Brian J. Smith is on the cover of Attitude‘s December 2019 issue, out now.
Here’s what the 38-year-old Sense8 star had to say…
On growing up LGBTQ in the suburbs of Dallas, Texas: “It was the suburbs, it was middle class, and it’s wonderful. It’s a very easy way to live if you conform to it. But I was terrified. At school I really couldn’t fit in anywhere. I wasn’t a jock or a nerd. Forget about any LGBTQ union or groups. There was absolutely nothing. I was completely alone. I heard all the names: p–y, f–t. I could never be who I was. I was constantly having to check myself and make sure I wasn’t looking at someone too long or making someone feel uncomfortable. I had to be very, very careful about telling people the truth about myself. It still reverberates. A lot of my work is about that. The things that move me as an actor are those echoes that come up.”
On coming out to his parents: “I was surprised. When I came out to my parents they were wonderful. They said they were just waiting for me to say something. They were a lot more advanced than I gave them credit for. I think that’s when I became OK with it, too. Just in terms of being, ‘Oh that’s the world, it’s not as dangerous as I thought it was’.”
On his time living in London: “I fell in love, I dated this Irish guy for two or three months, and that was fantastic. It’s difficult to describe that feeling. I cherish the photographs I took there, living in Covent Garden. It was incredible. The cheeky British relationship with going out at night — not just going home and locking yourself up. It was a very social place. I loved it, I miss it a lot.”
For more from Brian, head to attitude.co.uk.
