Though he’s been cagey about his sexuality in the past, Star Trek star Zachary Quinto refers to himself as “a gay man” in an interview with New York magazine about his new film Margin Call. While speaking about his recent Broadway stint in Angels in America, Quinto remarked, “As a gay man, it made me feel like there’s still so much work to be done, and there’s still so many things that need to be looked at and addressed.” Quinto will next be seen playing a gay interior designer on FX’s American Horror Story.
UPDATE: Quinto has written a blog entry on his official website about his decision to come out. He was inspired to do so after the highly publicized suicide of Jamey Rodemeyer.
when i found out that jamey rodemeyer killed himself – i felt deeply troubled. but when i found out that jamey rodemeyer had made an it gets better video only months before taking his own life – i felt indescribable despair. i also made an it gets better video last year – in the wake of the senseless and tragic gay teen suicides that were sweeping the nation at the time. but in light of jamey’s death – it became clear to me in an instant that living a gay life without publicly acknowledging it – is simply not enough to make any significant contribution to the immense work that lies ahead on the road to complete equality. our society needs to recognize the unstoppable momentum toward unequivocal civil equality for every gay lesbian bisexual and transgendered citizen of this country. gay kids need to stop killing themselves because they are made to feel worthless by cruel and relentless bullying. parents need to teach their children principles of respect and acceptance. we are witnessing an enormous shift of collective consciousness throughout the world. we are at the precipice of great transformation within our culture and government. i believe in the power of intention to change the landscape of our society – and it is my intention to live an authentic life of compassion and integrity and action. jamey rodemeyer’s life changed mine. and while his death only makes me wish that i had done this sooner – i am eternally grateful to him for being the catalyst for change within me. now i can only hope to serve as the same catalyst for even one other person in this world. that – i believe – is all that we can ask of ourselves and of each other.
Read more:
The end of the ‘glass closet’? Why Zachary Quinto coming out matters to Hollywood
Zachary Quinto joins ‘American Horror Story’
I would’ve never thought! But good for him!
Let’s hold a coming out party for him!
Let’s not.
oh zachie tee-hee!
There was NO need AT ALL to specify “gay” before “interior designer”.
My best friend has just announced her wedding with a great man who is a cele+brity!
They met-via { millionaireluv.с`σ_м }
It is nice club for rich men or pretty girls mate.
You do not need to be wealthy or famous, but you can meet your true love, it’s worthy a try.
Jenn, you are an ugly, unfunny troll.
how is people coming out still news
He wrote a beautiful blog post about it on his official site ZacharyQuinto dot com.
Support his decision and eveyrthing, but does he have against capital letters?!
Gorgeous man. Wonderful actor. Wish him all the best. He didn’t need to reveal his personal life, but blessings. There are some heartbroken women today, for sure!!
Hey Lily, I’m just curious–when Ashton and Demi are on the covers of magazines, or Will and Jada, or Brad and Angelina, or Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez, do you shake your head and say “Tsk, tsk, they’re great, but they sure don’t need to reveal their personal lives!!”
Also, glad celebs are finally getting the picture. I quit watching Anderson Cooper years ago because he was so coy about his sexuality (if you don’t want to be out, get a fake wife like Tom Cruise or John Travolta. If you’re going to be vague enough that people catch on, think of the message you’re sending to gay youth everywhere—”you should be ashamed of yourselves, just like I am!”)
Reply to @Lily ~ There was absolutely no tsk tsking on my part. I meant that Mr. Quinto’s sexuality is nobody’s business but it was wonderful of him to declare it for his compassionate reasons. I admire Mr. Quinto as an actor and now as a man, about whom I knew very little. I long for the day when no one has to make a declaration about their sexuality. You never hear people say “I’m a heterosexual.” That’s all I mean. I’ve never cared about anyone’s sexuality, or marriage status, any of that, so long as they’re happy. When people are on magazine covers I I rarely read the articles about them. But that’s just me. I’m interested in the entertainment business but not in the private business of entertainers.
to @lily – as a gay adult, I appreciate your sentiment, but it is a little off. You’re right when you say you never hear people say “I’m heterosexual.” They don’t need to say it. It’s acceptable. When Zachary is trying to do is say, look, I’m gay, it’s no big deal. I don’t want to have to say, but I need to. Teenagers are killing themselves. Think about that. Young people are taking their own lives because for whatever reason they don’t think they will be accepted for who they are. Really, think about that. The only people that get attention are celebrities, like it or not. By coming out, he is saying, I’m okay, I’m successful. You can be too. The kid with a gun to his head needs to know that other have gone through this, and it does get bettter.
