Matt Bomer reflects on being outed by tabloids: 'It felt kind of unfair'

Matt Bomer felt "it was kind of unfair" when tabloid writers outed his sexuality over a decade ago.

During an interview for the Dinner's on Me podcast on Tuesday, the actor described how he was the subject of rumours in the media amid his rise to fame after landing the role of Neal Caffrey in the TV series White Collar back in 2009.

"It was that time when folks could kind of take over your own personal narrative before you even had a chance to," Matt told host Jesse Tyler Ferguson. "I remember outlets talking about my personal life before I had ever had a chance to even do it myself. And it wasn't because I didn't want to, I didn't even have an opportunity to."

"No media outlet was ever going like, 'Hey!'" he continued. "I just didn't have a career that warranted that, and so, it felt kind of unfair to me that that was stolen by people who did have a microphone at the time. It was a weird time."

Matt publicly came out as gay in 2012 when he thanked his partner Simon Halls during his acceptance speech for the Steve Chase Humanitarian Award.

The Magic Mike star and publicist wed in 2011 and are parents to three children.

Accordingly, Matt recounted how he decided to use the moment to open up about his life as he didn't want his family to feel as if they were "some kind of shameful secret" or something he was "sweeping under the rug" so he could have a career in Hollywood.

"What I had was a loving family. That was my safety net," the 47-year-old smiled. "And I was like, 'You know what? If the worst that happens is that I don't work again and I have this beautiful family who I love and who loves me, then so be it.'"

Matt is currently appearing as Jerry Frank on the Hulu comedy show, Mid-Century Modern, alongside Nathan Lane and Nathan Lee Graham.