Sir Ian McKellen: 'I will always regret not coming out earlier'

Sir Ian McKellen has admitted he will “always” regret not coming out earlier in his career.

The screen legend – who came out publicly in 1988 at the age of 49 in response to the Thatcher’s government’s controversial Section 28 proposals – said he believed he would have been a “happier” person if he had been open about his sexuality sooner.

In an in-depth interview with the Huffington Post, McKellen said: “I regret and always shall that I didn’t see the significance of coming out at a much earlier date because I think I would have been a different person and a happier one.

“Self-confidence is the most important thing that anybody can have. You don’t have that if part of you is ashamed or hiding something. I can reassure people who don’t feel they’re able to, the world will like you better because people like honesty and authenticity.”

The 76-year-old – who helped found gay rights group Stonewall after coming out – said that though he had been out to friends, family and colleagues, the acting industry was dominated by a culture of silence during his early career in the 1960s, describing it as a “fact of life”.

“When I first started out and when I had my first successes and became known as a decent actor, the leaders of the profession like John Gielgud, Michael Redgrave and Alec Guinness were gay or bisexual and, of course, never, ever, ever spoke about it till their dying day. So I had those examples; I just accepted it as a fact of life that I had to be quiet about it.

“I don’t know that I ever lost a job when I did come out, but by that time I was so well established that it would have been perverse if they suddenly hadn’t wanted me to carry on.”

Discussing the impact coming out had on his public profile and acting career, McKellen explained that he came “much freer” both personally and professionally.

“…With the media, it was like a millstone that I didn’t know had been around my neck and that fell off. And what happened immediately, according to friends, is I became not just a happier person, but a better actor.

“I think up to that point, I had been using acting as a disguise — somewhere where I could express my emotions, and draw attention to myself in a way that I didn’t particularly want to do in real life.

“Acting became not about disguise, but about telling the truth. And my emotions became much freer. I was able to act better as I think you are able to do any job. Everyone’s better if they’re being honest.”

We spoke to Ian recently about his sitcom Vicious, which returned this week for a second season. His fabulous response to critics who deem the camp humour in the show too stereotypical? “Don’t like camp people? F*cking grow up!”

Sir Ian McKellen: ‘I will always regret not coming out earlier’

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