Actor Jake Borelli came out as gay
after his character on Grey's Anatomy made history on Thursday
night's episode.
Borelli plays Levi Schmitt, who is
struggling with his sexuality, on the ABC medical drama.
During Thursday's episode, titled
Flowers Grow Out of My Garden, Schmitt and Dr. Nico Kim
(played by Alex Landi), the show's first gay male surgeon, shared a
kiss in an elevator. Their coupling is a first for Grey's
Anatomy, which has previously included lesbian storylines.
After the episode aired, Borelli came
out gay in an Instagram post.
“As a gay guy myself, tonight’s
episode was so special to me,” Borelli captioned a photo of
himself. “This is exactly the kind of story I craved as a young
gay kid growing up in Ohio, and it blows my mind that I’m able to
bring life to Dr. Levi Schmitt as he begins to grapple with his own
sexuality this season on Grey's Anatomy,” Borelli wrote.
“His vulnerability and courage
inspire me every day, and I hope he can do the same for you. To all
of you who feel like little Levis out there, know that I do too, that
you are seen, and that we’re all in this together. And to everyone
who has supported me over the years, I can’t thank you enough, and
I love you more than all the stars…” he added.
In an interview with Entertainment
Weekly, Borelli said that he feels a responsibility to be out
publicly.
“I’ve been out to my friends and
family for almost 10 years now, but within the last couple of months
of shooting the show and really getting to know this character and
seeing the response, I’ve realized that this is becoming bigger
than just me,” Borelli said. “Within the last year or so, I’ve
been given the opportunity to speak on a much larger platform. With
that opportunity, I am able to come out to a much larger group of
people. I want to live in a world that celebrates authenticity and
honesty and openness and courage, and I feel a responsibility to come
out on a much larger scale,” he said.