Here’s How Jonathan Groff Proved You Can Be Gay AF And Still Slay In Hollywood
Broadway and Frozen star Jonathan Groff didn’t always think coming out as gay would lead to fame and fortune. In fact, he thought it might do the opposite.
“Saying Yes When I Meant No”
In a recent interview with Out Magazine, Groff opened up about his fears. After his breakout role in the 2007 hit musical Spring Awakening, he worried that being open about his sexuality would derail his career. “I felt like I was opting out of that star trajectory because of coming out,” he said.
But Groff eventually realised he couldn’t keep hiding. A line from his current Broadway show, Merrily We Roll Along, hit home: “I’ve made only one mistake in my life, but I made it over and over. That was saying ‘yes’ when I meant ‘no.'”
Groff saw himself in that line. “This thing of presenting something that’s different than what’s happening inside felt super personal to me,” he shared. It was time to be honest about who he was, a decision he made public in 2009.
“Being gay has allowed me to forge my own path”
Even though his character in Merrily We Roll Along is straight, Groff sees a connection to his own LGBTQIA+ experience. “No one wants to really make space for Frank’s darkness or his pain,” he said, noting that queer people often feel the same way.
But Groff hasn’t let societal expectations hold him back. From his Tony-nominated performance in Hamilton to his roles in hit TV shows like Glee, Mindhunter, and Looking, he has forged his own path. “Being gay has allowed me to forge my own path,” he explained. “I don’t feel at the mercy of the traditional Hollywood machine because I never really felt like I fit in there.”
