"There were elements of me that were afraid": Ryan Phillippe on playing gay teen in 'One Life To Live' in early 1990s

Washington DC [US], May 30 : Actor Ryan Phillippe admitted that a part of him was "afraid" when he accepted the role of Billy Douglas on the popular daytime soap opera 'One Life to Live' in the early 1990s, reported People.

The character was the first gay teenager in daytime television history. Phillippe played Billy for a year on the show and said it was a "really profound experience" for him.

In an interview with People, the actor admitted that he was "afraid" when he was young while accepting the role of a gay character in the series.

"I was so young that there were elements of me that were afraid because it was such a different time," Philippe said, adding that people close to him also advised him to turn down the role and discouraged him from accepting the part, as quoted by People magazine.

"I think there were some fears associated with the point in time that we were at and it being before so many walls and ceilings have been broken in that regard. But I know that any fears that anyone had about me doing it immediately went away once I saw the reaction that it got from the people who viewed it," said Philippe as quoted by People magazine.

However, despite the fear, the actor chose the role that rewarded him handsomely. Phillippe was widely loved by the fans of the show and the people of the LGBTQ+ community.

In an interview with People, the actor said that the feedback from 'One Life to Live' viewers about his role as Billy was "almost instantaneous," as fan mail started pouring in. '

He remembers hearing from fans who had "never seen someone represent me in any entertainment before in my life." Phillippe would also get mail from parents saying:

"Watching this show on my lunch break gave me a way to connect with my LGBTQ child," reported People.

"And I was only 17 years old, so you don't really have a sense of that. It was such a different time, but I very much matured through having had that experience and seeing the impact that it had for others," added Phillippe as quoted by People.

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