"There was an actor I was working with who wasn't as comfortable that he was playing someone who was gay," he recalled. "I wanted, in an effort to show that [his character Matt Fi

Savant found it "shocking" that the unnamed actor had such a negative reaction to the kiss. Doug Savant is opening up about a "shocking" encounter with a Melrose Place actor who was not thrilled about playing a gay character,

I wanted, in an effort to show that [Savant’s character Matt Fielding] was behaving with this character in a way that was against his better judgment, I wanted him to steal a kiss at work. Like look around,

Doug Savant portrayed Matt Fielding across six of seven seasons on Melrose Place in the 1990s, the only major gay character on television at the time -- and his awareness of the importance of that was a huge factor in why he kept his real sexuality private.

Melrose Place's Doug Savant recalls why he evaded questions regarding his sexuality while playing gay character Matt Fielding on the teen drama.