@Eric ~ Thank you for your reply. I wrote that I think Mr. Quinto is wonderful to declare his sexuality for compassionate reasons and I mean it. I also mean, I long for the day when it doesn’t matter. I deeply respect the struggle you have had as a gay adult and the courage it has taken both gay men and women in the last decades to move the consciousness forward. It’s appalling what gay children have to endure, or what anyone who is different in ANYway has to endure, even now in the 21st century in this “civilization.” I hope enlightenment and inclusion of all is around the corner. In the meantime, I admire Mr. Quinto enormously. As for myself personally, I have never cared what anyone’s sexual preference is, so long as they are happy and loved.
My wife is organizing a riot over this news. Should I be worried???
LMAO, your wife sounds awesome!
time and place. i am going to burn my bra in front of him to protest this injustice!! lo==
Emmmm eellllllllio!!!!
Me too. All the cute ones are serial killers, or gay.
You never would’ve thought??? really??? Seriously??
It was really obvious. I called him Gay Sylar then later Gay Spock.
This is logical news indeed.
Spot on Eric. I said the same thing yet my original comment was deleted! Come on Ray Charles could see this dude is gay!
Zachary’s Spock is spot on, and that turbo lift kiss was so plasma-hot that it made it into The Simpson’s “best kisses in American film” homage to Cinema Paradiso next to Humprhey Bogart and John Wayne. Zach is sizzling as Sylar, dreamy as Spock and totally believable in any role he plays. We’ve passed the threshold, people. People can dazzle in any role regardless of sex or gender. If it still bothers you then you are part of a sad, old dwindling minority.
Yay, I am so happy for Zach!! I remember when Perez Hilton was bullying him for years to come out of the closet. I’m glad and happy for Zach that he was able to do it on his own terms (and not because of a cruel witch hunt).
Absolutely not. I quit looking at his site about 3 years ago and ITA with you—there is something really ugly and hateful about the way Perez conducts himself. I’ve heard that he has changed his ways (e.g. no more bullying), but I highly doubt it. In his business, there is no money to be made being the nice guy.
Seriously, Perez is disgusting. Anyway, good for Zach! Hope he’s happier now that he got that he doesn’t feel like he has to hide that.
Bell, there are so many gay and bisexual male actors in Hollywood, you would be surprised. I think, James Franco is gay or bisexual. Many A list white, black, and Latino actors are still living in the closet. Being gay is still difficult because most Americans don’t except our lifestyle. Yes, I too am gay, black, and Puerto Rican. There’s rumors the rapper Drake is gay. If so, he’s one fine black Jewish brother.
Franco is not gay, or bi. Just because he is comfortable playing gay for a movie and supports gay rights doesn’t make him gay.
@Carlos…ur comment sounds like a lot of wishful thinking!
Drake said “he doesn’t like men” on SNL
But why is it good for him? I never understood that remark by people when someone comes out of the closet.
Try living a lie for x number of years… it sucks. Coming out is like lifting a huge weight off your chest. (Though it seems Quinto was living an open life just didn’t ever make a public announcement.)
As a gay man, i pride myself on my Gaydar. Somehow he missed the target. For everyone who said they knew, unless you’ve had him in YOUR bed, you didn’t know, you suspected.
Let’s be clear heya….woot and woot tay be two diffrent people
Good for him because every out person makes a difference and famous out people can make even more of a difference.
Also, yay for him. He’s got lots to lose career wise and this took guts.
