Andrew Scott was “encouraged” to keep his sexuality to himself

Actor Andrew Scott has revealed that he was encouraged by various people in the film and television industry to keep his sexuality to himself.

The Fleabag actor – who is starring in All Of Us Strangers, set to release in January 2024 – has told GQ that he “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 went on to say, “I understand why they gave that advice, but I’m also glad that I eventually ignored it.”

In 2013, the Sherlock actor ‘came out’ in an interview in The Independent. On the experience, Scott told GQ, “Sometimes I find the prurient nature of the way we talk about it a little bit exhausting. It’s both very important to talk about and sometimes I feel like we didn’t [end] up talking about it.”

Growing up in Ireland where homosexuality was illegal until he was 16, Scott described the challenges of his past. He said: “There was so much of me that was quite fearful, actually, and ignoring that side of me.

“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?’”

He revealed that All Of Us Strangers gave him an opportunity to address these complex feelings, saying: “I think that’s maybe why this [film] feels so gratifying and cathartic. Because I did have to bring so much of my own pain into it.”

The movie, directed by Andrew Haigh, centres around Scott’s character developing a relationship with a neighbour, portrayed by Normal People star, Paul Mescal. Other cast include Claire Foy and Jamie Bell.

Elsewhere, Ridley Scott opened up about potentially casting Mescal in Gladiator 2.