Sir Ian McKellen explains why it ‘took him so long’ to come out (VIDEO)
Sir Ian McKellen has been honest and open about his sexuality since coming out twenty-seven years ago.
However, the actor recently explained why it took him so long to speak publicly about his sexuality, saying it was “the right time” for him to join the fight for LGBT rights.
“A law was being passed I didnāt approve of which disadvantaged gay people, and thatās when I came out,” McKellen told Charlie Rose last month.
“And it was just the right time for me, because, 49, I was confident as an actor, as a person. And I could organise a sentence and make a case and feel passionate about it.
“There was a part for me to play within the gay rights movement in the UK and I loved it, I relished it,” he added.
“Acting was involved of course, but acting the truth. And then I felt a better person all the way around.”
However, the star also admitted that he regrets not being “able to come out earlier”.
He goes on to say that he was not “brave” enough to do so – due to the anti-gay laws at the time.
“Everything in society was against people of my generation coming out, because it was against the law to make love,” he explained.
“So if every time you have sex you remind yourself youāre a criminal, thatās not something you necessarily want to talk about unless youāre a really, really strong and brave person which I wasnāt.”
“So I got on very comfortable with my life as an openly gay man without ever talking about it.
“And most people donāt have to but if youāre in the public eye there comes a time when itās appropriate.”
The X-Men and Mr Holmes starĀ recently responded to claims that gay actors are more successful when they stay in the closet.
āDo you want to be a famous movie star who has love scenes with ladies and in private be an unhappy gay?
āA closetās a really nasty place to live, you know? Itās dirty, itās dusty, itās full of skeletons. You donāt want it. Open that door ā fling it wide and be yourself.ā
Watch his latest interview below.
