Heartthrob Matt Bomer, best known for his roles in Boys in the Band, White Collar, and American Horror Story, recently opened up about the difficult experience of being outed by celebrity blogger Perez Hilton in the early 2000s.
Speaking candidly on Jesse Tyler Ferguson’s podcast, Dinner’s On Me, Bomer reflected on the troubling time in his life when his private matters became public gossip before he had the chance to speak openly himself.
“It was a time when folks could kind of take over your own personal narrative before you even had a chance to,” Bomer revealed.
The actor explained that outlets like Perez Hilton’s blog had been discussing his sexuality publicly, effectively removing his opportunity to come out in his own time and on his own terms.
“I remember outlets like Perez Hilton talking about my personal life before I had ever had a chance to even do it myself,” he shared, emphasizing the sense of intrusion he felt.
He went on to clarify that it wasn’t because he wasn’t ready or willing to come out, but rather because, at that time, he hadn’t yet reached a level of fame that he believed warranted a formal announcement about his sexuality.
“No media outlet was ever going like ‘Hey!’ I just didn’t have a career that warranted that,” Bomer told Ferguson.
Looking back, he described the period as “a weird time,” a moment when he felt his personal story was unfairly stolen by those who had “a microphone at the time.”
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Matt eventually took control of his own narrative when he publicly came out during the 2012 Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards, where he was honored for his dedicated HIV activism.
In a touching and powerful acceptance speech, he openly thanked his family, naming his husband, Simon Halls, and their children: Kit, Walker, and Henry.
“I’d really especially like to thank my beautiful family: Simon, Kit, Walker, Henry,” Bomer warmly shared on stage. “Thank you for teaching me what unconditional love is. You will always be my proudest accomplishment.”
Bomer also explained that he chose that particular moment to publicly come out because he didn’t want his family to feel as though his identity was “some kind of shameful secret or something I was sweeping under the rug so I could have a great career.”
Today, Matt Bomer remains not only a beloved actor but also a prominent advocate and role model within the LGBTQ+ community, sharing his story as a testament to living openly and authentically.
You can listen to Matt Bomer’s full interview on Jesse Tyler Ferguson’s podcast Dinner’s On Me, available now on all major podcast streaming services.
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