'Who's The Boss' Star Danny Pintauro Says He's Been HIV-Positive 12 Years

Danny Pintauro, who starred in the ABC sitcom Who's the Boss?, has revealed he's HIV-positive.

In an OWN TV Oprah: Where Are They Now? interview broadcast Saturday, Pintauro, 39, told host Oprah Winfrey that he's ready to reveal his secret.

“What is the secret?” Oprah asked.

“I wanted to tell you this a long time ago but I wasn't ready. I'm HIV-positive, and I have been for 12 years,” he said, letting out a long sigh.

“It's just a big deal. You know, like it's not something that people are talking about right now really.”

Pintauro came out in 1997 after the National Enquirer threatened to reveal his sexuality.

“When I first came out … I missed the opportunity to be a beacon of life for gay kids who were going through what I was going through,” he added.

(Related: Who's the Boss star Danny Pintauro says coming out gay ended his career.)