Now that he has a new TV show that will explore the issue of homosexuality, Iacono brings the awareness that he is gay.
- Apr 13, 2012
AceShowbiz - On Wednesday, April 11, "The Hard Times of RJ Berger" star Paul Iacono announced on Twitter, "Yes I'm gay. And yes, it does get better. #YOLO [You Only Live Once]." The 23-year-old also came out about his sexuality on an interview with The Village Voice, saying it was very hard to really go against the society's paradigm.
"I didn't think I'd be coming out. But why not now? I think it's the right time to say something. It's not about me, it's about change and the work," he said, adding "I grew up in a really old-school Italian traditional family in New Jersey. I tried coming out a couple of times as a kid, from 13-14 on, and was always squashed on." It took him years before he told his family.
Iacono believed that sexuality is not all black and white. He continued, "I was just coming to terms with the fact that I was bisexual, which culturally I do identify with as a gay man - I am attracted to girls, I'm just attracted to guys much more. I had to feign heterosexuality for a couple of years. It messed with my head. It took me a longer time to be OK with it. It was not until I was 18 that I came out with my mom and 20 with my dad. I was older and able to address it from a different perspective."
Iacono is the star of new show "Kenzie's Scale" which will explore the issue of homosexuality. "The whole reason we came up with 'Kenzie's Scale' is to give young gays characters to look up to," he explained. "I didn't have much to look up to as a kid. I had to search to find like-minded images. I'm happy to be that person so kids won't have to grow up and be afraid of their sexuality and this won't be an issue."
Iacono plays Cole who lives as Kenzie's roommate in NYC even after he realizes that he's gay.
