Jonathan Bailey, the Emmy-nominated star of “Bridgerton” and “Wicked,” described the real-world limits he felt as a queer public figure—then explained why he chose to come out publicly anyway. In an interview with Elton John, he also discussed being named Peop
Jonathan Bailey remembers how the math felt when he began coming into public view: the fear that being himself would cost him jobs, and the quieter conviction that not being himself would cost him something deeper.
In a new interview with Elton John. the Emmy-nominated actor—who has become a visible LGBTQ figure in recent years—opened up about what coming out has meant as his career grew. Bailey is 38. and he is set to be one of this year’s honorees for the 2026 Elton John Impact Awards. which recognize prominent figures for their philanthropy and “whose lifelong work has inspired change and shaped culture.” Bailey is being highlighted for his work with his LGBTQ charity. The Shameless Fund.
Bailey described the pressures he saw early on—especially for queer actors trying to move through an industry that can treat sexuality like a hurdle rather than an identity. “I was well aware [of] the possibilities and the limits of queer actors and what that means to an audience and whether that bleeds into commerce and how that affects it. ” Bailey told John. “I think when I was in my early 20s. there was definitely an understanding that. to be gay would be a hindrance.”.
The actor’s break internationally came in 2020 when he played Lord Anthony Bridgerton on the period romantic drama “Bridgerton.” Before that. he had spent years building a career through British television and theater productions. a path he described as part of the long runway that eventually led to wider recognition. He has also starred in the Showtime miniseries “Fellow Travelers. ” the “Jurassic World: Rebirth” film. and the “Wicked” franchise alongside Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo.
Bailey has said his coming-out story started privately. He came out as gay to his family and friends in his early 20s, then came out publicly in 2018.
In the Elton John interview. he returned to the moment his private choice became a public decision—one he framed in terms of everyday visibility. “I wasn’t going to not hold my boyfriend’s hand in the street. and that was something that I felt so strongly in an animal sense. ” Bailey told John. “And of course. if that meant that it was going to impede any potential work. then I was willing to take that risk.”.
That willingness to accept the risk is now part of the bigger arc of his celebrity. In November, Bailey was named People magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive, becoming the first gay man to earn the title. In the interview. he connected the confidence he gained to the way he learned to understand himself—and to see certain anxieties as something he could outgrow. “In a way. I feel innately that I knew myself at quite a young age actually. and the hardware is one of confidence. And then of course. you just take on these stories and these narratives that are sort of like cobwebs. ” Bailey told John.
Bailey also described the difference between living around codes and performing from a place of freedom. He said that acting gave him room to be truthful without constantly second-guessing how his identity might be read. “I think the reason why I loved acting is because for the first time. in a world where you have to code switch and be hypervigilant about what you’re saying and how you come across. especially to your peers. if they’re going to acknowledge something that you say or the way you say it as denoting of your sexuality. ” Bailey continued. “To then get given a script and to actually be able to lean into the right thing to do and to then be truthful in it felt really. really good.”.
His optimism didn’t disappear with the accomplishments. Bailey said he still sees challenges in the fight for LGBTQ equality. but he urged focus on what the next generation can carry forward. “I wonder if the next generation just needs to know how to harness the joy that they can communicate to their fans and in the stories they tell. ” Bailey said. “Because obviously it’s a striking time where there’s a real threat that things can slip. But it’s an amazing thing, isn’t it?. Generational relationships and being a part of a community where we are all just benefactors of who came before us.”.
Jonathan Bailey coming out Elton John Impact Awards The Shameless Fund People Sexiest Man Alive Bridgerton Wicked LGBTQ charity Emmy-nominated actor