Fleabag’s Andrew Scott says he was “encouraged” to hide his sexuality early in his career

Andrew Scott has opened up about being told to not come out early on in his career. 

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. 

While he has become one of the industry’s most successful openly gay talents, his journey wasn’t always smooth. 

In a recent interview with British GQ, Scott reflected on the early years of his career and the advice he received to keep his sexuality a secret. 

“I was encouraged by people in the industry who I really admired and who had my best interests at heart, to keep that [to myself],” he revealed. 

“I understand why they gave that advice, but I’m so glad that I eventually ignored it.” 

While Scott doesn’t regret coming out, he admitted that talking about his sexuality can be “exhausting” at times. 

“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. 

Elsewhere in the interview, Scott opened up about his new film All of Us Strangers and how he channelled his own painful queer experiences while playing his openly gay character. 

“I had a very happy childhood. But there’s an inevitable pain that you have to go through when you have to take a risk telling your family something about yourself,” he explained. 

“I really do think that that is a gift now, because to have to risk everything, and for your family and friends to say ‘we accept you no matter what,’ that’s a real feeling of love that you get confirmed at a very young age, that actually some people who aren’t queer don’t get. I mean, some queer people aren’t so lucky.” 

Scott went on to say that he was “quite fearful” of his identity growing up, adding: “What’s difficult sometimes for gay people is that you don’t get to experience this sort of adolescence where you go, ‘Oh, my God, I like that person, do they like me back?

“I think that’s maybe why [All of Us Strangers] feels so gratifying and cathartic. Because I did have to bring so much of my own pain into it.” 

Based on the novel Strangers by Japanese novelist Taichi Yamada, All of Us Strangers follows screenwriter Adam (Scott) as he navigates a new romance with his mysterious neighbour Harry (Paul Mescal). 

However, things take a surprising turn when Adam comes across his dead parents (Jamie Bell and Claire Foy), who “appear to be living just as they were on the day they died, 30 years before.” 

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