When Sir Ian McKellen performed the first same-sex kiss on British TV in the 1970 BBC production of Christopher Marlowe’s Edward II, he was not yet out. In fact, it would be another 18 years before the Lord Of The Rings icon would come out as gay.

Sir Ian McKellen has some words of wisdom for his fellow actors. The “Lord of the Rings” star, who famously came out of the closet in 1988, encouraged other LGBTQ+ members of the acting community to open up and reveal their own sexual identities.

Ian McKellen said in a recent interview with The Times of London that he feels sorry for fellow actors who feel like they can’t come out as gay. The “X-Men” and “Lord of the Rings” icon has been one of the most prominent gay actors for decades.