Jonathan Groff Remembers Hiding His Boyfriend At The Tony Awards When He Was In The Closet

Since Jonathan Groff came out a few years ago his on-screen career has flourished, whether it’s as Patrick in Looking or as Kristoff in Frozen. However while he has an up and comer in New York, forging his career on the stage, he was in the closet and admits he was afraid of what revealing his sexuality might mean to both his life and his career.

During his acceptance speech while receiving the Point Horizon Award for being a young LGBT trailblazer on Monday in New York, he talked about the fears he had while he was appearing in what was his breakthrough stage role in Spring Awakening.

He said, “Even though I was performing eight times a week in a show about the importance of self-expression and the danger of sexual repression, I kept my relationship with my ‘roommate’ a secret. I was still very scared and insecure about being gay [he was 21 at the time]. I did the stupidest things. And I went to great lengths to keep my cast and crew from asking me about my ‘roommate.’ For example, I never had him come to the theater, and I never invited him out after the show. Opening night was tricky because he was there, but I worked it out, so all the pictures that night were group shots, and I’m not even standing next to him. When the Tony Awards came around, he attended, but I didn’t bring him as my date. He sat at the back of Radio City [Music Hall].”

Now though he’s discovered that rather than needing to hide or be insecure about his sexuality, it has become a positive aspect of his career. It didn’t take him too long to get over his initial worries either, as he came out publicly when he was 23 during the National Equality March in Washington.