'Will & Grace' Star Sean Hayes: "I Was Never In" the Closet

Four years after ending his scene-stealing role as Jack McFarland on Will & Grace, Sean Hayes has confirmed what everyone already knew: Yep, he's gay.

But as he explains in The Advocate magazine via E! Online: "I am who I am. I was never in, as they say. Never."

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So why did Sean wait so long to talk openly about his private life?

"I believe that nobody owes anything to anybody," says the Emmy-winner. "Nobody owes anything to anybody. You are your authentic self to whom and when you choose to be, and if you don't know somebody, then why would you explain to them how you live your life."

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He also feels his decision to keep his personal life, well, personal, has done nothing to harm his community.

"I feel like I've contributed monumentally to the success of the gay movement in America, and if anyone wants to argue that, I'm open to it. You're welcome, Advocate."

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Sean, who played Jack in the hit long-running show, starring Debra Messing, Eric McCormack and Megan Mullally, has no fears about future employment.

"They know where I am if they want me," he said. "And if they don't, that's fine too."

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So, is he in a relationship? "I spend time with a special someone in my life," is all Sean will say. "That's it. That's all I need. I don't need events. I don't do a lot. I live my life like an 85-year-old man. I'm just quiet. It's fantastic."