Ian McKellen came out 27 years ago – but he still wishes he’d done it much sooner

Between The Hobbit, Lord of the Rings and X-Men franchises, Ian McKellen’s film career skyrocketed even more after he came out publicly as a gay man in 1988.

Now 75, McKellen wishes he’d gone public even sooner.

‘I regret and always shall that I didn’t see the significance of coming out at a much earlier date because I think I would have been a different person and a happier one,’ he tells Huffington Post.

‘Self-confidence is the most important thing that anybody can have. You don’t have that if part of you is ashamed or hiding something. I can reassure people who don’t feel they’re able to, the world will like you better because people like honesty and authenticity.’

McKellen, a two-time Oscar nominee, winner of a Tony Award and five Olivier Awards, didn’t expect to feel his life to improve to the extent that it did post coming out.

‘It was like a millstone that I didn’t know had been around my neck and that fell off. And what happened immediately, according to friends, is I became not just a happier person, but a better actor. I think up to that point, I had been using acting as a disguise — somewhere where I could express my emotions, and draw attention to myself in a way that I didn’t particularly want to do in real life. ‘

Acting became not about disguise, but about telling the truth. And my emotions became much freer. I was able to act better as I think you are able to do any job. Everyone’s better if they’re being honest.’