T.R. Knight `Learned So Much' Sce Announcg That He's Gay

Contents:

• T.R. KNIGHT'S FAY DIDN'T KNOW HE WAS GAY UNTIL AFTER ISAIAH WASHGTON LLED HIM A HOMOPHOBIC SLUR ON THE 'GREY'S ANATOMY' SET, A FORMER WRER SAYS A NEW BOOK
• EXCLUSIVE: 'GREY'S ANATOMY' STAR T.R. KNIGHT CONFIRMS HE'S GAY
• EVERYTHG ABOUT T.R. KNIGHT’S HBAND, WIFE & GAY QUERI, AND TV SHOWS & MOVI
• T.R. KNIGHT `LEARNED SO MUCH' SCE ANNOUNCG THAT HE'S GAY
• IS TR KNIGHT GAY OR MARRIED? WHO IS HIS WIFE OR HBAND? HEIGHT, WORTH
• THE 'GREY'S ANTIGAY SLUR CONTROVERSY OUTTED T.R. KNIGHT TO HIS FAY
• T.R. KNIGHT CONFIRMS HE IS GAY
• HULU SETS ANIMATED KIDS SERI WH OPENLY GAY MA CHARACTER; T.R. KNIGHT, BOBBY MOYNIHAN, RUPL & OTHERS ADD VOIC ‘THE BRAVT KNIGHT’
• T.R. KNIGHT ON HIS ‘GREY’S ANATOMY’ COMG OUT SNDAL 10 YEARS LATERAT PEACEA AFTER HIS TUMULTUO PUBLIC G OUT AT THE HEIGHT OF ‘GREY’S ANATOMY,’ KNIGHT OUT AGA: AS A CLOSETED POET ON ‘GENI: PISSO,’ AND AS A HAPPILY MARRIED MAN.KEV FALLONSENR EDOR, OBSSEDPUBLISHED MAY 08, 2018 5:10AM EDT JENNY ANRSON/GETTYT.R. KNIGHT IS ALREADY PLANNG HIS IRISH GOODBYE.IT’S BEEN AN EXHSTG DAY OF PRS SUPPORT OF GENI: PISSO, THE FORMER GREY’S ANATOMY STAR’S MOST RECENT PROJECT. A DAY THAT BEGAN AT AN EXHIB OF ORIGAL PISSOS AT SOTHEBY’S ON MANHATTAN’S UPPER EAST SI IS SCHLED TO END WH A PREMIERE PARTY TRIBE. YET FOR ALL THE REASONS TO TOAST THE BUZZED-ABOUT NATNAL GEOGRAPHIC SERI, THERE’S ANOTHER EVENT KNIGHT IS MORE EAGER TO CELEBRATE. IT’S THE EIGHTH ANNIVERSARY OF MEETG HIS NOW-HBAND, BALLET DANCER AND WRER PATRICK LEAHY, WHOM HE MARRIED OCTOBER 2013.THE TONE UP OUR NVERSATN ABOUT ANOTHER ANNIVERSARY OF KNIGHT’S LIFE, ALBE ONE THAT HE HADN’T BEEN AWARE WAS G.IT’S BEEN AN ENTIRE SCE KNIGHT SAW HIMSELF THST OM JOURNEYMAN ACTOR TO TABLOID STAPLE WHEN, THE MIDST OF HIS HOT-AND-BRIGHT N AS DR. GEE O’MALLEY ON GREY’S ANATOMY, HE WAS FORCED TO PUBLICLY E OUT OF THE CLOSET. A BEHD-THE-SCEN CINT WHICH -STAR ISAIAH WASHGTON ALLEGEDLY LLED KNIGHT A “FAGGOT” LEAKED TO THE MEDIA, CULMATG KNIGHT NDIDLY DISCSG HIS SEXUALY, HIS DISFORT WH THE ENVIRONMENT ON SET, AND ULTIMATELY HIS EARLY PARTURE OM HIS $14 LN GREY’S NTRACT. KNIGHT’S EY PRACTILLY PROJECTILE OM HIS HEAD WHEN WE MENTN THAT ’S BEEN 10 YEARS SCE ALL OF THAT HAPPENED; “ISAIAHGATE” TOOK PLACE EARLY 2007, AND KNIGHT LEFT THE SHOW 2009. “IT’S WEIRD THAT ’S 10 YEARS,” HE SAYS, SHAKG HIS HEAD AS WE TALK THE LOBBY OF THE DOMICK HOTEL, WHERE HE’S STAYG TRIBE. “I GUS THAT’S THE MATH.”THAT’S WHEN HE BRGS UP HIS EIGHT YEARS WH LEAHY, AND MAYBE PERHAPS THE LSON OF ALL. “IT’S SO TERTG BEE THAT’S THE ANNIVERSARY I’M CELEBRATG TOMORROW,” HE SAYS, UTTERG WHAT WILL END UP BEG A REA OF OUR NVERSATN AS WE DISCS THE GREY’S CINT AND HIS REER SCE: “BETIFUL THGS E OM UGLY TIM.”KNIGHT’S ROLE ON GENI: PISSO, BY SHEER HAPPENSTANCE, PROVIS A NATURAL OCSN TO REFLECT ON THAT PART OF HIS REER, BOTH THE FEELGS HE HAD AT THE TIME AND HOW FAR HE’S MOVED PAST . ON THE TIME-JUMPG LOOK AT THE PLITED LIFE AND LEGACY OF PABLO PISSO, KNIGHT PLAYS FRENCH POET MAX JAB. JAB WAS ONE OF THE MOST PLEX OF PISSO’S SALON OF ARTIST IENDS FOR MANY REASONS, CLUDG THE FACT THAT, PARIS THE EARLY 1900S, HE WAS GAY.KNIGHT PICTS HIS AGONIZED NFSN BETIFULLY HIS BUT AS JAB TUDAY’S EPISO, A STORYLE THAT SPARKS ONE OF THE MOST EMOTNAL ON-SCREEN PERFORMANC THE ACTOR HAS LIVERED SCE TRADG HIS GREY’S SCBS NE YEARS AGO.“HE’S ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT I BENEF OM, WHO YOU BENEF OM, WHO WE DO,” KNIGHT SAYS. “HE’S ONE OF THE PEOPLE WHO PAVED THE WAY. MAYBE WASN’T AS LOUD AND AS BOISTERO, BUT HE MATTERS. HE MATTERS MANY DIFFERENT WAYS, AND MANY DIFFERENT WORLDS, BUT FELY FOR BEG SOMEONE WHO DID LIVE AS A GAY MAN, AS TORTURED AS HE WAS BY .”KNIGHT BEGS TO GET SELF-NSC THAT HE’S NOT MAKG HIS POT, STUTTERG AND STARTG AND STOPPG—A TICK YOU N IMAGE IF YOU’VE SEEN HIM STAMMER AS GEE ON GREY’S. HE’S BEEN TALKG ALL DAY ABOUT THE SHOW, HE SAYS, AND IS NERVO THAT HE’S JT SPEWG OUT “WORD SALAD.”