Russell Tovey felt a sense of "shame" about loving "drama, art and literature" during his childhood.
Russell Tovey loved art and drama as a child
The 41-year-old actor has claimed that a culture of "toxic masculinity" shaped his attitude towards his passions.
He told The i newspaper: "I had a shame about giving a f***.
"I was told all that was ‘gay’. That really affected me. It took me a long time to accept and embrace those enthusiasms. Too long. I wish I could go back in time and tell the people who tried to make me feel small to just f*** off."
Russell hopes UK schools will reconsider their approach towards art education.
The actor - who has starred on TV shows on both sides of the Atlantic - shared: "Art education in our schools focuses way too much on the old, dead white dudes.
"There are so many contemporary artists – not white and not male – who could speak more directly to kids. Get them excited."
Russell claimed that art is "treated as superfluous by schools".
He said: "When children see themselves and their experiences on gallery walls they’ll get the point. I find it offensive that art is treated as superfluous by schools. It’s in everything. It’s maths, coding, clothes, cars, the furniture of the classroom … art goes into everything we make as humans."
The actor also regrets that "queer art was overlooked and pushed aside for many years".
Russell added: "Now we have so many queer artists with shows and profiles. But it feels to me that the queer artists who came before didn’t get their moment. I feel a responsibility to close the gaps in the art canon."
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