| James Duke Mason | |
|---|---|
Mason at the Arpa International Film Festival, September 2010 |
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| Born | April 27, 1992 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actor, LGBT advocate |
| Years active | 2009–present |
James Duke Mason (born April 27, 1992) is an American actor and LGBT advocate. He is the son of singer Belinda Carlisle and Morgan Mason, and the grandson of the late British actor James Mason. In April 2010, The Advocate listed Mason as one of the most influential young LGBT Americans in their "Forty Under 40" issue,[1] and in March 2011 he was voted into AfterElton.com's list of the top 50 gay/bisexual male celebrities.[2] He also, in May 2011, was included on AfterElton.com's Hot 100 list.[3]
Mason was named in OUT magazine's "Out 100" issue as one of the 100 most influential LGBT people in the world in 2011.[4]
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Born in Los Angeles, California, Mason moved to Europe with his parents as a toddler.[5] He nevertheless maintained a strong affinity with the United States, and was appointed to serve as a page in the U.S. House of Representatives during the summer of 2008.[6] He also worked as a volunteer for Hillary Clinton during the 2008 Democratic primaries. After graduating from Mougins School, an international school in the south of France in July 2010, Mason moved back to Los Angeles to pursue a career in acting. He also spent a year studying at California Lutheran University pursuing a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science, which he plans to complete in the future.
In an Attitude Magazine interview,[7] Mason stated that he is openly gay and that he came out to his family and friends at the age of 14 in 2006.[6] He participated in a roundtable discussion of LGBT youth on Dr. Phil,[8] has written articles regarding his experience as a young gay person for publications such as Frontiers IN L.A. Magazine, and did a YouTube video to back the It Gets Better campaign. He also did a YouTube video in October 2010 opposing Proposition 19, which proposed to legalize marijuana in California. In April 2011 he founded the Trailblazer Campaign, a YouTube project designed to encourage LGBT entertainers to come out of the closet.[9] In December 2011 it was announced that Mason was appointed to the Board of Directors of Outfest, making him the youngest member in the organization's 30-year history.
Mason made his acting debut in What Happens Next (formerly You Can't Have It All), which was screened as part of the "festival favorites" on the closing night of the QFest Film Festival, featured as the centerpiece film at the Miami Gay & Lesbian Film Festival, and was also screened at the Hollywood Film Festival. The film co-stars Wendie Malick, Jon Lindstrom, Chris Murrah and Natalia Cigliuti.
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | What Happens Next | Zack |