Jonathan Bailey has opened up about his journey toward becoming a father.
The Wicked star, 36, spoke about his plans to have children in an interview with British Vogue published on Thursday (December 12). When asked if he wants to have kids someday, Bailey responded: “Yes, it’s such a privilege for a man, but I can’t bring children into my lifestyle now.”
While the Bridgerton actor may not be in a relationship right now, he explained that he wants “to make sure I’m going to be present” before deciding to become a parent due to his busy schedule.
“I’m reading books on adoption. I might co-parent with a woman, but I’m thinking it will be with a man,” he added.
Elsewhere during the interview, Bailey reflected on coming out as gay to his friends and family in his early 20s. The Fellow Travelers star explained how navigating his sexuality was more of a “gradual realization,” especially since he dated a woman for two years in his 20s.
“It’s interesting with the binary where you’re perceived to be either this or that,” Bailey said. “That’s how I saw it at the time, but there are so many nuances to it. My experience of that relationship was not that I was in the shadows. She remains one of my best friends.”
He went on to acknowledge that other people in his life “understood my sexuality before I was even aware of it,” as he recalled playing dress-up as a young boy and entertaining his grandparents by singing and dancing.
Bailey even shared that it was his parents who encouraged him to begin ballet classes, adding: “I remember looking through the window at these girls at school in their tutus. They were doing, like, first position, second position, and I knew I just wanted to be in there.”
As for whether he’s seeing someone new these days, Bailey remained tight-lipped about his relationship status.
“Not discussing that,” he said simply.
This year, Bailey has been a constant presence on both the big and small screen. In November, he portrayed Fiyero in the blockbuster movie musical adaptation of Wicked, which will hit theaters once again next year for the second installment. Earlier this year, he made brief appearances as Anthony Bridgerton in Bridgerton season three, which was released in two parts on Netflix in May and June.
In April, it was announced that Bailey was in “early talks” to star alongside Scarlett Johansson in a new Jurassic World movie that will be released next year.
