Former GAY TIMES cover star Ncuti Gatwa has opened up about his sexuality for the first time. Speaking to ELLE UK, the Doctor Who star recounted his experiences playing Eric – a Netflix fan-favourite character – and how this shaped his own personal journey. “I remember being at Manchester Pride, going through the streets with all my boys, shaking my cha-chas, living it up, when I saw this woman who looked exactly like my auntie,” Gatwa recalled. “We were holding hands, and she said to me, ‘I don’t really know why I’m here.
I’m just here.’ I told her, ‘Honey, you don’t need to know. You absolutely. Do not. Need. To. Know. You’re here. Be proud of who you are.’” In that moment, the star reflected on having “never met another queer Rwandan person before”.
Adding, “I thought I was the only one in the world. As for playing the beloved Eric, the Sex Education role taught Gatwa “the importance of representation: it’s so powerful and necessary.” Gatwa has previously chosen to shield how he identifies.
Earlier this year, for British Vogue’s Pride issue, the actor discussed having his identity constantly under speculation. “After Sex Education, we all became public property, to an extent.