Sir Ian McKellen urges gay actors in the closet to ‘listen to your heart’ and come out
The actor publicly came out in 1988.
Sir Ian McKellen isn’t mincing words when it comes to sexuality.
The veteran actor, 85, who came out as gay in 1988, has made his feelings very clear about young people, particularly actors, who choose to stay closeted rather than being open and honest about their sexual preferences.
With decades of wisdom, the star decided it’s best to be blunt in these situations and didn’t hold back when declaring that he thinks it is ‘silly’ to stay closeted and advised people to ‘listen to your heart’ when making the decision.
‘I have never met anybody who came out who regretted it,’ he boldly stated. ‘I feel sorry for any famous person who feels they can’t come out.’
Ian, who has previously spoken about how his career opportunities improved after he announced his sexuality on BBC radio almost 40 years ago, added that ‘there’s no need’ for actors to stay in the closet.
‘Don’t listen to your advisers, listen to your heart. Listen to your gay friends who know better. Come out. Get into the sunshine,’ he added in his interview with The Times.
The Lord of the Rings actor said there is ‘no need’ for actors to stay closeted (Picture: Anthony Harvey/REX/Shutterstock)The star, who was 48 when he decided to stop hiding his sexuality from the world out of fear of prosecution, said he has well and truly made up for ‘lost time’ by often discussing and advocating for the LGBTQ+ community.
He’s also starred in multiple roles as a gay man, including in the ITV sitcom Vicious, opposite Derek Jacobi, telling the publication that it was only when he started living truthfully that things really changed for him.
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Admitting he ‘discovered’ himself, he said his relationships with those closest to him, including his family and friends, improved, as did his connections with strangers and work, as he ‘wasn’t hiding’ anymore.
As for how he changed on screen, Ian said prior to his confession, he was acting ‘in disguise’, but when he came out, his roles felt more like him, something he noted was ‘much more interesting’.
Ian has had two long-term partners during his time in the spotlight.
His first was a private relationship with a history teacher named Brian Taylor, who he began dating in 1964 and was with until their split in 1972.
Ian’s most recent relationship was with Oscar (Picture: X)In 1978, he then met Sean Mathias at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and the two dated until 1988 – the same year Ian went public with his sexuality.
The pair were rumoured to have had a turbulent relationship, but they went on to maintain a successful professional relationship and have worked together countless times since their split.
Ian’s most recent relationship was with Oscar Conlon-Morrey, 30, who is 54 years his junior. They briefly dated between 2022 and 2024.
The LGBTQ+ community has been more accepted in Hollywood in recent years, however an openly gay actor is yet to win the best actor Oscar. While Marlon Brando and Kevin Spacey, who have both won, have since revealed their sexuality, they were not openly gay at the time of their win.
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As for best actress, Jodie Foster, who publicly came out during her acceptance speech at the 2013 Golden Globes, has won the prestigious award twice, but she also was not out at the time, while Susan Sarandon, who won once, is bisexual.
Kate Winslet also made headlines in 2021 when she told the Sunday Times that she knows four actors who are hiding their sexuality because they are ‘terrified their sexuality will be revealed and that it will stand in the way of their being cast in straight roles.’
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