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Theater legend Joel Grey reveals he is gay

Broadway legend Joel Grey has publicly announced at age 82 that he is gay.

"I don't like labels, but if you have to put a label on it, I'm a gay man," the Oscar- and Tony-winning actor told People magazine.

Grey was married to actress Jo Wilder for 24 years and they have two children together: actress Jennifer Grey and son James, a chef.

"All the people close to me have known for years who I am," Grey added. "[Yet] it took time to embrace that other part of who I always was."

His daughter also opened up to People, saying, "I feel very happy for my dad that he has come to a point in his life where he feels safe and comfortable enough to declare himself in a public way as a gay man. Mostly because the more people are free to own their true nature and can hopefully come closer to love and accept themselves as they really are, no matter what age, no matter how long it takes, to finally be free of the lies or half truths, it is freedom."

Grey's show-stopping performance as the devilish master of ceremonies in "Cabaret" won him an Academy Award and a Tony.

After "Cabaret," Grey went on to star on Broadway in "George M!," the title role in "Goodtime Charley," Amos Hart in the revival of "Chicago" and the Wonderful Wizard of Oz in "Wicked." He's now a photographer who has a new photo book coming out next year, as well as an upcoming memoir.

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