Anderson Cooper, Ellen DeGeneres, and 3 more LGBT celebrities who only came out later in life
Jodie Foster hinted at being gay during the Golden Globes, Lily Tomlin waited in deference to her mother and Tim Cook helped blaze the way for younger generations to be out and proud
Nowadays, most people barely bat an eye when they hear about celebrities who declare they are LGBTQ+, but that hasn’t always been the case. As recently as a few years ago, queer lives were not widely accepted, and many LGBTQ+ famous people, who were afraid of being shunned by fans or their loved ones, decided to wait years – or even decades – to come out. So, as we lead up to Pride Month in June, let’s celebrate those who came out later in life, and why they finally decided to be honest about who they are.
Ellen DeGeneres
Seen as one of the pioneers for gay acceptance, DeGeneres coming out in 1997 (at almost 40 years old) on her show, Ellen, sparked a national debate about gay rights in the US. For three years following her television “outing” (called the The Puppy Episode), she has said she could not get a job and fell into a deep depression. Today her life is drastically different, and she and her wife, Portia de Rossi, are some of the most beloved stars in the world.
Anderson Cooper
In 2017, at age 49, CNN anchor Anderson Cooper sent an email to writer Andrew Sullivan saying: “The fact is, I’m gay, always have been, always will be, and I couldn’t be any more happy, comfortable with myself, and proud.” Cooper, who is the son of late fashion designer Gloria Vanderbilt, anchors the show Anderson Cooper 360° and did not publicly confirm his sexuality before that email, saying it was a personal matter.
Jodie Foster