Egyptian-born actor Omar Sharif, Jr.
says in a new interview with gay glossy Attitude that he's
ready to end his bachelorhood.
The 33-year-old Sharif, also a model
and LGBT rights activist and the grandson of actor Omar Sharif, was
named Attitude's “Bachelor of the Day.”
Sharif was living in Cairo when he came
out gay in 2012, and currently lives in Los Angeles.
“I came out in 2012, in the wake of
the Arab Spring, in response to the Muslim Brotherhood being elected
to Parliament in Egypt,” he
told the magazine. “I wrote an op-ed challenging the new
government’s commitment to human rights, equality and respect for
all minorities – including LGBT people. I used myself as a litmus
test, so to speak, calling for a reaction. In response, I received
threats of violence, intimidation and even death threats.
Fortunately, I was blessed with a family that loves me
unconditionally and had the means to leave.”
When asked how long he's been a
bachelor, Sharif answered that he's “going 33 years strong!”
“And, I'm totally ready for that chapter to come to a close,” he
said. Elsewhere in the interview, he added that one of his goals for
the next year is “ending this bachelor chapter.”
Sharif can be seen in 11th
Hour and The Secret Scripture.