Wednesday star Hunter Doohan on ‘hiding’ sexuality: ‘I archived pictures with my boyfriend on Instagram’

Wednesday star Hunter Doohan has reflected on the pressure he once felt to “hide” his sexuality during Hollywood auditions.

The actor admitted he even archived Instagram posts with his now-husband Fielder Jewett to prevent casting directors from discovering he is queer.

Speaking on The Zach Sang Show, he reflected on the 2019 screen-testing process for Showtime’s Your Honour, telling the host: “It was the first time I’d done a network test and they were really scrutinising. I really tried to hide it. I went and hid pictures of us on my Instagram, archived them.”

Coming out on set

Once on set, Doohan found himself coming out again to his co-star Bryan Cranston, despite having been openly queer for nearly a decade.

“I was 26 and I had to come out again,” he recalled. “I was at lunch one time with Bryan and I said, ‘Grace called again,’ and I was like, ‘Oh, she’s my friend Grace.’ And he’s like, ‘Oh, just a friend?’ and I thought, ‘Oh God… I’ve been out for eight years and I have to come out of the closet again.’ That was so unsettling and awful. I was like, ‘I’m never going to do that for a role again.'”

Asked why he felt the need to hide it, Doohan said: “Yeah, I mean, [my partner] was like, ‘Oh yeah, are you worried about this?’ But I don’t know. At the same time, I’ve never been cast. I’ve never played a gay role and I’ve auditioned for them. But all the characters I’ve played have been straight. It’s strange, but I feel really lucky.”

“Jonathan Bailey is so inspiring” – Hunter Doohan on his influences

He credits other out actors for inspiring him to embrace his identity, citing Jonathan Bailey as a particular influence.

Doohan said, “I read this Jonathan Bailey interview. It was so inspiring, the way he talks about it and how he’s totally released all perceived limitations around it. Look at him. Jurassic [World], romantic interest in Bridgerton, and Wicked, the biggest movie in the world.”

Reflecting on the progress made in the industry, the son of tennis player Fielder Jewett added: “We’re lucky to be living in a different time where we can do it and people can watch it and suspend their disbelief like that. I’ve had people come out and do it before me too. Without everybody who’s walked before you and done it before you, you wouldn’t be able to do it yourself. It’s a beautiful thing.”

Meeting his husband

Doohan previously opened up about how he met Jewett, a Hollywood producer, who he married in June of 2022.

The pair first connected on Tinder, with the rising star revealing on a December episode of the Keep It! podcast: “We met in like 2015 and then got engaged during the pandemic.

“The pandemic was great for me because I’d been off shooting Your Honour for six months in New Orleans.

“It was absolutely the best day of our lives!” – Doohan on getting married

“So I came back and all of a sudden we got to spend time together. We had so many friends that either broke up or got married during the pandemic or had a baby.”

While the couple prefer to keep their relationship private, Doohan posted an image of their wedding on Instagram.

The caption read: “Trying to sum up your wedding day in an Instagram caption is hard… It was absolutely the best day of our lives! Thank you to everyone who made it so special.”