Actor J. August Richards, who is most known as Charles Gunn in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer spinoff Angel and as Mike Peterson in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., has come out as gay at the age of 46.
Richards is currently starring in NBC's new show Council of Dads and plays a married gay man. In an interview clip posted on Instagram, he shares why he chose to come out to the cast and crew.
In his new show, Richards plays Oliver, a "Black gay professional married to a Black gay professional" and the couple has a daughter. The interviewer notes that we have never seen a relationship like this on television before.
Richards says he got into acting to "combat oppression" and the show "required me to show up fully in a way that I don't always when I'm working. I knew that I could not portray this gay man honestly without letting you all know that I am a gay man myself.”
Richards understands the significance his coming out can have on the world. "I knew how important it is to other people out there like me who would need to see that role model."
Thank you for sharing who you are with us, J. August!