Sir Ian McKellen has advised young gay actors in Hollywood to come out, stating that it is “silly” to remain closeted.
The veteran actor, who came out as gay in 1988, compared the situation of some young gay actors to that facing closeted Premier League footballers.
“I have never met anybody who came out who regretted it,” he said in an interview with The Times. “I feel sorry for any famous person who feels they can’t come 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.”
Decrying the fact that an openly gay actor has never won an Oscar for Best Actor, McKellen compared the situation to the Premier League. There has never been an openly gay footballer playing in England’s top division.
“In women’s sport it’s not an issue,” McKellen said. “I would imagine young footballers are probably, like actors, getting very bad advice from agents who are worried about their own incomes.
“But the first Premier League footballer to come out will become the most famous footballer in the world, with all the agencies begging for his name on their products.”
While there has yet to be an openly gay actor to win Best Actor at the Oscars, there have been instances of Oscar-winning actors coming out after winning. Marlon Brando, who won for The Godfather, would speak openly about his bisexuality later in life, while Kevin Spacey, who won for American Beauty, would later come out as gay.
During an appearance on The Jonathan Ross Show in 2021, McKellen spoke about how his work improved after coming out as gay on BBC radio in the Eighties.
“I [have] never stopped talking about it since,” said the Lord of the Rings star. “Made up for lost time. It changes your life utterly. I discovered myself. And everything was better. My relationships with my family, with friends, with strangers, and my work got better as I wasn’t hiding anymore.”
He added: “Up to that point, my acting had really been about disguise and then, when I could feel I was myself, it came about telling the truth, which was much more interesting.”
McKellen has starred in several gay roles down the years, including in the ITV sitcom Vicious, opposite Derek Jacobi.