“IT’S HARD TO PUT MY WORDS BEHD THE EMOTN I FEEL ABOUT HIM AND ABOUT HIS EXPERIENCE,” HE SAYS. “BEE IS SOMETHG THAT I THK WE ALL FEEL OR HAVE FELT, AND ’S MORE THAN A SHAME—’S HORRIFIC—THAT OUR SOCIETY PEOPLE TO FEEL LIKE THAT. THAT EVER ED PEOPLE TO FEEL LIKE THAT, BUT THAT THEY STILL DO. THAT I DON’T SEE AN END TO, UNFORTUNATELY, MY LIFETIME.” THE FIRST THG YOU’LL WANT TO DO AFTER WATCHG KNIGHT GENI: PISSO IS TO GOOGLE MAX JAB. WE SEE HIM AS A YOUNG ADDICT, LOVER, AND POET AND THEN AGED ALMOST FOUR S (KNIGHT SAT THE MAKP CHAIR FOR NEARLY SEVEN HOURS FOR THE TRANSFORMATN) WHEN HE’S LIVG A MONASTERY ALL THE URSE OF ONE EPISO. WHAT HAPPENS BETWEEN?EACH NEW TAIL YOU LEARN ABOUT JAB’S LIFE IS MORE FASCATG, AND OFTEN MORE TRAGIC, THAN THE ONE BEFORE .HE WAS BORN TO A JEWISH FAY BRTANY, FRANCE, BEFORE MEETG PISSO PARIS THE SUMMER OF 1901, A TIME FED BY CREATIVY AND DULGENCE: ALHOL, ETHER, OPIDS, AND LOVE. SEVERAL YEARS LATER, WHEN JAB WAS 33, HE CLAIMED TO HAVE A VISN OF CHRIST, TRIGGERG HIM TO NVERT TO CATHOLICISM AND NFE HIMSELF TO A MONASTERY AS SELF-PUNISHMENT FOR HIS PERCEIVED SS, HOMOSEXUALY AMONG THEM.THEN 1944, NEAR THE END OF HIS LIFE, HE WAS ARRTED BY THE GTAPO AND IMPRISONED. HIS BROTHER, SISTER, AND BROTHER--LAW HAD ALL BEEN PREVLY ARRTED AND DIED NCENTRATN MPS. JAB WAS A PRISON FIRMARY ON THE WAY TO ACHWZ WHEN HE DIED OF PNMONIA AT AGE 67.“THERE ARE SO MANY EXTREM HIS LIFE,” KNIGHT SAYS. “HE TALKS ABOUT HOW HE LOOKED AT HIMSELF OM EVERY ANGLE AND HE ONLY SE HELPLSNS AND FOOLISHNS, S. HE DIDN’T THK HE WAS SERVG OF GREAT HAPPS BEE HE’D FILCHED SO MANY MOMENTS OF LSER HAPPS THROUGHOUT HIS LIFE. I THK WAS VERY MUCH A PUNISHMENT FOR HIS PERCEIVED SS.”TUDAY’S EPISO OF GENI POIGNANTLY DRAMATIZ JAB’S TOXITN WH PISSO, WHICH MORPHS TO AN FATUATN THE ARTIST FORC HIM TO PAFULLY ADM. “I AM DISGTG,” JAB TELLS PISSO AFTER NFSG HIS LOVE. HE SAYS PEOPLE WILL LL HIM A PERVERT. “I JT HAVE TO HOLD ALL . JT ONCE, ULDN’T SOMEONE LOVE ME BACK?” HE STARTS WEEPG, REALIZG THAT PISSO WILL PROBABLY ABANDON HIM NOW. “YOU SAY [WE’LL BE IENDS], BUT THAT’S NEVER HOW ENDS.”WE VENTURE THAT THERE ARE ASPECTS OF THAT MONOLOGUE AND JAB’S EXPERIENCE THAT ARE IMPOSSIBLE TO WRAP OUR HEADS AROUND—BEG GAY AT THAT TIME THE WORLD—BUT THERE ARE ELEMENTS OF THAT RONATE EPLY TO ANY GAY PERSON TODAY: THE SELF-LOATHG, THE FEAR THAT YOU WILL NEVER BE LOVED, AND THE FEAR OF LOSG SOMEONE ONCE THEY FD OUT WHO YOU REALLY ARE. WHAT MT THAT HAVE BEEN LIKE FOR KNIGHT TO RECKON WH GIVEN HIS OWN EXPERIENCE?WHILE HE CERTALY DIDN’T SCRIPT THE MONOLOGUE AND N’T CLAIM THAT CHANNELS ANY OF HIS OWN FEELGS, HE SAYS HE RELATED TO S SENTIMENTS. “IN THE VERY, VERY BT OF CIRCUMSTANC, ’S STILL DIFFICULT,” HE SAYS. “BEE ’S SOMETHG THAT MOST OF THE WORLD DON’T HAVE TO DO, MAKE SOME SORT OF PROCLAMATN ABOUT A PART OF THEIR LIV.” AS THE NVERSATN CENTERS MORE AND MORE ON G OUT AND KNIGHT’S EXPERIENCE AS A GAY ACTOR, WE TERPT TO GGE HOW FORTABLE HE IS DISCSG ALL OF THIS. IT’S BEEN A SCE “ISAIAHGATE,” AND WE’VE CERTALY TALKED TO ENOUGH ACTORS WHO, WHILE PUBLICLY OUT AS GAY, ARE HANT TO TALK ABOUT , FOR FEAR OF FG THEM.KNIGHT MOV LIKE A JACK--THE-BOX, UNILG WH REASSURANCE THAT HE DON’T MD ALL. NOT ONLY IS THE NVERSATN RELEVANT GIVEN THE CHARACTER HE’S PLAYG GENI, HE SAYS, BUT ’S STILL IMPORTANT.“I THK THAT’S PART OF THE PROBLEM, ISN’T , IF ONE IS NOT WANTG TO DISCS ?” HE ASKS. “IT’S THE IGNORANT WHO WILL MAKE THAT A FG CHARACTERISTIC. WE ALL SEE THAT. THAT TRATN, SAVE FOR ANOTHER TIME. IF THAT’S THE LENS THROUGH WHICH YOU SEE ME AND THAT’S THE ONLY LENS, I N’T DO MUCH ABOUT THAT. IT MAY BE TRATG AND MAY BE MADNG AT TIM, BUT REALLY IS ULTIMATELY NOT MY PROBLEM.”HERE’S A REHER OF WHAT HAPPENED ON THE SET OF GREY’S ANATOMY, SHOULD YOU NEED . IN 2007, SHONDA RHIM’S MEDIL DRAMA WAS EASILY THE HOTTT SHOW ON TV, RIDG A MIRACULO WAVE OF BLOCKBTER RATGS, CRIL BUZZ, AND AWARDS ATTENTN. BEHDS-THE-SCEN DRAMA BEGAN APPEARG THE TABLOIDS WHEN A FIGHT BETWEEN ISAIAH WASHGTON AND PATRICK DEMPSEY LEAKED, WHICH WASHGTON REPORTEDLY TOLD DEMPSEY, “I’M NOT YOUR LTLE FAGGOT LIKE T.R.”THE CINT SPURRED KNIGHT TO RELEASE A STATEMENT TO PEOPLE MAGAZE SAYG, “I GUS THERE HAVE BEEN A FEW QUTNS ABOUT MY SEXUALY, AND I’D LIKE TO KEEP QUIET ANY UNNECSARY MORS ABOUT SEXUALY. WHILE I PREFER TO KEEP MY PERSONAL LIFE PRIVATE, I HOPE THE FACT THAT I’M GAY ISN’T THE MOST TERTG PART OF ME.”THAT