The Baby Reindeer star opened up about how she lived “vicariously” through acting
BY TALYA CRAMER, IMAGE BY NETFLIX
Baby Reindeer Jessica Gunning revealed that she was celibate for 36 years before coming out.
In a recent interview with The Times, Jessica explained: “I think it’s because I’ve never been in a relationship before. With anyone.”
The BAFTA-award-winning actor is best known for leaving audiences on the edge of their seats with her breakout role as Martha in Baby Reindeer in 2024. The series is a dark, complex psychological thriller about a comedian and his stalker. The role established her praiseworthy reputation in the film industry, and she gained international recognition.
She added that she had lived “vicariously” through acting: “The characters I got to play, I felt like I maybe lived vicariously through a lot of them.”
“I felt very sexual, and I felt very connected to myself, so I was so happy in so many ways. It didn’t feel like I was lonely. I lived with my best mate. I felt fulfilled. So I didn’t feel like I was lacking anything.”
In 2024, Jessica spoke candidly about her coming out on the podcast Reign With Josh Smith. She revealed: “I still can’t articulate it in the best way. But I realised I was a big, old gay. I was like, ‘That’s what it’s been, that’s what it is’. And that was like a massive moment where everything kind of clicked and I made sense of myself then.”
LGBTQIA+ audiences may know Jessica from the 2014 film Pride which told the story of a group of queer activists who helped the miners during their strike in the 1980s. At the Culture Awards in late 2024, where she was celebrated for her work, Jessica spoke about watching Pride for the first time since coming out.
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