'Love, Simon' star Keiynan Lonsdale says he was 'repressing' feelings 'for guys'

In a recent interview with Billboard, Australian actor Keiynan Lonsdale talks about coming out.

Lonsdale, 26, came out in an Instagram post last year. He has said that he was inspired to come out while filming the gay teen romantic comedy Love, Simon.

When Billboard asked about his coming out process, Lonsdale responded that he doesn't label himself.

"Yeah. I actually don't label myself, but...Some people call me queer, some people call me bisexual, whatever it is now, I'm happy with all of it 'cause it all sort of represents me, in a way," Lonsdale said. "I spent a majority of my life in the closet. I knew I was attracted to both [genders], but I was really repressing any kind of genuine feeling I had for guys. It just became really painful. At some point, I came out to a lot of friends and some family, but then I went back in the closet when I started working as an actor in America."

"Then I realized in order for me to fully embrace myself, if I really wanted to grow as a person, then I needed to just let go of any kind of shame that I had. And the best way to do that was just to be out publicly. Then it was done. It wasn't something I'd ever have to hide again," he added.

Love, Simon is in theaters now.