Heroes star: ‘I’m gay’

Heroes and Star Trek star Zachary Quinto has come out, referring to himself as “a gay man” in an interview with New York magazine in the US today.

Talking about his recent performance in a Broadway production of Angels in America, Quinto says: “As a gay man, it made me feel like there’s still so much work to be done, and there’s still so many things that need to be looked at and addressed.”

Quinto will next be seen playing a gay interior designer on new US television series American Horror Story.

The actor, who rose to fame with his role as Heroes villain Sylar, also wrote a blog entry on his official website about his decision to come out, saying he was inspired to do so after the suicide of gay teen Jamey Rodemeyer.

“When i found out that jamey rodemeyer killed himself – i felt deeply troubled. but when i found out that jamey rodemeyer had made an it gets better video only months before taking his own life – i felt indescribable despair. i also made an it gets better video last year – in the wake of the senseless and tragic gay teen suicides that were sweeping the nation at the time. but in light of jamey’s death – it became clear to me in an instant that living a gay life without publicly acknowledging it – is simply not enough to make any significant contribution to the immense work that lies ahead on the road to complete equality. our society needs to recognize the unstoppable momentum toward unequivocal civil equality for every gay lesbian bisexual and transgendered citizen of this country. gay kids need to stop killing themselves because they are made to feel worthless by cruel and relentless bullying. parents need to teach their children principles of respect and acceptance. we are witnessing an enormous shift of collective consciousness throughout the world. we are at the precipice of great transformation within our culture and government. i believe in the power of intention to change the landscape of our society – and it is my intention to live an authentic life of compassion and integrity and action. jamey rodemeyer’s life changed mine. and while his death only makes me wish that i had done this sooner – i am eternally grateful to him for being the catalyst for change within me. now i can only hope to serve as the same catalyst for even one other person in this world. that – i believe – is all that we can ask of ourselves and of each other.”

Quinto will reprise his role as Spock in J.J. Abrams’ sequel to his Star Trek reboot, with filming to begin early next year.