JANUARY THE PRS ROOM AT THE GOLN GLOB, WASHGTON REIGNED THE NTROVERSY BY REPEATG THE SLUR, AND A WAR OF WORDS WAGED BETWEEN VAR MEMBERS OF THE ST—KNIGHT’S BT IEND AND -STAR KATHERE HEIGL PUBLICLY REBED WASHGTON—AND RHIM HERSELF, WHO WAS TRYG TO ASSUAGE THE NTROVERSY.KNIGHT THEN WENT ON ELLEN TO DISCS THE DT-UP, HOW FELT TO BE LLED A “FAGGOT,” AND WHY HE ED THE EXPERIENCE AS AN OPPORTUNY TO PUBLICLY E OUT. HE THEN MA THE CISN TO MAKE HIS FIFTH SEASON ON THE SERI HIS LAST, OWG TO A LACK OF SCREEN TIME FOLLOWG THE FALLOUT AND A “BREAKDOWN MUNITN” WH RHIM, WHO AMONG OTHER THGS, HE SAYS, DISURAGED HIM OM G OUT. (SHE NIED THIS.)IT’S ALL EXHSTG TO REUNT, AND KNIGHT’S ALMOST PHYSIL REACTN TO THE NEWS THAT HAPPENED SO LONG AGO SPEAKS VOLUM. IN THE TIME SCE, HIS LIFE HAS BEE NSIRABLY LS VOLATILE.HE’S HAPPILY MARRIED, FOR ONE. HE MET HIS HBAND SOON AFTER LEAVG GREY’S AT A DNER PARTY NEW YORK THROWN BY MUTUAL IENDS. THREE MONTHS LATER, HE WAS ST A BROADWAY PLAY, THE DAVID MAMET TWO-HANR A LIFE THE THEATRE ALONGSI PATRICK STEWART—A PERFECT PROFSNAL EXCE TO MOVE TO NEW YORK CY FOR HIS PERSONAL LIFE.HIS “EELANCE REER,” WHICH IS WHAT HE NOW LIKENS WORKG AS AN ACTOR TO, HAS BEEN PERCEPTIBLY STEADY SCE. ON SCREEN, HE’S HAD ROL THE JACKIE ROBSON BPIC 42, CBS’S THE GOOD WIFE, HULU’S JFK ASSASSATN DRAMA 11.22.63, AND AS J. EDGAR HOOVER THE FIRST ALBERT ESTE-FOCED SEASON OF GENI.HE’S ALSO WORKED REGULARLY ON- AND OFF-BROADWAY, CLUDG -STARRG WH NATHAN LANE 2015’S IT’S ONLY A PLAY. HE TOOK A WEEKEND OFF DURG HIS OFF-BROADWAY N AS MERCUT ROMEO AND JULIET TO MARRY LEAHY UPSTATE NEW YORK. HEIGL AND HIS FELLOW GREY’S -STAR KATE WALSH ATTEND THE SMALL CEREMONY.ANOTHER FORMER GREY’S -STAR, CHANDRA WILSON, “ED TO ALWAYS JOKE ABOUT CHOOSG TO LIVE NIAL,” HE SAYS WHEN WE ASK WHAT HE THKS ABOUT ALL THE TUMULT OF THAT GREY’S TIME NOW. “I THK THERE WAS A LOT OF TTH THE JT. HOW DO YOU MAKE SENSE OF PEOPLE ALL OF A SUDN WATCHG THIS SHOW TO A BUNCH OF A THEATER PEOPLE WHO YOUR BIGGT DIENCE IS A BROADWAY HOE OF 1,000 PEOPLE? MY MD ULDN’T DO THE MATH.”HE WAS NEVER CLOSETED ON THE GREY’S SET, AS WASHGTON’S SLURS CERTALY NFIRM. BUT MAKG THE CISN TO E OUT PUBLICLY WHILE THE MIDST OF ACTG OUT A ROMANTIC STORYLE ON TV’S HOTTT SHOW N’T HAVE BEEN AN EASY ONE. BEE OF THAT, WE TELL HIM, HIS CISN WAS MORE MEANGFUL THAN HE MIGHT REALIZE FOR YOUNG FANS OF THE SHOW ALG WH THEIR OWN SEXUALY, NOT TO MENTN YOUNG LGBTQ ACTORS WONRG HOW THEIR INTI MIGHT AFFECT THEIR REERS.HE SAYS HE KNEW THAT THE CISN WOULD LOR THE WAYS PEOPLE MIGHT ST HIM GOG FORWARD. “BUT I THK A GREAT WAY TO LOOK AT IS: I DON’T WANT TO WORK WH THOSE PEOPLE. LIFE IS TOO SHORT. I WANT SOMEBODY WHO APPRECIAT WHAT I N BRG TO A ROLE REGARDLS OF THAT. MY EXPERIENCE SO FAR, AND ’S 10 YEARS, THERE ARE SOME REALLY TALENTED PEOPLE WHO I REALLY ADMIRE WHO DON’T LOOK THROUGH THAT LENS.”“ONCE YOU GO THROUGH ALL THE PROCS OF PUBLICLY G OUT, I LOOK TO THE PEOPLE WHO DID BEFORE ME,” HE ADDS. “THEY LOOKED TO THE PEOPLE WHO DID BEFORE THEM. THAT NUMBER GETS SMALLER AND SMALLER AS YOU LOOK BACK HISTORY. BUT LUCKILY WHEN YOU LOOK THE OTHER WAY, THE NUMBER IS GETTG BIGGER AND BIGGER. THAT MAK ME HAPPY.”THERE’S A CLEAR-MD, ALMOST PEACEFUL WAY THAT KNIGHT SPEAKS ABOUT WHAT WE N ONLY CHARACTERIZE AS AN EXPERIENCE THAT GREW OUT OF UGLS, WHICH PLAYED OUT THE MEDIA AN EVEN UGLIER WAY. HE DIDN’T GET TO NTROL THE SUATN. THERE WAS NO, “YEP, I’M GAY” VER. THERE WAS NO NARRATIVE, OR TIMG, THAT HE WAS CHARGE OF.HE LGHS, ADMTG THAT HE HOP HE DON’T “SOUND POLLYANNA” ABOUT THE WHOLE THG, BEE THAT’S NOT HOW HE FEELS ABOUT AT ALL. IT ALL BOILS DOWN TO BEG AWARE OF WHAT YOU N AND N’T NTROL, AND LEARNG TO BE AT PEACE WH THAT—THE IA THAT BETY N E OUT OF THE UGLY.“THE ONLY THG YOU N NTROL IS HOW YOU MANAGE , HOW YOU EMBRACE , HOW YOU UNRSTAND , HOW YOU GROW OM ,” HE SAYS. “TO ME THAT’S WHERE THE BETY . SO WHEN YOU LOOK BACK ON , AND SAY YOU LOOK BACK AFTER 10 YEARS, YOU DON’T SEE SOMETHG UGLY. THAT’S NOT THE IMAGE THAT IS LEFT MY BRA. AND I DON’T THK ’S BEE I’M NOT NNECTED TO REALY. YOU UNRSTAND THAT YOU JT SEE THE OUTE YOUR LIFE OM . AND ’S ONLY GOOD. THAT MAK ME HAPPY. THAT’S HOW I’M ABLE TO LOOK BACK AT .” KEV FALLON

