Model and The Walking Dead star Daniel Newman has come out as gay in an emotional video and posts on his social media accounts.
At 36, the star has publicly addressed his sexual orientation for the first time, revealing he has felt pressure in the screen industry to stay in the closet.
Speaking in a Facebook video, Newman said the decision to acknowledge his sexuality was prompted by a young queer person mistaking him for straight while he was working at a homeless shelter for LGBT youth.
“It hit me like a gut-punch. It felt like someone had knocked the wind out of me. I released how important it is in this day and age to be visible; have people know who you are.”
Newman addressed the pressure felt by many actors in film and television to stay in the closet “for the sake of their careers.”
I’m #OUTandPROUD #LGBT Love you guys. Be proud to be yourself. We need everyone just the way you are! I’ll chat with you guys tonight
— Daniel Newmaη (@DanielNewman) March 30, 2017
“The industry is like ‘here’s your big break, you’re on The Walking Dead, you can’t come out, you can’t be in the press, because everything you work so hard for is going to be gone – there’s no gay or bi leading men, no action heroes, your career’s going to be over – I don’t care. Because I know what’s right.”
Newman also touched on his youth, growing up in the south of the United States in an Irish Catholic family.
“It wasn’t even about homophobia or anything; you just kept your private life private… so that’s the way I’ve always been. But now is not the time any longer to keep it private.”
“You see at this moment how rights are getting stripped from people so quickly? Who are the easiest people to take rights from? People who are invisible; people that are staying silent.”
Watch Daniel’s full video below.
