Sherlock's Andrew Scott on Irish Homophobia debate

Having made his mark with his show-stealing turn as Moriarty next to the likes of Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman in Sherlock, Dublin actor Andrew Scott is currently starring in Irish comedy The Stag.
Back in his hometown for the film's premiere, he opens up to Roe McDermott in the new issue of Hot Press.
Despite being protective of his privacy, Scott has never been shy about talking about his experiences as a gay man. In the revealing interview, he discusses the furore surrounding Pantigate.
"I thought it was brilliant what Panti said, which is now homophobia is something that is being embraced by homophobes! What was that thing she said, which was like a neat, Orwellian trick? I thought that speech was extraordinary.”
Of the wider issue, Scott says: “I don’t think that people are intrinsically homophobic, because otherwise we’d have to give up. I think people are ignorant, and there’s a lot of work to do. But it’s also very important for me to say that, I wasn’t bullied, it never affected my career, my parents were great about it. I mean it was always easy for them, and when I was younger, I still had feelings of isolation and shame, and that was compounded by a law that backed up that feeling.
"And so, in ridding ourselves of that archaic law, you free up that mind space for young people, so that they can focus on all that stuff they should be focusing on, and allowing them to be outward looking. When someone is outward looking, rather than inward looking, it means that they become kind and generous and thoughtful people, and that’s what makes people happier. That’s why it’s a human rights issue.”

Elsewhere in the piece, the talented thesp talks about the objectifying nature of new-found fame and what it's like playing the bad guy we all love to… love.
"What's scary about Moriarty," he notes, "Is we don't know his backstory."

For the full Hot Press Interview, pick up the latest issue (Elbow cover), on sale Thursday March 6.