
Born 1986
LHolmfirth, West Yorkshire, England, UK
Jessica Gunning is a British actress who publicly came out as gay in November 2022, a moment she described as “mega, mega” and profoundly liberating after years of feeling like something about her identity hadn’t fully clicked. She shared her story widely in June 2024, explaining that she had long been surrounded by queer friends but didn’t realize she “could be” gay until everything suddenly made sense. Gunning is best known for her breakout role as Martha in Netflix’s Baby Reindeer (2024), and her queer‑relevant work also includes the 2014 film Pride, about LGBTQ+ activists supporting striking miners, and a 2019 stage production with Cate Blanchett that she later joked should have been a “giveaway” about her sexuality. Her coming‑out story has resonated widely for its honesty, humor, and the sense of peace she describes in finally living as her authentic self.