Top Gun star admits: 'I'm a lesbian'

Kelly McGillis finally admits she's gay

Kelly McGillis and Tom Cruise - Celebrity News - Marie Claire
Kelly McGillis and Tom Cruise - Celebrity News - Marie Claire
(Image credit: Rex Features)

Kelly McGillis finally admits she's gay

Since she made her name playing Tom Cruise's love interest in smash hit movie Top Gun, Kelly McGillis has been plagued by rumours she is gay – and the actress has finally admitted they are true.

The 51-year-old, who has been married twice and who has two teenage children, has always denied being a lesbian.

But she has finally come out during an interview with lesbian website shewired.com.

She claimed to have battled with her sexuality for more than 40 years and, at times, thought she was 'being punished by God' for being gay.

But the actress, who also starred alongside Harrison Ford in the Oscar-winning 1985 movie Witness, now says it's time to 'move on with her life'.

During the video interview, she was asked if she was single before being questioned over whether she would now date a man or a woman.

She replied: 'Definitely a woman. I'm done with the man thing.'

She added: 'It's a part of being true to yourself. That's been a challenge for me personally.'

The actress married her first husband, Boyd Black, in 1979, but the pair split after three years.

She went on to wed her second husband, Californian millionaire Fred Tillian - the father of her daughters, Kelsy, 19, and Sonora, 16 – but they split in 2002 after 13 years together.

In 1982, Kelly was assaulted and raped in her home by an intruder.

She told the website: 'I had a lot of things happen that convinced me God was punishing me because I was gay. That was a hard process.'

On realising she was gay, she said: 'I think that was an ongoing process from the time I was probably 12.

'Life is a journey and it's about growing and changing and coming to terms with who and what you are and loving who and what you are.

'It isn't about me coming out but if people want to think that, that's fine. I don't care.'

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