Joel Grey Comes Out of the Closet at Age 82, Stage and Screen Legend Says He Is ‘A Gay Man’
Acclaimed actor, singer, dancer, and photographer Joel Grey, best known for portraying the role of 'Master of Ceremonies' in both the stage and film versions of the musical Cabaret, in a recent interview with People magazine said: "I don't like labels but if you have to put a label on it, I'm a gay man."
Grey was married to the actress Jo Wilder for 24 years. Together, they had two children: Jennifer who is also an actress best known for her role in 1987's Dirty Dancing and James who is a career chef. Grey and Wilder divorced in 1982 but he said that the time they were together was "the happiest of my life."
The Tony, Academy and Golden Globe award-winning actor revealed that "all the people close to me have known for years who I am." However, their acceptance of the fact that he's gay is another matter. "It took time to embrace that other part of who I always was," he said.
For years, Grey said he felt it was "too dangerous" to be gay. At age nine, he recalled grownups "talking derisively about 'fairies'' and men being dragged off to jail, and worse, for being homosexual." But now, he said, thanks to political and social developments things have changed. "[Sexual orientation] doesn't matter anymore. Neil Patrick Harris is a star in every way. And he's a dad. He's the most gifted, charming, talented actor, who is himself and that's it. There's no limits."
Grey's daughter Jennifer, 54, who took home the top prize in Season 11 of Dancing with the Stars told People she was pleased with her father's decision to come out in the open. Said she: "I feel very happy for my dad that he has come to a point in his life where he feels safe and comfortable enough to declare himself in a public way as a gay man. Mostly because the more people are free to own their true nature and can hopefully come closer to love and accept themselves as they really are, no matter what age, no matter how long it takes, to finally be free of the lies or half-truths, it is freedom."