Although lesbian and bisexual celebrities have worked in the movie, music, sports, and other entertainment industries since these industries began, they have felt the need, because of social and political pressures, not to divulge their sexual orientations, but to remain closeted concerning their preferences for same-sex or both-sex partners. In more recent years, some such celebrities have become more open about acknowledging their true sexuality. In other cases, the sexuality of such actresses has been identified by others in the interest of a gay rights political agenda, a practice known as "outing."nnAmong the stars of the early years of Hollywood (1920 - 1950), the following either identified themselves as lesbian or bisexual or were so identified by others:nnFilm star Alla NazimovannFilm star Greta Garbo nnFilm star Marlene DietrichnnFilm star Tallulah BankheadnnFilm director Dorothy ArznernnFilm actress Eva Le GalliennennFilm actress Barbara StanwycknnFilm actress Louise BrooksnnFilm actress Janet GaynornnFilm actress Mary MartinnnFilm actress Agnes MooreheadnnFilm actress Dame Judith AndersonnnFilm actress Elsa LanchesternnFilm actress Sandy DennisnnTelevision actress Nancy KulpnnTelevision actress Sheila KuehlnnWriter Mercedes de Acosta (one of Nazimova's lovers)nnStage actress Eva Le GalliennennComedienne Patsy KellynnScreenwriter Salka ViertelnnWriter Diana McLellannnDolly Wilde (Oscar Wilde's niece)nnAmong the stars of the contemporary Hollywood (1951 - present), the following either identified themselves as lesbian or bisexual or were so identified by others:nnFilm actress Lily TomlinnnFilm actress Anne HechennFilm actress Amanda BearsennFilm actress Drew BarrymorennFilm actress Angelina JoliennFilm actress Ione SkyennFilm actress Guinevere TurnernnFilm actress Cheryl DunyennFilm actress Rosie O'DonnellnnFilm actress Catherine DeneuvennFilm actress Kristy McNicholnnFilm actress Helen HuntnnFilm actress Queen LatifahnnFilm actress Clea DuVallnnFilm actress Jodie FosternnFilm actress Roberta Close (transgendered)nnFilm actress Portia de RossinnFilm actress Cherry JonesnnFilm actress/singer MadonnannComedienne Paula PoundstonennComedienne Ellen DeGeneresnnComedienne Sandra BernhardnnComedienne Margaret ChonnSinger Leisha Hailey (The Murmurs)nnWriter Jane WagnernnOther notable lesbian entertainers and professionals who identify themselves as lesbian or bisexual or who have been identified as such include:nnSinger Whitney HoustonnnSinger Joan BaeznnSinger Melissa EtheridgennSinger Janis IannnSingers Emily Saliers and Amy Ray (The Indigo Girls)nnSinger Sinead O'ConnornnSinger Linda PerrynnSinger Vicki RandlennSinger PhrancnnTennis champion Billie Jean KingnnTennis champion Martina NavratilovannNickelodeon executive Kelli Carpenter (Rosie O'Donnell'slover)nnGossip columnist Liz SmithnnPolitical activist Chastity Bono, daughter of Sonny Bono and Cher)nnModel Jenny ShimizunnOn-screen kisses have occurred on movie and television screens from at least 1991 to the present.nnAlthough some of the following actresses claim to be heterosexual, they have filmed scenes in which they kiss other women in a romantic fashion. A few of those who claim to be heterosexual have, nevertheless, made comments that could be construed as being of a lesbian character.nnSarah Michelle Gellar and Selma BlairnnSarah Michelle Gellar and Lindsay SloanennAlyson Hannigan and Amber BensonnnAlyson Hannigan and Jaime PresslynnAlyson Hannigan and Iyari LimonnnPamela Anderson and unnamed actressnnCalista Flockhart and Lucy LiunnCalista Flockhart and Courtney Thorne-SmithnnCalista Flockhart and Jane KrakowskinnUma Thurman and Maria de MedeirosnnUma Thurman and Rain PhoenixnnTiffani-Amber Thiessen and Jaime PresslynnEliza Dushku and Angela FeatherstonennHilary Swank and Chloë SevignynnLaura Innes and Elizabeth MitchellnnLaura Innes and Lisa VidalnnElizabeth Mitchell and Angelina JoliennAnna Paquin and Bijou PhillipsnnJennifer Connelly and Kristy SwansonnnGina Gershon and Elizabeth BerkleynnBritney Spears and Madonna (entertainer)|MadonnannChristina Aguilera and Madonna (entertainer)|MadonnannJames King and Laura PreponnnDawn Marie and Torrie WilsonnnJessica Paré and Piper PerabonnMonica Bellucci and Jada Pinkett SmithnnLiv Tyler and Kate HudsonnnMia Kirshner and Kim MurphynnNaomi Watts and Laura HarringnnNeve Campbell and Denise RichardsnnNeve Campbell and Olivia D'AbonnHeather Locklear and Denise RichardsnnKate Winslet and Melanie LynskynnLarisa Oleynik and Katherine HeiglnnGina Gershon and Jennifer TillynnAlyssa Milano and Charlotte LewisnnSalma Hayek and Ashley JuddnnSalma Hayek and Jeanne TripplehornnnChloë Sevigny