Daniel Franzese Comes Out In A Letter To 'Mean Girls' Damian

Daniel Franzese played Damian in Mean Girls, who Janice infamously dubbed "too gay to function." In real life, Franzese was gay as well -- but he kept it a secret, going so far as to smooch a female date at the red carpet premiere of the now-classic flick.

However, Franzese is coming out of the closet and coming clean with both himself and his character, Damian, about his sexuality. Franzese came out in the form of a moving letter to his out and proud Mean Girls onscreen alter ego.

Franzese explained in the touching letter that a fear of hurting his career was what kept him in the closet for so long, writing, "One time I wanted to audition for a supporting character in a low-budget indie movie described as a 'doughy, blue-collar lug of a guy.'  The role was to play the husband of an actress friend of mine who I had been in two movies and an Off-Broadway play with.  She and I had even moved to L.A. together. I figured I was perfect for it. They said they were looking for a real 'man's man.'  The casting director wouldn’t even let me audition. This wasn't the last time this happened. There were industry people who had seen me play you in Mean Girls but never seen me read in an audition but still denied me to be seen for 'masculine' roles."

You can understand his frustration a bit better now, right?

"I'm happy to be free and honest with myself and my fans," Franzese told TooFab of his decision. "It feels like a backpack full of bricks has been lifted off of me. The outpouring of support has been overwhelming and I urge anyone else in the industry who is contemplating doing this, to do it. It feels great."