Hollywood Reacts to Reports of Gay Bullying

Alberto Rodriguez/ Ethan Miller/ Kevin Winter/ Getty Images

Celebs like Ellen DeGeneres, Sophia Bush and Jonathan Del Arco are speaking out against reports of five suicides in the last three weeks -- three in the past week alone -- all believed to be the result of being bullied about their sexual orientation.

Raymond Chase, 19, hanged himself. Tyler Clementi, 18, jumped from a bridge. Billy Lucas, 15, hanged himself, Asher Brown, 13, shot himself. Seth Walsh, 13, died nine days after trying to hang himself.

"The Closer" star Jonathan Del Arco works with GLSEN (The Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network) and tells ET it's time for Hollywood to stand up and fight against bullying.

Ellen DeGeneres has already addressed the issue on her talk show, saying, "We have to make it stop. We can't let intolerance and ignorance take another kid's life."

The latest in the string of shocking deaths is Rutgers University student Tyler Clementi, who committed suicide after his roommate allegedly broadcast him being intimate with another man.

Reports say Tyler's roommate, Dharun Ravi, along with student Molly Wei, left a camera on in his dorm room without Tyler's knowledge and transmitted the video online. They have been charged with invasion of privacy.

Last week, Tyler jumped off the George Washington Bridge.

Sophia Bush took to her Twitter to send a strong message:

"I hope these little a**holes get the maximum sentence, and then some," she posted. "What a sad, sad loss. RIP Tyler Clementi"

Minutes later, she added, "Anyone out there who thinks being a bully makes you cool? Wake up. It makes you a LOSER. Cool means doing good things for people. ALL people."

Finally, she issued a challenge, tweeting, "Why don't we start a new challenge?! Make someone you know, but aren't that close to, feel good this week. Reaching out could save a life."

Meanwhile, this season on "Glee," Executive Producer Ryan Murphy says this season will feature a storyline about openly gay high school student Kurt; "His feeling about tolerance, not only in high school ... but also the ripple effect it has on everybody around him."

Hollywood is also responding via videos on YouTube with the "It Gets Better Project," which features celebrities like Ciara, Jay Manuel and Michael Urie offering hope and strength to gay teens.

The premise of the videos is to send a message about dealing with anti-gay taunts. "Ending your own life is not the answer," Michael says in his video. "If you end it, the bullies win ... Don't let bullies take over."

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