Diana Ross' son worried about smoking role as gay HIV victim

12 March 2007

DIANA ROSS' teenage son EVAN feared he'd upset his famous mum if he took on a role as a gay HIV sufferer in QUEEN LATIFAH's new TV movie LIFE SUPPORT - because the character smoked.

Evan Ross, 18, joined big sister TRACEE ELLIS ROSS in the hardhitting new movie but had to make sure his mum would approve of his character before signing up.

Ellis Ross recalls, "Evan called me when he thought he might get the role... and the interesting thing, which I thought says a lot about our family, is it wasn't the issue of playing gay or having HIV.

"It was the concern about smoking because we don't smoke in our family, and Evan was like, 'What do you think mom's gonna think of that?'"

But mum Diana was thrilled to hear her son was furthering his acting career with a challenging part - and his portrayal in the film impressed writer/director NELSON GEORGE.

He explains, "A lot of young actors were afraid of that part because they didn't want it to seem that they were gay... He was very courageous because he dived right in and had no fear."