Lily Tomlin has often quietly spoken about her sexuality – and married her long-term partner Jane Wagner on New Year’s Eve 2013, but its only now she is starting openly discuss her sexuality in interviews.
Speaking to HuffPo Live, she opened up her life in the transparent closet – joking that “everyone” already knew she was a lesbian.
I was on Carson one night [in 1971], and he [asked if I wanted kids], and I said no… the audience was deathly still. That was a hot subject to bring up to a straight audience. I wasn’t totally forthcoming. Everybody in the business knew I was gay, and certainly everybody I worked with and everything like that.
I just never had a press conference to announce it. In 1975, [TIME magazine] wanted to put me on the cover just for being gay! I was making my third album at the time.”
Also read: First Look At Netflix’s Jane Fonda-Lily Tomlin Comedy ‘Grace And Frankie’
However, Tomlin did not agree to do the cover – and kept her sexuality off-the-record until years later.
I wonder if I had come out on that ’75 cover on TIME, if I would have had as long a career as I’ve had. It would have been an inopportune time to make such a grand statement. I mean, Ellen [DeGeneres] didn’t really come out until 20 years later. It’s been a long life… I’ve been really lucky.”
Tomlin is currently working with Jane Fonda on the comedy series Grace and Frankie, which is a comedy drama called Grace and Frankie, which follows long-time rivals Grace and Frankie, who are brought together after their husbands announce they are in love with each other and plan to get married. The 13-part Netflix series, is set to air from May 8.
