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Jessica Gunning Says She Was Celibate Until Coming Out at 36

Her March 2026 Times interview links years without dating to late self-recognition alongside body image.

Overview

  • Speaking in a March 2026 interview with The Times, the Baby Reindeer actor said she had never been in a relationship before age 36.
  • She said she realized she was gay in November 2022 and later came out on the Reign With Josh Smith podcast in June 2024.
  • Gunning said she avoided dating because she did not feel attraction to men and felt an ‘otherness’ tied to her size.
  • She described work and close friendships as fulfilling during those years and said she did not feel lonely.
  • Since coming out, she said she has dated two women and is single, as renewed attention from her Emmy-winning Netflix role has put her personal story in the spotlight.