T.R. KNIGHT'S FAY DIDN'T KNOW HE WAS GAY UNTIL AFTER ISAIAH WASHGTON LLED HIM A HOMOPHOBIC SLUR ON THE 'GREY'S ANATOMY' SET, A FORMER WRER SAYS A NEW BOOK

Knight's fay didn't know he was gay until an cint on the "Grey's Anatomy" set leaked. Isaiah Washgton was fired om the show 2007 after referrg to Knight g a homophobic slur. A "source close to Washgton" said a new book that the actor isn't homophobic.

Knight's fay didn't know he was gay before Isaiah Washgton referred to him g a homophobic slur durg a late-night fight on set wh Patrick Dempsey, said former "Grey's Anatomy" wrer Harry Werksman. " Acrdg to the book, Werksman said that Washgton approached Dempsey, phed him up agast a wall, and told him he uldn't "talk to me the way you talk to" Knight, whom he referred to g the homophobic slur.

EXCLUSIVE: 'GREY'S ANATOMY' STAR T.R. KNIGHT CONFIRMS HE'S GAY

'"Knight publicly nfirmed he's gay  a 2006 statement to People orr to "quiet any unnecsary mors" about him.

EVERYTHG ABOUT T.R. KNIGHT’S HBAND, WIFE & GAY QUERI, AND TV SHOWS & MOVI

"While I prefer to keep my personal life private, I hope the fact that I'm gay isn't the most tertg part of me, " the statement read, part. A year later, Knight said on "The Ellen DeGener Show" that gettg lled the homophobic slur is what prompted him to disclose rmatn about his private life bee " beme important to make the statement. He was fired om the show later that year, but briefly returned to "Grey's Anatomy" season 10 as part of the ex storyle for Sandra Oh's character Crista "How to Save a Life, " Rice reports that a "source close to Washgton" says the cint "was more about his personaly than was any homophobia or perceived homophobia.

"I hope the fact that I'm gay isn't the most tertg part of me, " the Grey's Anatomy star tells PEOPLE exclively.

Knight is gay, he has nfirmed exclively to PEOPLE. “While I prefer to keep my personal life private, I hope the fact that I’m gay isn’t the most tertg part of me. All the years later, and there are still more and more tails g out about the now-famo antigay slur sndal that rocked the st of ABC's long-nng medil drama seri Grey's those not faiar wh the story or who need a reher (we don't blame you, 's been a while), back 2006, actor Isaiah Washgton (who played Dr.

T.R. KNIGHT `LEARNED SO MUCH' SCE ANNOUNCG THAT HE'S GAY

Prton Burke on Grey's) referred to his gay -star T. Gee O'Malley and who me out publicly to People followg the sndal) the antigay f-word slur durg an on-set argument he had wh Patrick Dempsey (Dr.

Knight hid his sexualy for the longt time before an unfortunate cint outed him as gay 2006. However, sce g out of the closet, he has had an arguably better has been leadg a happy married life wh his hband Patrick Leahy for almost a and is a proud gay actor.

