Russell Tovey. (David Levenson/Getty Images)
British actor Russell Tovey has revealed that his father thought he could be “cured” of being gay by undergoing “hormone treatment”.
The
Years and Years star, 39, came out to his parents when he was 18, starting a years-long journey for mother Carole Haynes and father George Tovey to accept his sexuality.
Tovey told
The Sunday Times that while both his parents struggled with the idea of him being gay, his father especially misunderstood and needed time to embrace him again.
“I don’t think either of my parents were homophobic,” he said, “they just didn’t know any gay people or anyone with gay kids.
Russell Tovey took his mum Carole to the Folsom Street Fair (Getty/Dave Benett)
Russell Tovey once struggled to get his parents to accept him as a gay man – but now he takes his mum to Leather Pride events.
The out-and-proud
Years and Years and
Looking actor and his mum, Carole Haynes, opened up about their relationship in a joint interview with
Tovey, who came out of the closet at 18, explained that it was “particularly hard for Mum because we’ve always been so close,” adding: “I don’t think either of my parents were homophobic, they just didn’t know any gay people or anyone with gay kids. They had nothing to cling to.