Nip Tuck Nabs Richard Chamberlain

Here’s a little scoop on the upcoming fourth season of Nip/Tuck:  Three years ago, Richard Chamberlain came out of the closet in real life. Now at age 72, the Thorn Birds and Shogun star is coming out in the FX series Nip/Tuck. "It’s my debut," says Chamberlain, who was "nervous but excited" about taking on the role of gay millionaire Arthur Stiles in the risque plastic-surgery drama.

It has been 45 years since Chamberlain came to fame as a heterosexual heartthrob in the hit medical drama Dr. Kildore. Chamberlain believes that he would never have made it as an actor if he hadn’t kept his sexuality a secret. In private, he has been with lover Martin Rabbett for 30 years, and the two live in Hawaii.

On Nip/Tuck, Chamberlain describes Stiles as "a man of questionable character." Stiles takes his young lover (played by The Young and the Restless‘ Thad Luckinbill) to visit the plastic    surgery office of McNamara and Troy. But it quickly becomes apparent to Dr. Christian Troy (Julian McMahon) that Stiles is trying to make Luclcinbill’s character look like a younger version of himself.

Producers claim the scenario is actual Hollywood history. "It’s based on Liberace," says coexecutive producer Lyn Greene. "He was known for doing this to his lovers." Chamberlain’s episode, the second of Nip/Tuck Season 4, is set to air this fall. [TVGuide]