Andrew Scott has revealed he was encouraged to keep his sexuality private by people he “really admired” in the industry.
The Irish actor publicly came out as gay during an interview with The Independent back in 2013.
Speaking to British GQ for their Men of the Year issue, which features him on the cover, the 47-year-old recalled how he was previously told to keep quiet about his sexuality.
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Andrew said: “I was encouraged, by people in the industry who I really admired and who had my best interests at heart, to keep that (to myself).
“I understand why they gave that advice, but I’m also glad that I eventually ignored it.”
The Dublin native is set to star in Andrew Haigh’s upcoming gay romance All of Us Strangers alongside Paul Mescal.
Andrew said filming the movie was cathartic, as it allowed him to address his own experience of growing up as gay in Ireland, where homosexuality was illegal until he turned 16.
“I think that’s maybe why this (film) feels so gratifying and cathartic,” he said. “Because I did have to bring so much of my own pain into it.”
The film is loosely based on a 1987 Japanese novel by Taichi Yamada, and has been described as a “ghostly gay romance”.
It follows screenwriter Adam (played by Andrew Scott) who, one night in his near-empty tower block in contemporary London, has a chance encounter with his mysterious neighbour Harry (Paul Mescal) that punctures the rhythm of his everyday life.
As Adam and Harry get closer, Adam is pulled back to his childhood home where he discovers that his long-dead parents (Claire Foy and Jamie Bell) are both living and look the same age as the day they died over 30 years ago.
Speaking exclusively to Goss.ie at the 2023 IFTAs back in May, Andrew teased “great chemistry” between him and Paul in the flick.
The Fleabag star said: “I wouldn’t describe it as a rom-com, it’s quite dark. But there is rom in it, and I suppose there’s a bit of com in it, so maybe it is a rom-com! But it’s an unusual sort of one.”
“We filmed it last year and it’s going to come out at the end of this year. Paul is a superstar and he’s a beautiful, beautiful person inside and out.”
“It was just a great pleasure to work with an Irish person. Irish boys abroad! We had an immediate short-hand with each other, and I’m very excited for everyone to see it.”
When asked what it was like filming romantic scenes with Paul, who is a close friend of his, Andrew replied: “I don’t want to give anything away, but you’re required to have chemistry no matter what you’re doing with people.”
“So even if they’re not love scenes, you have to have chemistry. We had great chemistry.”
The Irish actors will star alongside The Crown’s Claire Foy and Rocketman star Jamie Bell in All of Us Strangers – which is set for release on December 22, 2023.