Wh the role, he set an example that a gay actor uld portray such a multifaceted straight role. He also referred to Knight g a homophobic slur (f****t) suatn oled down after several people tervened.

IS TR KNIGHT GAY OR MARRIED? WHO IS HIS WIFE OR HBAND? HEIGHT, WORTH

"While I prefer to keep my personal life private, I hope the fact that I'm gay isn't the most tertg part of me, " he said the statement. Knight told Gold Derby the role held a particular importance to him bee "It's nice to be playg a gay role a seemgly good marriage wh kids. Knight says he's evolved as a person sce announcg last October that he's gay.

Gee O'Malley on ABC's h medil drama, "Grey's Anatomy, " announced that he's gay after surfaced that Isaiah Washgton had ed an anti-gay slur agast him durg an on-set clash wh a -star. Washgton, 44, was booted om his role as a surgeon on the show after he ed an anti-gay ephet backstage at the Goln Globe Awards January while nyg he'd ed prevly on the set agast publicly apologized and tried to make amends by meetg wh gay-rights anizatns and filmg a public-service announcement llg for said tellg the world you're gay isn't an easy thg to do.

Knight says beg sulted by Isaiah Washgton prompted him to adm he's gay. Shortly after the dtup, Knight nfirmed exclively to PEOPLE that he is gay – the kd of announcement he says isn’t his style, but that he felt was necsary.

THE 'GREY'S ANTIGAY SLUR CONTROVERSY OUTTED T.R. KNIGHT TO HIS FAY

He asked to be let out of his $14 ln ntract three years early after an cint on the set 2007 when his -star Isaiah Washgton referred to him wh an anti-gay slur durg a heated argument wh Patrick Dempsey. The star of the medil drama seri me out as gay the late 2000s.

T.R. KNIGHT CONFIRMS HE IS GAY

Knight Gay? T R Knight is openly gay.

the years later, and there are still more and more tails g out about the now-famo antigay slur sndal that rocked the st of ABC's long-nng medil drama seri Grey's those not faiar wh the story or who need a reher (we don't blame you, 's been a while), back 2006, actor Isaiah Washgton (who played Dr. Knight, the terrific Grey's Anatomy star who has bee a fan favore as everyman Gee O'Malley, has announced he is gay.

"While I prefer to keep my personal life private, I hope the fact that I'm gay isn't the most tertg part of me.

HULU SETS ANIMATED KIDS SERI WH OPENLY GAY MA CHARACTER; T.R. KNIGHT, BOBBY MOYNIHAN, RUPL & OTHERS ADD VOIC ‘THE BRAVT KNIGHT’

He ntued: "While I prefer to keep my personal life private, I hope the fact that I'm gay isn't the most tertg part of me.

Knight and Chandra Wilson attend the 46th annual Monte Carlo Televisn Ftival Mona on July 1, 2006 | Photo: Getty ImagPersecutnCo-star Isaiah Washgton allegedly lled Knight an anti-gay slur amid an argument wh Patrick Dempsey.

In the aftermath, Washgton was fired 2007 for the homophobic speech. Durg an terview wh the Huffgton Post, the "A Year and Change" actor reflected on his feelgs as a gay man sharg his life wh another. In , he plays French poet Max Jab, who was notably gay the early 1900s, a rare occurrence at the time.

