Broadway’s Gavin Creel comes out publicly

It’s so easy to stay in the closet and blame it on not wanting to hurt your career. So when an actor or performer decides to come out publicly, it’s always a wonderful thing. That’s what Gavin Creel, currently starring in a revival of Hair on Broadway, does in a new interview with Brandon Voss on Advocate.com.

Creel is a Tony nominee for Thoroughly Modern Millie and also starred in a revival of La Cage on Broadway. He tells Voss what went into his decision to do a Yep, I’m gay interview:

“Yeah, about a month and a half ago, I was like, ‘I’m too old for this shit. I love my life, I love my friends, and I love my family so I decided it didn’t really matter. … I also want to be able to get married legally, and it doesn’t make any sense for me to parade around trying to get marriage equality while not being open about who I am. It doesn’t inspire young men and women struggling with their own sexuality to be confident in who they are if i’m not confident in who I am. And if I whisper about it, then I give other people permission to whisper about it, and there’s nothing wrong with it. I definitely want to get louder.”

Gavin used to worry about how being out mighty effect his desire for film and television roles but now has this to say: “You grow up with people telling you you’re going to hell. Then you realize you’re not going to hell, but now you’re going to showbiz hell to be blacklisted. Now I don’t give a shit about that. So you’re not going to put me in the next 7th Heaven? Well, fuck you.”

Wow. I think I’ve just become a big Gavin Creel fan!