The Bailey Effect: ‘Bridgerton’ Star Inspires Other Actors To Come Out

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photo credit//instagram//jbayleaf

Representation Matters! As the LGBTQ+ community has made many strides in recent decades, not every person can be publicly out in their professional career. Surprisingly that extends to Hollywood. Wait, isn’t Hollywood run by the gays? You would think, right? But there are still queer actors working today fearful to publicly come out afraid of being typecast or losing roles. Enter Bridgerton star Jonathan Bailey. 

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The IT star of the moment, [season 2 of the Shondra Rimes drama has smashed Netflix viewership records], the Crashing actor is inspiring other young actors in more ways than one. In an interview with The New York Times many of the Olivier award-winner actor’s inner circle were interviewed, including his assistant Nicki van Gelder.

 

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Glazer, who has represented the Broadchurch actor for over 15 years, recalled conversations with younger actors still in the closet elaboarting, “I have a couple of younger actors that I’ve discussed it with.” Some of these hopeful, aspiring thespians asked Glazer, 

“Jonny [Bailey] is out. Is It Ok?”

 

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Glazers answers, “Absolutely.” In the past Bailey was advised to stay in the closet. Speaking to Attitude magazine,

“The most conservative conversations I’ve had about me being honest about my sexuality in this day and age have come from gay men in the industry, ‘oh no, you can’t come out, you shouldn’t really do that,’” Bailey shared. “They’re either people who work in publicity, or there’s also been casting directors who have put the call into my agent to say, ‘just so that you know, the way that this is going to be sold is that it’s a gay story written by gay writers for gay actors, so by just taking the role…’ This was at a stage where perhaps I was coming to terms with my own sexuality, I hadn’t necessarily hidden it…but I’ve never not been honest about it.”

 

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Season 2 of Bridgerton is available to stream on Netflix.


Sources: Attitude Magazine, Gayety

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