T.R. KNIGHT ON HIS ‘GREY’S ANATOMY’ COMG OUT SNDAL 10 YEARS LATERAT PEACEA AFTER HIS TUMULTUO PUBLIC G OUT AT THE HEIGHT OF ‘GREY’S ANATOMY,’ KNIGHT OUT AGA: AS A CLOSETED POET ON ‘GENI: PISSO,’ AND AS A HAPPILY MARRIED MAN.KEV FALLONSENR EDOR, OBSSEDPUBLISHED MAY 08, 2018 5:10AM EDT JENNY ANRSON/GETTYT.R. KNIGHT IS ALREADY PLANNG HIS IRISH GOODBYE.IT’S BEEN AN EXHSTG DAY OF PRS SUPPORT OF GENI: PISSO, THE FORMER GREY’S ANATOMY STAR’S MOST RECENT PROJECT. A DAY THAT BEGAN AT AN EXHIB OF ORIGAL PISSOS AT SOTHEBY’S ON MANHATTAN’S UPPER EAST SI IS SCHLED TO END WH A PREMIERE PARTY TRIBE. YET FOR ALL THE REASONS TO TOAST THE BUZZED-ABOUT NATNAL GEOGRAPHIC SERI, THERE’S ANOTHER EVENT KNIGHT IS MORE EAGER TO CELEBRATE. IT’S THE EIGHTH ANNIVERSARY OF MEETG HIS NOW-HBAND, BALLET DANCER AND WRER PATRICK LEAHY, WHOM HE MARRIED OCTOBER 2013.THE TONE UP OUR NVERSATN ABOUT ANOTHER ANNIVERSARY OF KNIGHT’S LIFE, ALBE ONE THAT HE HADN’T BEEN AWARE WAS G.IT’S BEEN AN ENTIRE SCE KNIGHT SAW HIMSELF THST OM JOURNEYMAN ACTOR TO TABLOID STAPLE WHEN, THE MIDST OF HIS HOT-AND-BRIGHT N AS DR. GEE O’MALLEY ON GREY’S ANATOMY, HE WAS FORCED TO PUBLICLY E OUT OF THE CLOSET. A BEHD-THE-SCEN CINT WHICH -STAR ISAIAH WASHGTON ALLEGEDLY LLED KNIGHT A “FAGGOT” LEAKED TO THE MEDIA, CULMATG KNIGHT NDIDLY DISCSG HIS SEXUALY, HIS DISFORT WH THE ENVIRONMENT ON SET, AND ULTIMATELY HIS EARLY PARTURE OM HIS $14 LN GREY’S NTRACT. KNIGHT’S EY PRACTILLY PROJECTILE OM HIS HEAD WHEN WE MENTN THAT ’S BEEN 10 YEARS SCE ALL OF THAT HAPPENED; “ISAIAHGATE” TOOK PLACE EARLY 2007, AND KNIGHT LEFT THE SHOW 2009. “IT’S WEIRD THAT ’S 10 YEARS,” HE SAYS, SHAKG HIS HEAD AS WE TALK THE LOBBY OF THE DOMICK HOTEL, WHERE HE’S STAYG TRIBE. “I GUS THAT’S THE MATH.”THAT’S WHEN HE BRGS UP HIS EIGHT YEARS WH LEAHY, AND MAYBE PERHAPS THE LSON OF ALL. “IT’S SO TERTG BEE THAT’S THE ANNIVERSARY I’M CELEBRATG TOMORROW,” HE SAYS, UTTERG WHAT WILL END UP BEG A REA OF OUR NVERSATN AS WE DISCS THE GREY’S CINT AND HIS REER SCE: “BETIFUL THGS E OM UGLY TIM.”KNIGHT’S ROLE ON GENI: PISSO, BY SHEER HAPPENSTANCE, PROVIS A NATURAL OCSN TO REFLECT ON THAT PART OF HIS REER, BOTH THE FEELGS HE HAD AT THE TIME AND HOW FAR HE’S MOVED PAST . ON THE TIME-JUMPG LOOK AT THE PLITED LIFE AND LEGACY OF PABLO PISSO, KNIGHT PLAYS FRENCH POET MAX JAB. JAB WAS ONE OF THE MOST PLEX OF PISSO’S SALON OF ARTIST IENDS FOR MANY REASONS, CLUDG THE FACT THAT, PARIS THE EARLY 1900S, HE WAS GAY.KNIGHT PICTS HIS AGONIZED NFSN BETIFULLY HIS BUT AS JAB TUDAY’S EPISO, A STORYLE THAT SPARKS ONE OF THE MOST EMOTNAL ON-SCREEN PERFORMANC THE ACTOR HAS LIVERED SCE TRADG HIS GREY’S SCBS NE YEARS AGO.“HE’S ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT I BENEF OM, WHO YOU BENEF OM, WHO WE DO,” KNIGHT SAYS. “HE’S ONE OF THE PEOPLE WHO PAVED THE WAY. MAYBE WASN’T AS LOUD AND AS BOISTERO, BUT HE MATTERS. HE MATTERS MANY DIFFERENT WAYS, AND MANY DIFFERENT WORLDS, BUT FELY FOR BEG SOMEONE WHO DID LIVE AS A GAY MAN, AS TORTURED AS HE WAS BY .”KNIGHT BEGS TO GET SELF-NSC THAT HE’S NOT MAKG HIS POT, STUTTERG AND STARTG AND STOPPG—A TICK YOU N IMAGE IF YOU’VE SEEN HIM STAMMER AS GEE ON GREY’S. HE’S BEEN TALKG ALL DAY ABOUT THE SHOW, HE SAYS, AND IS NERVO THAT HE’S JT SPEWG OUT “WORD SALAD.”“IT’S HARD TO PUT MY WORDS BEHD THE EMOTN I FEEL ABOUT HIM AND ABOUT HIS EXPERIENCE,” HE SAYS. “BEE IS SOMETHG THAT I THK WE ALL FEEL OR HAVE FELT, AND ’S MORE THAN A SHAME—’S HORRIFIC—THAT OUR SOCIETY PEOPLE TO FEEL LIKE THAT. THAT EVER ED PEOPLE TO FEEL LIKE THAT, BUT THAT THEY STILL DO. THAT I DON’T SEE AN END TO, UNFORTUNATELY, MY LIFETIME.” THE FIRST THG YOU’LL WANT TO DO AFTER WATCHG KNIGHT GENI: PISSO IS TO GOOGLE MAX JAB. WE SEE HIM AS A YOUNG ADDICT, LOVER, AND POET AND THEN AGED ALMOST FOUR S (KNIGHT SAT THE MAKP CHAIR FOR NEARLY SEVEN HOURS FOR THE TRANSFORMATN) WHEN HE’S LIVG A MONASTERY ALL THE URSE OF ONE EPISO. WHAT HAPPENS BETWEEN?EACH NEW TAIL YOU LEARN ABOUT JAB’S LIFE IS MORE FASCATG, AND OFTEN MORE TRAGIC, THAN THE ONE BEFORE .HE WAS BORN TO A JEWISH FAY BRTANY, FRANCE, BEFORE MEETG PISSO PARIS THE SUMMER OF 1901, A TIME FED BY CREATIVY AND DULGENCE: ALHOL, ETHER, OPIDS, AND LOVE. SEVERAL YEARS LATER, WHEN JAB WAS 33, HE CLAIMED TO HAVE A VISN OF CHRIST, TRIGGERG HIM TO NVERT TO CATHOLICISM AND NFE HIMSELF TO A MONASTERY AS SELF-PUNISHMENT FOR HIS PERCEIVED SS, HOMOSEXUALY AMONG THEM.THEN 1944, NEAR THE END OF HIS LIFE, HE WAS ARRTED BY THE GTAPO AND IMPRISONED. HIS BROTHER, SISTER, AND BROTHER--LAW HAD ALL BEEN PREVLY ARRTED AND DIED NCENTRATN MPS. JAB WAS A PRISON FIRMARY ON THE WAY TO ACHWZ WHEN HE DIED OF PNMONIA AT AGE 67.