It’s good for him because he was hiding a part of himself from everyone because he was afraid. He might have a boyfriend who he had to make sure he wasn’t seen with too frequently in public. Now he’s a lot more free to do whatever he wants.
wakeforce, you must had never seen him on Tori Spelling’s show then
This guy is such a good actor.. Im still scarred from his performance in Heros.
Really?!? You would never have guessed`/
No wonder why he got the SPOCK role, Nimoy came out years ago!
That was George Takai
my neighbor makes $56/hour on the laptop. She has been unemployed for 5 months but last month her pay was $6620 just working on the laptop for a few hours. Go to CàshHard.cøm
Dude, no one cares.
No one cares dude.
Just like with NPH, and I measn this is a good way, it’s a shrug. Shouldn”t detract from his career.
Well, good for him. I hope what happens next validates his decision to come out formally — I mean, we all knew, right? I can’t imagine how hard it must be to feel you have to hide such a significant aspect of your life from a prying press and potential employers.
So there WAS a gay character in Star Trek!
…
Two!..Sulu in the original, can’t forget him!
What does Wesley Crusher have to do with this?
No – just some gay actors.
Being cagey about your sexuality, and simply deciding not to focus on it in a synthetic way are two majorly different things.
Not every declaration of sexuality is meant to be seen as a coming out party. I’m excited for the day this news is non news.
Agreed.
Yes. Well-said, Chris.
With you 100%
Agreed, which is why some of us are confused by the Kevin Spacey situation and dont understand his point of view.
Definitely not really even a secret.
Good stuff – like the way it was done low-key, almost a non-event…which in this day and age, is exactly how it should be!
I agree. Let this be a lesson to others in the closet. It’s no big deal. No Clay Aiken People Magazine cover “I’m Gay” BS.
Well, that should make some people happy! I’ve read so many comments on different boards saying he should come out, etc. I don’t think it was really a secret…kind of like Anderson Cooper. Despite the gains we’ve made over the years, I think gay people still want gay celebrities explicitly to come out because otherwise it implies shame (rather than just a desire for privacy or a feeling that it doesn’t really matter).
It’s important for the same reason having a black President is important — it’s aspirational! When I was a kid, there were no young happy role models for gay kids — there were closet cases and miserable middle aged men with poodles and no sex life. There was one character on TV – Stephen Carrington of Dynasty, who hated himself, was alcoholic, married a woman, and had a lover who his father (the show’s HERO) killed!!! You thought your life would be horrible.
When attractive, successful actors come out, it shows kids that there is hope.
@WICKEDDOLL — because people are not harrassed, fired, or beaten for being straight. It takes courage to come out.
True and well said.
Good for him! He’s always very sexy to me:)
Wow…I’m actually shocked at that. I love when we get hottie celebs on ‘our team’.
agreed! i love how more young leading-man types are coming out, that they’re not sacrificing their true selves to get more of the public to like them and to make more money
He actually hasn’t been especially discreet about his sexuality. He just avoided discussion of it in interviews. Good for him, but this isn’t exactly news.
As a hetero female-and old enough to be his mother- I have to say that he is one fine looking man and I can still fantasize. After all is is highly unlikely Mr Quinto and I would hook up even if he was straight. Best of luck to him in his personal and professional life.
Exactly! Finding out an actor is gay doesn’t ruin the fantasy for me at all.
Totally agree on that one.
Oh I agree. Think I’ll go check out that turbo lift smooch again, wheeww. Very hot!
Now the sexual tension between Kirk and Spock will REALLY heat up!
Knew this for years. Glad he’s finally out. Good for him.
Wow thats…not shocking at all. It was pretty obvious.
I gotta say the last line of the article almost sounds like a joke. Sort of, “I’m gay and now I’m relegated to playing interior decorators as is expected.”
There must be something in the water.
That’s why I drink juice.
Juice contains a lot of water. DOH!
Rats!!!!! LOL
Good for him – that said, CALLED IT!
As you can see just in these comments, you weren’t the only or even first person to “call it.”