Wicked’s Jonathan Bailey reflects on the challenges of growing up gay at school: ‘I felt scared and alone’
In an interview with Sky News, the Wicked: For Good star described feeling isolated during his school years
By Callum Wells
Jonathan Bailey has spoken out about the challenges he faced growing up gay and how it shaped his early life.
In an interview with Sky News, the Wicked: For Good star described feeling isolated during his school years. “I felt scared and I felt alone and I felt entirely limited at various points in my life,” he said.
Bailey is an ambassador for Just Like Us, a UK-based charity that supports LGBTQ+ students. The organisation’s research shows that young LGBTQ+ people between 11 and 18 are twice as likely to experience anxiety, depression, and bullying compared with their peers.
“It wasn’t safe and it wasn’t celebrated. It feels like you’re in a straight jacket” – Jonathan Bailey on his school experiences as a young, gay man
“I experienced all of that,” Bailey told the news channel. “It became clear quite early on that something that was very specific and clear to me about who I was, it wasn’t safe and it wasn’t celebrated. It feels like you’re in a straight jacket.”
Earlier this month, Bailey was named People’s Sexiest Man Alive, becoming the first gay man to receive the title – with the magazine branding him “one of the most irresistible stars in Hollywood”.
Announced 3 November, he said in his cover interview: “It’s a huge honour. Obviously I’m incredibly flattered. And it’s completely absurd. [Laughs] It’s been a secret, so I’m quite excited for some friends and family to find out.”
“It’s an honour of a lifetime” – Bailey on being named People’s Sexiest Man Alive
His coup was revealed on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, where Bailey expressed excitement and disbelief over the title.
“I mean, it’s an honour of a lifetime,” the British actor said on the late-night talk show. Bailey’s feature marks the magazine’s 40th anniversary and succeeds John Krasinski, who was named the 2024 Sexiest Man Alive.
He continued: “I’m sort of thrilled that People magazine have invited someone in to bestow this honour on someone who can really cherish the value of a sexy man.”
Posing shirtless on the front cover with his dog Benson, Bailey opened up about what he looks for in a partner – and what is an instant deal-breaker.