Andrew Scott rejects “openly gay” label: “Straight people don’t have to explain their sexuality”

Scott recently starred as Tom Ripley in the Netflix drama, 'Ripley.'

Actor Andrew Scott is challenging the term “openly gay actor” when describing LGBTQ+ actors.

In an interview with Variety promoting his latest drama, ‘Ripley,’ Scott said, “It's wonderful to be able to talk about sexuality in an open way. 

“But I do feel sometimes, other people — and by other people, I mean straight people — don't have to explain or talk about their sexuality every time they go to work.”

The actor, known for his roles in ‘All of Us Strangers’ and ‘Fleabag’ further clarified his stance. “The idea that I'm being defiant by just being exactly who I am … Be open about it? Why wouldn't you be open about it?”

“The word 'out' is for that,” he explains. “But the word 'openly,' for me, just seems a little loaded.”

Scott also emphasized that his casting shouldn't limit the stories. Referencing his work with ‘All of Us Strangers’ director Andrew Haigh, he said, “[Haigh] understood so deeply what that character needed to be.” 

“You want someone to connect to the character on a personal level. And I don't think Andrew is afraid of that. In fact, it excites him, and he wants to embrace how he can make it personal.”

Despite playing characters with same-sex attraction, Scott resists the idea that the stories are solely for LGBTQ+ viewers. 

“A lot of this stuff has really affected me in my own life growing up — God knows I didn't have a lot of gay content,” he reflects.

Scott critiques the current focus on identity politics. “We live in an identity-politics era. We're separating each other more than we need to. 

“This hysteria about your sexuality and how that is something that is only understandable to people who belong to the same tribe as you — it just doesn't seem truthful.”

Scott also expressed his frustration dealing with media attention. “Sometimes I find it hard when you're doing press,” he admits, “because I feel so joyful and so emancipated. It seems like I always want to talk about the difficulties that I have with being gay, when actually, it's the greatest joy of my life.”

In the same interview, Scott also spoke about listening to Taylor Swift’s latest album, ‘The Tortured Poets Department,’ which he called “sensational.”