‘Love, Simon’ Star Joey Pollari Has Come Out As Gay

“The only part that was difficult was me coming out to myself. And I think that is the most difficult coming out”…

Love, Simon star Joey Pollari has come out as gay in a new interview with Advocate.

The 23-year-old actor – who plays Lyle in the gay comedy drama – said he identified with the film’s title character, Simon Spier, a closeted gay teenager: “His experience was similar to mine.”

He added: “I think all my friends and family knew on some level. I think maybe two people were shocked. The only part that was difficult was me coming out to myself. And I think that is the most difficult coming out.”

Pollari said his mother always knew about his sexuality, and that his own shame is actually what stopped him from coming out earlier.

“My mom knew. She laid hints for me everywhere. A lot of the trouble was self shame. I do believe a system of power, of patriarchy, of masculinity did impact me.

“The greatest difficulty I found was that it didn’t match my idea of myself. It seemed incongruent with the future I imagined for myself, the identity I had struck up with others. The interplay between me and women, me and men, now suddenly seemed entirely different. That just didn’t seem fair or right.”

Love, Simon deals with the coming out journey of 17-year-old Simon Spier.

You can watch the trailer for Love, Simon below.