Fleabag star Andrew Scott has called for people to stop using the term “openly gay.”
Over the last few years, the beloved talent has garnered critical acclaim for his role as Jim Moriarty in the BBC series Sherlock and as the “hot priest” in Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s comedy-drama Fleabag.
In addition to his captivating acting performances, Scott has earned praise for being an open book about his sexuality.
In 2013, the His Dark Materials star came out as gay during an interview with The Independent.
“Of course, it’s part of my make-up, but I don’t want to trade on it. I am a private person. I think that’s important if you’re an actor,” he said at the time.
While Scott has remained unapologetically open about his sexuality, he does have one suggestion on how gay actors are labelled in mainstream media.
During a recent episode of Off Script With The Hollywood Reporter, the beloved talent pitched the idea to no longer use the term “openly gay.”
“Here me out, it’s an expression that we actually only ever hear in the media. You’re never at a party, and you say, ‘This is my openly gay friend,'” he explained to Colman Domingo, Paul Giamatti, Robert Downey Jr, Mark Ruffalo, and Jeffrey Wright.
“Why do we put openly in front of that adjective? You know we don’t say you’re “openly Irish,” you don’t say you’re “openly left-handed.
@hollywoodreporter #andrewscott pitches why everyone should stop saying “openly gay” during the #thrroundtable for actors | watch the full #offscript ♬ original sound – The Hollywood Reporter
“I think there’s something about it. I think it’s just time to sort of park it,” he added.
Scott’s recent Actor’s Round Table appearance isn’t the first time he’s opened up about his dislike of the term “openly gay.”
In a 2019 interview with British GQ, the Spectre actor said the phrase “implies a defiance” he doesn’t feel.
“You’re never described as openly gay at a party – ‘This is my openly gay friend Darren’, ‘She’s openly Irish.’ It implies a defiance I don’t feel,” he explained to the publication
He also dismissed the idea that LGBTQ actors can’t play heterosexual roles, telling the publication: “Sexuality isn’t something you can cultivate, particularly. It isn’t a talent… You believe the relationship, that’s my job.”
In another British GQ interview from December 2023, Scott gave further insight into the topic, describing discussions concerning his sexuality as “exhausting.”
“Sometimes I find the prurient nature of the way of the way we talk about it a little bit exhausting. It’s both very important to talk about, and sometimes I feel like I wish we didn’t [end] up talking about it,” he explained.
Scott’s full episode of Off Script With The Hollywood Reporter will be released on AMC+ on 4 March.
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