Mexican Soap Star Sebastian Ligarde Comes Out Publicly

While telenovelas have only recently been embraced by English-speaking audiences, it's impossible to explain the impact they've had on Spanish-speaking TV communities for generations. Now Sebastian Ligarde, a famous villain in the telenovela Quinceanera, has told Mexico's TVyNovelas magazine that he's gay, adding that his sexual orientation has never caused any problems in his career.

In the interview, which is in Spanish, Ligarde quips that when he was young he was bisexual--"It doubled my chances at getting a date on Saturday night"--but that he's been "in a stable relationship for more than 20 years."

Probably the most direct and important part of the interview for many female fans (and their children) is Ligarde's statement: "I'm gay and I say this with pride. No gay person should have to walk down the street with stigma stamped on his forehead. Sexual [orientation] is genetic... and if God and my family knows it, then let the world know it."

The 59-year-old actor now owns an acting school in Miami and says, "I believe I'm at an age when I can help new values... and to have the courage to accept myself publicly, as Ricky Martin did. He has been an inspiration for me when it comes to talking about this subject."