Cary Grant’s daughter confronts rumors about her dad’s secret affairs with men: “I hope he enjoyed it”

Cary Grant’s daughter Jennifer Grant has addressed speculation about her late father’s sexuality.

The iconic Hollywood star was born in Bristol, England in 1904. He moved to the US in his late teens after taking part in a vaudeville tour in New York. Grant rose to prominence in Hollywood in the 1930s, starring in such classics as His Girl Friday. He later starred in four Alfred Hitchcock movies, including North By Northwest and To Catch A Thief. He died in 1986 at age 82.

There has long been speculation about Grant’s sexuality. He was married five times. Jennifer, his only child, was the result of his marriage to fourth wife, Dyan Cannon. Cary also lived with the actor Randolph Scott for 12 years, on and off, after they met in 1932. Some have speculated the two men were lovers.

Jennifer, 57, is also an actor. She spoke to The Guardian about her dad and thinks his “elegant masculinity” and attention to grooming may have fuelled some of the rumors.

“If you’re around your parents a lot, you see them in ways that almost no one else does. And I never saw a hint of that,” she said, about him being gay or bisexual.

Jennifer’s parents divorced when she was a baby and she was primarily raised by her father.

“I think I would have picked up on it – not that I would’ve cared. But I have to speak the truth of the matter: Dad was charming, and he had great friendships, but he wasn’t flirtatious with men,” she said. “A friend of mine sent me a picture the other day of Gregory Peck, my father and Mervyn LeRoy and they’re good buddies. But I never got that hint.”

“Perhaps earlier in his life he had an affair [with a man]. I’ll never know, but if he did, fantastic. I hope he enjoyed it.”

‘Archie’

Jennifer previously addressed speculation about her dad’s sexuality in her 2011 memoir, Good Stuff: A Reminiscence of My Father, Cary Grant.

She then also dismissed the notion her dad might have been gay. Jennifer told The Guardian she had subsequently faced backlash.

“I received hate mail saying that I was antigay, which couldn’t be further from the truth,” she said.

Jennifer was speaking to The Guardian to promote a new drama series about Cary Grant’s life. She worked closely with the writer to get the story right. Jason Isaacs will play her father.

Archie will show Grant’s rise from a poverty-stricken, working-class British childhood (he was born Archibald Alec Leach), to Hollywood, where he reinvented himself as the quintessential, suave English gentleman.