Actor Lee Pace has described himself as
a member of the queer community.
The 38-year-old Pace is best known for
playing Thranduil in The Hobbit film trilogy and Ned in the
ABC fantasy drama Pushing Daisies. He plays Joe Pitt, a
closeted gay Mormon who struggles with his sexuality, in the Broadway
revival of Tony Kushner's Angels in America.
In a W magazine interview last
week, Pace, who has not previously spoken publicly about his
sexuality, appeared to begrudgingly come out, telling the interviewer
that he found a question about his sexuality “intrusive.”
“I've dated men. I've dated women,”
he
explained. “I don't know why anyone would care. I'm an actor
and I play roles. To be honest, I don't know what to say – I find
your question intrusive.”
In a series of tweets, Pace said that
he has always lived his life openly.
“In a recent phone interview, I was
asked questions that I wasn’t expecting and found myself
momentarily at a loss for the right words,” Pace messaged. “My
privacy is important to me, so I protect it. When interviewed by the
media, I keep the focus on my work. As a member of the queer
community, I understand the importance of living openly, being
counted, and happily owning who I am. That’s how I’ve always
lived my life……just as it’s been important to me to portray
queer characters with dignity for my entire career: A Soldier’s
Girl (Showtime. 2003). The Normal Heart (Broadway. 2011). Halt and
Catch Fire (AMC. 2014-2017). Angels in America. (Broadway. NOW.)
Onward, with Pride.”