Hollywood actor Jim Parsons says his sexuality has made him a better actor. The Big Bang Theory star came out as gay in 2012. "To suddenly be part of a large group that has been -- and still is - maligned at times, with hateful things being said about them by other public figures -- there was a sense of happiness and strength for me that I couldn't have predicted," Parsons told the publication Attitude, according to a femalefirst.co.uk report. Jim Parsons Reveals He and Husband Todd Spiewak Contracted COVID-19 in Mid of March

"As soon as it became a story, it made me feel very strong and I think in this day and age it only helped career-wise. I certainly have never felt it hurt my career -- at all. It probably even helped me be a better actor. There's always more layers of yourself you can share," he continued. "I realised that being gay and growing up around people and in a culture where that wasn't celebrated -- where it was reviled in many ways -- had an impact on me. The Boys in the Band Trailer: Jim Parsons, Zachary Quinto, Matt Bomer Bring the Fabulous Broadway Show To Film (Watch Video)

Happy as I am, I'm still working out the fear I grew up with, that by revealing who I really am, I will somehow lose the love of the people who are important to me," the actor added. "This story wasn't a direct reflection of my time, and things have changed rapidly for gay people over the last couple of decades but even now there's that residual (feeling)," he summed up.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 09, 2020 11:31 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).