Former Heroes star Zachary Quinto has come out publicly as a gay man in an interview with New York magazine. Zachary Quinto, who played Sylar on Heroes and Spock in the recent film reboot of Star Trek, said the suicide of a gay teenager was behind his decision to finally come out.
 
Zachary Quinto was speaking to New York Magazine about his recent off-Broadway role as a gay man who abandons his lover suffering from AIDS in Angels in America when he casually slipped in the announcement of his sexual orientation.
“Doing that play made me realize how fortunate I am to have been born when I was born. And to not have to witness the decimation of an entire generation of amazingly talented and otherwise vital men,” Quinto said. “And at the same time, as a gay man, it made me feel like I — there’s still so much work to be done. There’s still so many things that need to be looked at and addressed.” Quinto mentioned his sexual orientation again when discussing the death of gay teen Jamey Rodemeyer.
In a blog posted on Sunday on his website, Quinto said he was inspired to come out by the story of Jamey Rodemeyer. 14-year-old Rodemeyer killed himself after what his parents say was years of bullying over his sexual orientation. Rodemeyer discussed the bullying he suffered as a gay teen in a video posted to YouTube.
“In light of [Rodemeyer’s] death – it became clear to me in an instant that living a gay life without publicly acknowledging it – is simply not enough to make any significant contribution to the immense work that lies ahead on the road to complete equality,” Quinto wrote on his website.
“I believe in the power of intention to change the landscape of our society – and it is my intention to live an authentic life of compassion and integrity and action,” he continued. “Jamey Rodemeyer’s life changed mine. And while his death only makes me wish that I had done this sooner – I am eternally grateful to him for being the catalyst for change within me.”