How 'Grey's Anatomy' Fans Inspired Jake Borelli to Come Out

Last week at the 30th GLAAD Awards, ABC's hit medicinal drama Grey's Anatomy was honored with a nomination for Outstanding Drama Series. For months now, the steamy romance between Dr. Levi Schmitt and Dr. Nico Kim has sent fans into a frenzy, especially LGBTQ viewers who are seeing themselves reflected on screen for the first time. 

The actors who play our favorite gay doctors, Jake Borelli and Alex Landi, were honored to walk the GLAAD Awards red carpet. "I keep asking people to pinch me because I feel like I'm in a dream," Borelli told PRIDE.

"This has been an organization that I've looked up to since I was a kid and the fact that I even get to be here is so awesome. And the fact that they're honoring the show that we've been working so hard on and the storyline that has really made me feel represented, I feel like I'm living a dream right now."

Borelli thanked the fans for their endless support. 

"The fans have been amazing. Since day one, they've been showing their support and their love. The fans were the ones that inspired me at first to come out," Borelli reveals.

"All of these stories started flooding in when Grey's was sort of teasing this relationship between Nico and I and I was hearing these vulnerable, honest stories about how they were feeling represented and inside I was like, 'you guys! I'm feeling so represented by this, you have no idea.'

"So it's because of them that I felt the courage to be vulnerable also and say, 'hey guys, me too. We're all in this together. I see you, I feel seen by you, this is beautiful, let's all talk about it.'"

Borelli also talked about how Levi's coming out has reverberated throughout his personal and professional life. 

"If you look at the clues, we're starting to see Levi is coming into his own, getting into his body a little bit. He's much more confident with Nico and I think that's starting to spread into his work. I think he's becoming a better doctor, he's becoming more confident all around which is something I think Krista Vernoff, the showrunner, and I really wanted to show. We wanted to show that sometimes when you step into your truth, it affects all aspects of your life and you start to become a more authentic human being.

"I think that's something that's really happening for Levi and that's something that really warms my heart because I love him to death and I just want to see him do good. Finally, we're starting to see him succeed more and I hope that that keeps happening. But you know Grey's, they always throw a curveball."

Borelli chuckled as he shared that last ominous tidbit but hopefully, Grey's Anatomy knows better than to kill off our favorite couple. We don't need to bury any more gays, Shonda!

Alex Landi didn't have much to add. "A lot of fun, crazy stuff is going to happen with #NicoKim," he grinned at PRIDE. 

We'll definitely be tuning in!