“THERE ARE SO MANY EXTREM HIS LIFE,” KNIGHT SAYS. “HE TALKS ABOUT HOW HE LOOKED AT HIMSELF OM EVERY ANGLE AND HE ONLY SE HELPLSNS AND FOOLISHNS, S. HE DIDN’T THK HE WAS SERVG OF GREAT HAPPS BEE HE’D FILCHED SO MANY MOMENTS OF LSER HAPPS THROUGHOUT HIS LIFE. I THK WAS VERY MUCH A PUNISHMENT FOR HIS PERCEIVED SS.”TUDAY’S EPISO OF GENI POIGNANTLY DRAMATIZ JAB’S TOXITN WH PISSO, WHICH MORPHS TO AN FATUATN THE ARTIST FORC HIM TO PAFULLY ADM. “I AM DISGTG,” JAB TELLS PISSO AFTER NFSG HIS LOVE. HE SAYS PEOPLE WILL LL HIM A PERVERT. “I JT HAVE TO HOLD ALL . JT ONCE, ULDN’T SOMEONE LOVE ME BACK?” HE STARTS WEEPG, REALIZG THAT PISSO WILL PROBABLY ABANDON HIM NOW. “YOU SAY [WE’LL BE IENDS], BUT THAT’S NEVER HOW ENDS.”WE VENTURE THAT THERE ARE ASPECTS OF THAT MONOLOGUE AND JAB’S EXPERIENCE THAT ARE IMPOSSIBLE TO WRAP OUR HEADS AROUND—BEG GAY AT THAT TIME THE WORLD—BUT THERE ARE ELEMENTS OF THAT RONATE EPLY TO ANY GAY PERSON TODAY: THE SELF-LOATHG, THE FEAR THAT YOU WILL NEVER BE LOVED, AND THE FEAR OF LOSG SOMEONE ONCE THEY FD OUT WHO YOU REALLY ARE. WHAT MT THAT HAVE BEEN LIKE FOR KNIGHT TO RECKON WH GIVEN HIS OWN EXPERIENCE?WHILE HE CERTALY DIDN’T SCRIPT THE MONOLOGUE AND N’T CLAIM THAT CHANNELS ANY OF HIS OWN FEELGS, HE SAYS HE RELATED TO S SENTIMENTS. “IN THE VERY, VERY BT OF CIRCUMSTANC, ’S STILL DIFFICULT,” HE SAYS. “BEE ’S SOMETHG THAT MOST OF THE WORLD DON’T HAVE TO DO, MAKE SOME SORT OF PROCLAMATN ABOUT A PART OF THEIR LIV.” AS THE NVERSATN CENTERS MORE AND MORE ON G OUT AND KNIGHT’S EXPERIENCE AS A GAY ACTOR, WE TERPT TO GGE HOW FORTABLE HE IS DISCSG ALL OF THIS. IT’S BEEN A SCE “ISAIAHGATE,” AND WE’VE CERTALY TALKED TO ENOUGH ACTORS WHO, WHILE PUBLICLY OUT AS GAY, ARE HANT TO TALK ABOUT , FOR FEAR OF FG THEM.KNIGHT MOV LIKE A JACK--THE-BOX, UNILG WH REASSURANCE THAT HE DON’T MD ALL. NOT ONLY IS THE NVERSATN RELEVANT GIVEN THE CHARACTER HE’S PLAYG GENI, HE SAYS, BUT ’S STILL IMPORTANT.“I THK THAT’S PART OF THE PROBLEM, ISN’T , IF ONE IS NOT WANTG TO DISCS ?” HE ASKS. “IT’S THE IGNORANT WHO WILL MAKE THAT A FG CHARACTERISTIC. WE ALL SEE THAT. THAT TRATN, SAVE FOR ANOTHER TIME. IF THAT’S THE LENS THROUGH WHICH YOU SEE ME AND THAT’S THE ONLY LENS, I N’T DO MUCH ABOUT THAT. IT MAY BE TRATG AND MAY BE MADNG AT TIM, BUT REALLY IS ULTIMATELY NOT MY PROBLEM.”HERE’S A REHER OF WHAT HAPPENED ON THE SET OF GREY’S ANATOMY, SHOULD YOU NEED . IN 2007, SHONDA RHIM’S MEDIL DRAMA WAS EASILY THE HOTTT SHOW ON TV, RIDG A MIRACULO WAVE OF BLOCKBTER RATGS, CRIL BUZZ, AND AWARDS ATTENTN. BEHDS-THE-SCEN DRAMA BEGAN APPEARG THE TABLOIDS WHEN A FIGHT BETWEEN ISAIAH WASHGTON AND PATRICK DEMPSEY LEAKED, WHICH WASHGTON REPORTEDLY TOLD DEMPSEY, “I’M NOT YOUR LTLE FAGGOT LIKE T.R.”THE CINT SPURRED KNIGHT TO RELEASE A STATEMENT TO PEOPLE MAGAZE SAYG, “I GUS THERE HAVE BEEN A FEW QUTNS ABOUT MY SEXUALY, AND I’D LIKE TO KEEP QUIET ANY UNNECSARY MORS ABOUT SEXUALY. WHILE I PREFER TO KEEP MY PERSONAL LIFE PRIVATE, I HOPE THE FACT THAT I’M GAY ISN’T THE MOST TERTG PART OF ME.”THAT JANUARY THE PRS ROOM AT THE GOLN GLOB, WASHGTON REIGNED THE NTROVERSY BY REPEATG THE SLUR, AND A WAR OF WORDS WAGED BETWEEN VAR MEMBERS OF THE ST—KNIGHT’S BT IEND AND -STAR KATHERE HEIGL PUBLICLY REBED WASHGTON—AND RHIM HERSELF, WHO WAS TRYG TO ASSUAGE THE NTROVERSY.KNIGHT THEN WENT ON ELLEN TO DISCS THE DT-UP, HOW FELT TO BE LLED A “FAGGOT,” AND WHY HE ED THE EXPERIENCE AS AN OPPORTUNY TO PUBLICLY E OUT. HE THEN MA THE CISN TO MAKE HIS FIFTH SEASON ON THE SERI HIS LAST, OWG TO A LACK OF SCREEN TIME FOLLOWG THE FALLOUT AND A “BREAKDOWN MUNITN” WH RHIM, WHO AMONG OTHER THGS, HE SAYS, DISURAGED HIM OM G OUT. (SHE NIED THIS.)IT’S ALL EXHSTG TO REUNT, AND KNIGHT’S ALMOST PHYSIL REACTN TO THE NEWS THAT HAPPENED SO LONG AGO SPEAKS VOLUM. IN THE TIME SCE, HIS LIFE HAS BEE NSIRABLY LS VOLATILE.HE’S HAPPILY MARRIED, FOR ONE. HE MET HIS HBAND SOON AFTER