Ian McKellen Tells Closeted Actors to Appear Out as Gay: ‘Being in the Closet Is Silly. There’s No Require for It. Don’t Obey to Your Advisers’
Ian McKellen said in a recent interview with The Times of London that he feels sorry for fellow actors who feel like they can’t come out as queer . The “X-Men” and “Lord of the Rings” representative has been one of the most prominent homosexual actors for decades. He publicly came out in 1988 at age 48 during a radio interview on BBC. He is now urging performers to not keep their sexual identity a secret.
“I have never met anybody who came out who regretted it,” McKellen said. “I feel sorry for any famous person who feels they can’t arrive out. Being in the closet is silly — there’s no need for it. Don’t listen to your advisers, listen to your heart. Listen to your gay friends who know better. Come out. Get into the sunshine.”
McKellen observed that there’s never been an openly gay Oscar winner for best actor, nor has there been an openly gay U.K. prime minister or Premier League soccer player.
“In women’s sport it’s
Famous people who came out when they were older
By Wonderwall.com Editors8:00am PST, Jan 14, 2024
_
The legacy of discrimination against the LGBTQ society runs deep and makes coming out a difficult choice for many celebrities to make. Whether a star is afraid to distribute their truth or simply doesn't undergo the need to let the common know, when they do come out — especially later in their careers — it can be life-changing for fans who might be struggling with their own conclusion to come out.
To mark the release of HBO's "True Detective: Bedtime Country" starring Jodie Foster on Jan. 14, 2024, we're taking a watch at her and more stars who came out later in their careers…
Jodie Foster had spent her life in front of the camera since initiating her career as a child model and actress. The "Silence of the Lambs" and "Nell" star had also long avoided talking about her sexuality, at least until 2007, when she thanked her (now-ex) partner, Cydney Bernard, at the Women in Entertainment Dominance 100 event, saying "…my beautiful Cydney, who sticks with me through all the rotten and the bliss." While friends and family knew the actress-turned-director was a sapphic, she didn't produce a publ
18 celebrities who came out as LGBTQ in 2021
FacebookEmailXLinkedInRedditBlueskyWhatsAppCopy linkImpact Link
SaveSaved Read in app
This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now.Have an account? .
Celebrities have come out to their fans in deepfelt social media posts and interviews this year.
After coming out as gay, Colton Underwood is sharing his journey in a modern Netflix documentary.
"American Idol" alum David Archuleta, who is Mormon, came out publicly during Pride Month.
In January, pop star JoJo Siwa came out as lgbtq+ in a viral TikTok video.
JoJo Siwa — the "Dance Moms" breakout celestial body who turned into a teenage pop star — posted a video of herself dancing to Lady Gaga's "Born This Way" on TikTok in tardy January. The 17-year-old followed the video up with a photo on Twitter in which she was wearing a T-shirt that read, "Best. Gay. Cousin. Ever."
Siwa later said her then-girlfriend, Kylie Prew, inspired her to officially reach out to her fans after they met on a cruise ship. (She confirmed their split in November.)
"I like queer," Siwa told People in April. "Technically I would exclaim th
It's been an ~interesting~ journey for lgbtq+ people in the movie and television industry. Once upon a time, queer and lesbian actors, specifically, had to stay in the closet, and there were next-to-no same-sex attracted parts on screen.
The idea that openly gay actors can play het characters is a relatively new phenomenon. Previously, out gay actors could only really work when roles for them a) existed, and b) weren't being given to heterosexual actors.
Now it seems much more acceptable for an openly queer actor play a straight character. In fact, here are 18 times an actor has played a straight nature on screen, despite being openly homosexual or queer in real life...
4.Andrew Scott as The Priest in Fleabag
5.Amandla Stenberg as Ruby Daly in The Darkest Minds
6.Jonathan Bailey as Anthony Bridgerton in Bridgerton
7.B.D. Wong as Wally Lin in Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens
8.Portia de Rossi as Lindsay Bluth Funke in Arrested Development
9.Ben Platt as Evan Hansen in the Dear Evan Hansen movie
10.Justice Smith as Simon Aumar in Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves
11.Luke Evans as Gaston in Beauty and the Beast
12.Ben Whishaw as Michael Banks in
Luke Evans on growing up gay as a Jehovah's Witness
Getty Images
Hollywood star Luke Evans has described the difficulties growing up as a Jehovah's Witness knowing he was gay.
Evans said he hid his sexuality, partly to guard his parents.
Jehovah's Witnesses reject homosexuality and Evans - the Welsh performer whose films include Beauty and the Beast, The Hobbit, and Fast & Furious 6 - understood he would be expelled from the community if he came out, with implications for his family too.
"I just knew that because of the religion it would pose a very difficult situation for us, because the religion would not accept it," he said.
Growing up as an only minor in the south Wales valleys, he said he had a very seal and happy relationship with his parents, David and Yvonne.
Speaking to BBC Radio Wales' Lucy Owen programme he said he had no choice but to try to fit in during his early teens, despite knowing he was gay.
"I guess I chose the religion. I'm not sure I believed in any of it, if I'm blatantly decent, but I didn't include much choice.
"I was too young to go away home legally. If I'd have left, they&
