Actor Cory Michael Smith has opened up about his sexuality in a new interview.
Smith is best known for playing Edward Nygma in TV’s Gotham, his character eventually becomes The Riddler in Batman.
The actor confirmed that he is same-sex attracted in an interview with The Daily Beast where he was promoting his role in the film 1985 which focuses on the early days of the AIDS pandemic.
In the film Smith plays Adrian, a young man who lives in New York, who travels home to visit his family in Texas for Thanksgiving. He’s coming home to see his family for one last time as he’s discovered he has HIV.
Smith said he enjoyed making the black and white film because it was closer to who he was in real life.
“There’s something special about telling a story that feels closer to home,” Smith said. “I’m not exactly like The Riddler in real life.
“I’m from Middle America,” he told The Daily Beast. “I’m from Ohio. I’ve been living here [in New York] for a while, and there are stretches when I don’t see my family often. Going home and that whole charade is very familiar. The first family dinner after a while. Coming out to a family, the fear of that.”
Smith said coming out to his own parents was something he drew on to play a character who has to share a lot with his family.
Before filming the drama Smith spent time with doctors who treated people who had HIV in the early 80’s so he could learn more about how the disease affected people.
OIP Staff
