Baby Reindeer star Jessica Gunning has revealed she was celibate for 36 years before realising she was a lesbian. The 40-year-old actress, who shot to fame playing Martha in the hit Netflix miniseries, said she only understood her sexuality in 2022 following a chance conversation with another lesbian.
Speaking to The Times, Gunning explained that she had never been in a relationship before. ‘I think it’s because I’ve never been in a relationship before. With anyone,’ she said. She described acting as ‘my passion and my love’ and said she lived vicariously through the characters she played, adding that she felt ‘very sexual’ and ‘fulfilled’ despite her celibacy.
After the release of Baby Reindeer in 2024, Gunning experienced a sexual awakening. On the Reign with Josh Smith podcast, she said she had always been surrounded by gay friends but ‘didn’t think I could be.’ She described herself as a ‘big old gay’ and admitted feeling like an ‘alien’ as a ‘bigger woman,’ but noted that coming out was a celebration of her identity.
Gunning also discussed her career after Baby Reindeer, saying she struggled to find work compared to co-creator Richard Gadd. Offers included a shark-themed reality show and an Australian production of Peter Pan, but she held out for more substantial roles. She is now set to appear in The Magic Faraway Tree as Dame Washalot and has voiced an audiobook adaptation of Death at the White Hart.
