Openly gay director/actor Maurice Jamal marries!

Director/Actor Maurice Jamal, who splashed on the scene with last year's much talked about film Dirty Laundry (FOX/Codeblack), is making waves again. This time as an official who will be performing marriage ceremonies in support of California's recognition of gay marriage!

Jamal joins a small group of volunteers who received training from the State Of California and he was recently sworn in as Deputy Commissioners of Civil Marriage. Jamal will be performing his duties over the next two weeks as the state anticipates a wave of marriage license applications. Last month the California State Supreme court overturned a law that prohibited gay marriage as unconstitutional. June 17, 2008 will mark the first day that gay and lesbian couples will be able to legally marry with the same benefits as heterosexual couples have.

For me it was important to take part in this history making moment. I've always been politically active and have never wanted to be someone who sat on the sidelines. There are so many brave gay Americans who have sacrificed for my rights and I felt I wanted to honor that. In particular as an open, gay, Black man in the entertainment industry, I felt it was important to be seen and heard.” says Jamal.

He added, "Recently I attended an LA event for GLAAD and the President Neil G. Giuliano asked us where we wanted to be when years from now, someone asks what we did when history was being made. I can't think of anything that would be bring me more pride than to have stood up for this."

In addition there's an artistic upside as well for the maverick director whose comedy-drama series, Friends and Lovers debuts this summer, with gay marriage as one of its important storylines.

Asked if he would soon be walking down the aisle himself, Jamal says, I'm glad that gays and lesbians have the right to get married and be as happy, or miserable as the rest of America. Personally, I'd love to get married, but I'd have get a boyfriend first.