LEAVG GREY’S AT A DNER PARTY NEW YORK THROWN BY MUTUAL IENDS. THREE MONTHS LATER, HE WAS ST A BROADWAY PLAY, THE DAVID MAMET TWO-HANR A LIFE THE THEATRE ALONGSI PATRICK STEWART—A PERFECT PROFSNAL EXCE TO MOVE TO NEW YORK CY FOR HIS PERSONAL LIFE.HIS “EELANCE REER,” WHICH IS WHAT HE NOW LIKENS WORKG AS AN ACTOR TO, HAS BEEN PERCEPTIBLY STEADY SCE. ON SCREEN, HE’S HAD ROL THE JACKIE ROBSON BPIC 42, CBS’S THE GOOD WIFE, HULU’S JFK ASSASSATN DRAMA 11.22.63, AND AS J. EDGAR HOOVER THE FIRST ALBERT ESTE-FOCED SEASON OF GENI.HE’S ALSO WORKED REGULARLY ON- AND OFF-BROADWAY, CLUDG -STARRG WH NATHAN LANE 2015’S IT’S ONLY A PLAY. HE TOOK A WEEKEND OFF DURG HIS OFF-BROADWAY N AS MERCUT ROMEO AND JULIET TO MARRY LEAHY UPSTATE NEW YORK. HEIGL AND HIS FELLOW GREY’S -STAR KATE WALSH ATTEND THE SMALL CEREMONY.ANOTHER FORMER GREY’S -STAR, CHANDRA WILSON, “ED TO ALWAYS JOKE ABOUT CHOOSG TO LIVE NIAL,” HE SAYS WHEN WE ASK WHAT HE THKS ABOUT ALL THE TUMULT OF THAT GREY’S TIME NOW. “I THK THERE WAS A LOT OF TTH THE JT. HOW DO YOU MAKE SENSE OF PEOPLE ALL OF A SUDN WATCHG THIS SHOW TO A BUNCH OF A THEATER PEOPLE WHO YOUR BIGGT DIENCE IS A BROADWAY HOE OF 1,000 PEOPLE? MY MD ULDN’T DO THE MATH.”HE WAS NEVER CLOSETED ON THE GREY’S SET, AS WASHGTON’S SLURS CERTALY NFIRM. BUT MAKG THE CISN TO E OUT PUBLICLY WHILE THE MIDST OF ACTG OUT A ROMANTIC STORYLE ON TV’S HOTTT SHOW N’T HAVE BEEN AN EASY ONE. BEE OF THAT, WE TELL HIM, HIS CISN WAS MORE MEANGFUL THAN HE MIGHT REALIZE FOR YOUNG FANS OF THE SHOW ALG WH THEIR OWN SEXUALY, NOT TO MENTN YOUNG LGBTQ ACTORS WONRG HOW THEIR INTI MIGHT AFFECT THEIR REERS.HE SAYS HE KNEW THAT THE CISN WOULD LOR THE WAYS PEOPLE MIGHT ST HIM GOG FORWARD. “BUT I THK A GREAT WAY TO LOOK AT IS: I DON’T WANT TO WORK WH THOSE PEOPLE. LIFE IS TOO SHORT. I WANT SOMEBODY WHO APPRECIAT WHAT I N BRG TO A ROLE REGARDLS OF THAT. MY EXPERIENCE SO FAR, AND ’S 10 YEARS, THERE ARE SOME REALLY TALENTED PEOPLE WHO I REALLY ADMIRE WHO DON’T LOOK THROUGH THAT LENS.”“ONCE YOU GO THROUGH ALL THE PROCS OF PUBLICLY G OUT, I LOOK TO THE PEOPLE WHO DID BEFORE ME,” HE ADDS. “THEY LOOKED TO THE PEOPLE WHO DID BEFORE THEM. THAT NUMBER GETS SMALLER AND SMALLER AS YOU LOOK BACK HISTORY. BUT LUCKILY WHEN YOU LOOK THE OTHER WAY, THE NUMBER IS GETTG BIGGER AND BIGGER. THAT MAK ME HAPPY.”THERE’S A CLEAR-MD, ALMOST PEACEFUL WAY THAT KNIGHT SPEAKS ABOUT WHAT WE N ONLY CHARACTERIZE AS AN EXPERIENCE THAT GREW OUT OF UGLS, WHICH PLAYED OUT THE MEDIA AN EVEN UGLIER WAY. HE DIDN’T GET TO NTROL THE SUATN. THERE WAS NO, “YEP, I’M GAY” VER. THERE WAS NO NARRATIVE, OR TIMG, THAT HE WAS CHARGE OF.HE LGHS, ADMTG THAT HE HOP HE DON’T “SOUND POLLYANNA” ABOUT THE WHOLE THG, BEE THAT’S NOT HOW HE FEELS ABOUT AT ALL. IT ALL BOILS DOWN TO BEG AWARE OF WHAT YOU N AND N’T NTROL, AND LEARNG TO BE AT PEACE WH THAT—THE IA THAT BETY N E OUT OF THE UGLY.“THE ONLY THG YOU N NTROL IS HOW YOU MANAGE , HOW YOU EMBRACE , HOW YOU UNRSTAND , HOW YOU GROW OM ,” HE SAYS. “TO ME THAT’S WHERE THE BETY . SO WHEN YOU LOOK BACK ON , AND SAY YOU LOOK BACK AFTER 10 YEARS, YOU DON’T SEE SOMETHG UGLY. THAT’S NOT THE IMAGE THAT IS LEFT MY BRA. AND I DON’T THK ’S BEE I’M NOT NNECTED TO REALY. YOU UNRSTAND THAT YOU JT SEE THE OUTE YOUR LIFE OM . AND ’S ONLY GOOD. THAT MAK ME HAPPY. THAT’S HOW I’M ABLE TO LOOK BACK AT .” KEV FALLON

Got to e out, and I got to say to him that wouldn't affect his character' -- bee he was ncerned that he was gog to e out and Gee would sudnly be gay.

' The ia that a gay actor n't play a straight man is sultg. The boundary-breakg new seri featur a hoehold wh two dads (Sir Cedric, voiced by Knight, and Prce Andrew), makg one of the first children’s televisn seri wh an openly gay ma character.

"The openly gay star says that he ma his cisn to leave the h ABC show after executive producer Shonda Rhim drastilly cut his screen time: He appeared for jt 48 mut the first ne episos of season five. " But thgs first started gog sour on set for Knight after the famo "Isaiahgate" cint, which then-st member Isaiah Washgton referred to him wh an anti-gay slur durg a heated nversatn wh -star Patrick Dempsey. Knight ntu to feel grateful that his cisn to e out as gay wasn't the "horrific experience" that n be for others.