and Michelle WilliamsnnMeredith Viera and Lisa LingnnDebra Messing and Megan MullalynnAnne Heche and Joan ChennnRebecca Romijn-Stamos and Rie RasmussennnEvan Rachel Wood and Nikki ReednnValerie Ray Miller and Tangelia RousennMichelle Clunie and Thea GillnnKim Cattrall and Sonia BragannJennifer Aniston and Winona RydernnTiffany Amber Thiessen and Jaime PresslynnSarah Jessica Parker and Alanis MorissettennAsia Argento and SelennnNeve Campbell and Rachel TruennDominique Swain and Mia KirshnernnCarla Gugino and Molly ParkernnJoey Lauren Adams and Carmen LeennGeri Halliwell and Kylie MinoguennKate Beckinsale and Frances McDormandnnCharlize Theron and Christina RiccinnGwyneth Paltrow and Tatiana AbbeynnJane Jensen and Debbie RochonnnAlly Sheedy and Patricia ClarksonnnLeila Arcieri and Susan WardnnCatherine Deneuve and Susan SarandonnnJisela Delgado and Lori TrespicionnKim Director and Erica LeerhsennnSusan Lynch and Estelle SkorniknnCarmen Electra and Amy SmartnnMia Kirshner and Beverly PolcynnnAlexis Bledel and Liza WeilnnMichelle Green and Amanda DonohoennHolly Marie Combs and Alexondra LeennRoseanne and Mariel HemingwaynnAlyssa Milano and Sarah StrangennTerry Farrell and Susanna ThompsonnnLisa Edelstein and Kristin DatillonnTracey Ullman and Julie KavnernnEllen DeGeneres and Lisa DarrnnAngela Dorhmann and Tamara MarknnLucy Lawless and Renee O'ConnornnGina Torres and Peta WilsonnnNicole de Boer and Nana VisitornnColleen Azar and Carol BakernnMia Kirshner and Kim MurphynnSonia Sohn and Melanie Nicholls-KingnnEvan Rachel Wood and Mischa BartonnnBritany Daniels and Tinsley GrimesnnTiffany Knight and Jaime PresslynnRaechelle Lefevre and Victoria SancheznnJessica Psaila and Caitlin DahlnnMorena Baccarin and a ''Firefly (television series)Firefly'' councillornnOlga Sosnovska and Eden RiegelnnMelissa George and Carly ThomasnnMalinda Williams and Terri J. VaughnnnKate Mara and Sophia BushnnRoma Maffia and transwoman Jonathan del ArconnRebecca DeMornay and Vanessa WilliamsnnLola Gluadini and Emilie de RavenhadnnClea Duvall and Carla GallonnMelissa Lee and Rachael BellannElizabeth Hendrickson and Eden RiegelnnOlga Sosnovska and Eden RiegelnnPortia and Heather Alicia SimsnnKim Dickens and an unnamed actressnnBrittany Daniels and an unnamed actressnnKrista Kalmus and Makika DominczkynnMena Suvari and Lauren AmbrosennPatricia Valesquez and an unnamed actressnnJoely Richardson and Famke JanssennnApril Matson and Danica StewartnnKristen Kreuk and Brianna Lynn BrownnnSophia Bush and Hilarie BurtonnnKelly Ripa and Faith FordnnOlivia Wilde and an unnamed actressnnSharon Leal and Pamela AndersonnnDaniella Alonso and Hilarie BurtonnnElizabeth Hendrickson and Eden RiegelnnMischa Barton and Olivia WildennKat Mara and Jessica ParennPamela Anderson kissed a stripper on ''The Howard Stern Show'' and said that she might have a lesbian affair in the future. Anderson also confessed that she dreams about Madonna.nnJane Wiedlin told Out.com that she and Adrienne Curry mocked a camera crew by making out while they were filming an episode of ''Surreal Life''.nnEva Longoria has admitted to exchanging erotic kisses with other women before the camera and off screen and says she could forsake men altoghether for the "right womam."nnDebra Messing and Megan Mullally spent much of their time between takes in filming ''Will and Grace'' kissing and fodling one another's breasts, and, during an acceptabce speech, Messing Debra began a serious acceptance speech Messing told Mullally, "I'm sorry. I can't stop thinking about your mouth" and the two actresses agreed that there is nothing "better than making out in front of a room full of queers and half the cast of Desperate Housewives."nnEva Mendez confessed to Ask Men that she enjoyed her first on-screen kiss with another woman and that she loves women. "Guys can be yucky," she added, but "girls are sweet, soft and smell good."nnElisha Cuthbert refused to answer a ''Stardust'' interviewer's question as to whether she is interested sexually in other women, but she did admit that she likes to look at them, adding, "The female body is beautiful."nnCarmen Electra told the German magazine ''Bunte'' that she'd enjoy having a three-way affair with Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie and admitted that she enjoyed shooting a lesbian scene with Amy Smart in ''Starsky & Hutch''.nnDolly Parton habitually sleeps in the same bed as her best friend, a female, and confided to Jay Leno on ''The Tonight Show'' that she'd be tempted to make love to Lily Tomlin.nnTara Palmer Tomkinson shared the fact with an ''FHM'' reporter that she'd had a schoolgirl crush on another female student.