlds that can… weirdly mingle… Everything is in place by the studio, the publicity department and a lot of movie magazines to keep the illusion intact. They are completely along for the ride.”
Many of Rock Hudson’s former partners and friends spoke out in the documentary. (Getty Images)
“He was such a powerful actor at the time,” Kijak noted. “I don’t think people remember just how huge he was. He was a titan of his age, so there was a lot on the line… A lot was being done to keep the fantasy alive.”
When cameras stopped rolling, and he was out of the public eye, Hudson could freely be himself. And those who knew and loved him still remember him fondly.
Rock Hudson gets a kiss from actress Kathleen Hughes, as he campaigns for mayor of Universal City, home of Universal-International film studios. The tiny community, only 400 acres in total area, has its own post office, fire department and police force. (Getty Images)
“Nobody had a bad word to say about Rock Hudson,” said Kijak. “He was such a well-liked, well-respected individual personally, privately and professionally. And you don’t hear that normally. There’s always some dish, some gossip about somebody, especially in Hollywood… It’s very rare in Hollywood to have somebody emerge as this completely well-liked and well-regarded individual.”
Rock Hudson’s pals described him as “Christmas.” (Warner Bros.)
Hudson was described as “Christmas” for his generosity.
“He would help people out in a pinch,” said Kijak.
But there was one person who didn’t get along with Hudson. “Rebel Without a Cause” star James Dean was said to be “disdainful” of Hudson’s double life. The pair starred opposite each other in 1956’s “Giant” alongside their close friend Elizabeth Taylor. The film opened shortly after Dean’s death in 1955 at age 24 from injuries he sustained in a car crash.
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James Dean, Rock Hudson and Elizabeth Taylor starred together in “Giant.” (Getty Images)
For decades, Dean’s sexuality has been questioned, with rumors persisting he was either bisexual or gay. His studio, Warner Bros., promoted him alongside Hudson and Tab Hunter, two closeted stars, Esquire reported.
Rock Hudson’s sexuality was an open secret in Hollywood. (Getty Images)
“There’s the generational clash,” said Kijak. “You have the old studio system actor versus the hot, young method actor… James Dean was as edgy as he could get at the time. I think James was also just disdainful of these old, maybe corporate entities… But then you have two ostensibly closeted men. Is there sexual tension? Are we to believe the rumors that Rock hit on James Dean? Who knows.”
Rock Hudson presents Marilyn Monroe with a Golden Globe Award at the Hollywood Foreign Press Association’s 19th annual dinner. (Keystone/Getty Images)
“It’s almost impossible to tell, but there was a lot of conflict within that relationship, which, of course, unfolds beautifully on screen,” he continued. “It’s what their movie is about. James Dean was just a genius at channeling all that stuff into the movie. And Elizabeth loved them both.”
Filmmaker Stephen Kijak hopes viewers will have a new appreciation for Rock Hudson decades after his death. (KM Archive/Getty Images)
Today, Kijak hopes his film will prompt viewers to have a new appreciation for Hudson as both the actor and the “accidental activist.”
After Hudson’s death, more than $1.8 million was raised in private contributions toward AIDS research, People magazine reported. According to the outlet, Congress also appropriated $221 million to develop a cure for AIDS just days after Hudson’s death. The star’s doctor, HIV specialist Dr. Michael Gottlieb, is on the board of The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation.
Rock Hudson was close friends with his frequent co-star Doris Day. (Screen Archives/Getty Images)
And before his death, Hudson was said to be glad he made the announcement about his diagnosis. He was hopeful the news would help raise awareness of the disease and the need for research. Many of his Hollywood friends also rallied around him.
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“Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed” premieres on HBO and Max on June 28. (Warner Bros.)
“He maybe wasn’t the greatest acting talent, but was an extraordinary movie star,” said Kijak. “It’s a reset of the legacy. You look at his impact on the shift in culture around HIV and AIDS at the time… I think we have to keep looking back and revisiting these moments, so we don’t forget, and we don’t go even further back.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
