Ian McKellen encourages fellow actors to come out: 'Being in the closet is silly' In an inte

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In a candid interview with *The Times of London*, acclaimed actor Ian McKellen encouraged closeted actors to embrace their true selves, declaring that staying hidden is unnecessary. The 85-year-old, known for his roles in *The Lord of the Rings* and *X-Men*, reflected on his own experience coming out in 1988 during a BBC radio interview, which preceded his co-founding of the LGBTQ rights charity Stonewall in the U.K.  

 

“I have never met anybody who came out who regretted it,” McKellen told *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.”  

 

Despite great strides in LGBTQ representation, McKellen pointed out that no openly gay actor has ever won an Academy Award for Best Actor, nor has there been an openly gay U.K. prime minister or Premier League footballer. He speculated that young athletes, much like actors, might be receiving poor advice from agents more concerned with their own interests than their clients’ well-being. “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.”  

 

McKellen expressed hope that in England, where same-sex marriage has been legal since 2014, societal acceptance has grown. “In this country, I hope because of gay marriage, more people are less frightened and more accepting of gay people,” he said. “Elsewhere the picture is not so good.”  

 

His advocacy for LGBTQ rights stretches back decades. Though some colleagues were aware of his sexuality, McKellen only came out publicly at 48, during a period when England was considering Section 28—a law that prohibited the “promotion of homosexuality” by local authorities. Shortly after its enforcement, Stonewall was formed and ultimately led efforts to have the law repealed.  

 

McKellen also revealed he is mentoring a fellow openly gay actor who will play the lead in a stage production of Christopher Marlowe’s *Edward II*, a historical drama centered on the 14th-century English king and his same-sex relationship. McKellen himself performed in the play back in 1969 in Scotland, at a time when homosexuality was still illegal in the country. Reflecting on the role, he remarked, “You don’t have to be gay to play Edward II. But it helps.”

 

Based on a report by NBC News  2025-03-13