In introducing actress Rebecca Romijn at an Human Rights Campaign (HRC) fundraiser in Portland, Oregon, actor Noah Wyle explained that he had decided to attend because attending his gay friend's legal wedding “felt so fucking good.”

The 43-year-old Wyle, who is best known for playing Dr. John Carter in ER and Tom Mason in Falling Skies, told guests he wanted to deviate from his prepared text to explain why he felt it was important to support gay rights.

He recalled attending the 1995 commitment ceremony of his friend Dan.

“I remember watching them and thinking, 'Good for you.' And yet underneath it all was this sort of silent prayer among all of us that one day this would be [legal],” Wyle said.

“And like 20 years later, I get this invitation to go to Danny and Rick's wedding. And I get to stand there and I get to watch them exchange vows and exchange rings. And have it be legal. And it felt so fucking good,” he said. (The video is embedded on this page. Visit our video library for more videos.)