When Sean Hayes was playing Jack McFarland, the gayest character on TV's Will & Grace, the actor chose to keep his real life sexuality a mystery. Even when asked, he refused to talk about whether or not he was gay.

 

Last week, he admitted he wished he had handled it differently.

 

"I had personal issues inside of myself that I regret," the 45-year-old told Playbill. "I regret not coming out sooner and helping more people, and I regret not coming out during the show."

 

Personally, he said, he was out to friends and family; on a professional level he thought it best to remain in the closet.

 

He explained: "I got Will & Grace, and I thought, 'Oh, this is different. I don’t know how to handle this. I’m not bright enough, I’m not quick enough, I don’t have the DNA to be a spokesperson for any kind of group of people.'

 

"Everybody in the gay community knew I was gay, but it was this fight I had with the press because they want you to come out on their terms, and other gay people want you to come out on their terms, and if you don’t come out on their terms you’re just an asshole, and you’re wrong

 

"Well, each individual human being has a lot of stuff that nobody knows about. Nobody knows what anybody else is going through at any point in their lives."

 

Of course, Hayes is very much out of the closet now. He is also married, settling down with Scott Icenogle in 2014 after eight years together.

 

He is currently playing the title character in the Broadway show, An Act of God.