Jonathan Bailey is using his current Wicked: For Good press rollout to chat about something very near and dear to his heart, the reality of growing up gay without the support so many LGBTQ+ kids still lack today.
In a new interview with Sky News, Bailey reflected on how his sexuality shaped his childhood and why supporting LGBTQ+ youth remains deeply important to him.
“I felt scared and I felt alone and I felt entirely limited at various points in my life,” Bailey said of his own experience growing up queer. He explained that even from a young age, “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. Pun intended.”
Championing Queer Youth
Bailey now serves as an ambassador for Just Like Us, a U.K. nonprofit dedicated to supporting LGBTQ+ youth in schools. The organization recently found that queer young people ages 11 to 18 were twice as likely to face bullying, anxiety, and depression — numbers Bailey immediately connected to.
“I experienced all of that,” he told Sky News.
His advocacy work comes at a time when queer students remain disproportionately affected by school-based harassment and mental health struggles. For Bailey, the mission is personal.
Making History and Making it Sexy
Bailey also spoke about his experience as an out gay actor in Hollywood, and the stigma around sexuality in entertainment.
“This is beyond sexuality,” he said, “it’s race, it’s class, it is where you’re from, we are all given limiting narratives that we have to break free of.
“I thought not only was I not going to be able to play these sorts of parts because of my sexuality, but that I wouldn’t be able to do Shakespeare because I didn’t go to drama school.
“They’re the sort of stories that we need to be reminded of is that actually standing up and being safe enough to be able to say who you really are, and to be vulnerable at that age… these formative years, is inspiring to everyone in the classroom.”
Earlier this month, Bailey made groundbreaking history when PEOPLE named him Sexiest Man Alive, marking the first time an openly gay man has taken the honor. The actor approached the moment with sincerity, humor, and a deep awareness of what it means for the community.
“There’s nothing sexier than progress,” he said in an interview with Forbes. Accepting the title was an easy yes: “There was no way I wasn’t going to step into that corner this year, when the opportunity arose.”
A Milestone for Representation
Bailey’s rise has cemented him as one of the most visible gay leading men in Hollywood today — a milestone shaped by roles in everything from Bridgerton to Jurassic World: Rebirth to his upcoming turn in Wicked. His presence in these massive franchises signals a shift in who gets to be seen, desired, and centered on screen.
In his PEOPLE cover story, Bailey reflected on how far he’s come personally, admitting that confidence took time to rebuild. “At various moments in my life, I’ve been like, ‘I’ve got this,’ which is sometimes met by a deep spike of fear and self-doubt,” he said. “When I was really young, I was very confident about who I was, and maybe I lost that as I grew up.”
Now, he’s stepping into a character who understands what it means to stand up for what’s right — even when it requires sacrifice.
“Everyone has that moment. And they will be in the room, in the classroom, they’ll be in everyday life, and they’ll see that someone is being villainized.
“And they’ll hear the homophobic slur, or the racist slur, and they’ll be like, you know what, I’m going to throw away everything I have for free or for ease that I was born into — which is true of the Winky Prince — and I’m going to surrender it all. So I’m thrilled to be living in a time where I can play the Winky Prince and where Just Like Us is doing the extraordinary work they’re doing.”
Wicked: For Good will hit theaters on November 21.
