During a Saturday evening conversation at the Toronto International Film Festival, Andrew Scott addressed critics who oppose openly gay actors portraying heterosexual characters, labeling such resistance as mere prejudice. The discussion took place at the Royal Alexandra Theatre as part of TIFF’s “In Conversation” series, moderated by Keith Bennie, the festival’s vice president of public programming.
Scott, 49, was promoting his role in “Elsinore,” a film he also produced. Directed by Simon Stone, the drama chronicles the real-life story of Scottish actor Ian Charleson, who seized the chance to star in “Hamlet” at London’s National Theater in 1989 after Daniel Day-Lewis walked off stage. Charleson pursued the role despite being ravaged by AIDS and against his doctor’s advice.
The performance has drawn significant awards buzz, with Variety’s Clayton Davis noting that Scott could become the first openly gay man to win the Academy Award for Best Actor. Scott was previously considered overlooked for his roles in “Blue Moon” and “All of Us Strangers.”
Reflecting on his career, Scott recalled his anxiety about whether audiences would accept a gay actor as a romantic lead. He cited his iconic turn as the priest in “Fleabag”—originally titled simply “The Priest” before the internet dubbed him “The Hot Priest”—as a pivotal moment that helped dispel those fears. He noted that theatergoers at stage doors were already aware of his sexuality and unaffected by it.
“If you don’t like Scott in those types of roles, that’s on you,” Scott stated firmly. “That’s just prejudice. And we won’t cater to those people, or I’m certainly not going to.”
Scott also opened up about his deep personal connection to “Elsinore,” which examines the representation of gay actors in the 1990s. He described the project as challenging due to the discrimination faced by gay men living with HIV/AIDS during that era.
“There weren’t any gay actors — for no reason,” Scott said, emphasizing that their presence in the industry was unfairly removed. “That was taken away from them.”
Looking back at his own origins, Scott shared that his love for acting began in childhood when he attended elocution lessons to correct a lisp. The improvisation exercises used in those lessons ignited a dormant passion for performance. He also credited his early debut in the 1995 Irish film “Korea” for teaching him professionalism, thanks to the kindness of veteran co-star Donal Donnelly.
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