All of Us Strangers star Andrew Scott says acting helped him embrace his sexuality
Fleabag star Andrew Scott opened up about the important role acting had on his coming out journey. In a recent interview with The New York Times, the beloved talent gave insight into his acting journey and how it helped him break out of his shell. “I genuinely think that acting helped me.
When I was a kid, I started doing elocution lessons because I had a really bad lisp,” he explained. “She sells seashells,” I had to say that 17 times a day.
So they sent me to elocution, which was boring, but eventually, it was speech and drama classes. I was so shy and terrified, but then someone would say, “Get up and do an improvisation,” and some of me felt [free].” In addition to his blossoming confidence, the openly gay actor admitted that acting led him to embrace his sexuality. “[I felt] free and loved it.
And then I practiced it a little bit more and then started doing it as a job. When I was 18 or 19, I was playing gay parts, but I wasn’t out,” he continued. “A lot of people within the industry were queer, so I was surrounded by them and then, bit by bit, started to feel confident.” While Scott has come a long way in accepting his identity, he admitted that it “doesn’t take much” for his confidence to falter. “I think an awful lot, if I’m honest.
