English actor Jonathan Bailey, known for his role in “Bridgerton,” recently opened up about his experience growing up as a gay child in the village of Brightwell-cum-Sotwell in Oxfordshire, England. Bailey shared that he had an understanding of his sexuality from the age of 11, but during that time, awareness and representation of LGBTQ+ issues were nearly non-existent.
Bailey described his village as a place where anyone considered “other” was deemed unacceptable. The lack of LGBTQ+ representation and support made him feel isolated and unsure about his identity. He emphasized that the negative media stories about the gay experience at the time only contributed to his feelings of insecurity.
The actor expressed how different his life might have been if he had access to LGBTQ+ vocabulary and role models during his school years. He believes that having positive representation and ambassadors in his school would have helped him feel more secure and confident in himself at a younger age.
Now, Jonathan Bailey stars in the series “Fellow Travelers,” which promotes LGBTQ+ representation and awareness, providing the support and acceptance he wished he had growing up.