'90s Throwback: The Marlon Brando & Larry King Moment That Had Viewers Talking

Marlon Brando and Larry King are both legends in their respective fields. Often considered one of the greatest actors of his generation, if not all time, Brando's Hollywood legacy includes classic films like "A Streetcar Named Desire," "The Godfather," "Apocalypse Now," and even "Superman: The Movie." King, meanwhile, was an icon of broadcast journalism whose open-ended, conversational approach to interviews made him one of the most trusted figures in the game (Larry King's net worth was probably way more than you'd think too). With all of that in mind, it was bound to be memorable when King secured a rare interview with Brando in 1994. However, few could have predicted exactly why their chat would get so many people talking.

While there have been a number of unexpected or awkward kisses that happened during interviews over the years, Brando kissing King on the lips to wrap up their 1994 chat for CNN nonetheless ruffled more than a few feathers over at the network. In fact, during a CNN retrospective conducted shortly after Larry King's heartbreaking death in January 2021, "Larry King Live" executive producer Wendy Walker recalled that it was, "The only time I ever got in trouble in my 32 years at CNN." 

"They kissed on the set — which of course you remember that famous kiss," she said. "Well, I thought, 'Oh my God this is such a TV iconic moment.' Well [...] our lovely, loving boss that we love so much, Tom Johnson, called me and said, 'Why did you let them kiss?'" The man himself corroborated Walker's account, confessing that he had been more than a little stressed upon being inundated with phone calls after the kiss went live. "I just sat there [...] ready to get under the desk," Johnson shared.

During an appearance on "Sway's Universe," in 2013, Larry King looked back fondly on his on-air kiss with Marlon Brando. "I always like to say, 'I've never been kissed on the lips by a man in my life,' you know, and [...] I can't stop thinking about him," King laughed. The legendary broadcaster went on to explain that while he was exclusively straight, he had no patience for those who discriminate against members of the LGBTQ+ community. "I'm heterosexual. I don't know why I'm heterosexual. I didn't choose it. This whole gay thing just infuriates me. No one chooses their sexual preference," King declared. 

While some viewers were apparently not best pleased about watching two men kiss on a CNN program, if there's one person who almost certainly did not care about the backlash in the slightest, it was Marlon Brando — who, unlike King, was definitely not exclusively straight. In fact, Brando has come to be regarded as a bisexual icon, largely owing to his unflinchingly candid attitude regarding his sexual preferences. Though the Oscar winner never actually used the word "bisexual" to describe himself, Brando made no secret of, nor any apologies for, the fact that he enjoyed the company of men in addition to his high-profile relationships with women (which included multiple marriages). 

"Homosexuality is so much in fashion, it no longer makes news. Like a large number of men, I, too, have had homosexual experiences, and I am not ashamed," Brando stated firmly during a 1976 interview with French journalist Gary Carey (via People). "I have never paid much attention to what people think about me." Still, the "On the Waterfront" star acknowledged finding the rumors regarding his entanglements "amusing."