Jonathan Bailey Goes Shirtless for Vogue, Dishes on Dating a Woman Early in His Youth and Contemplating Parenthood Now

"Wicked" star Jonathan Bailey shed his shirt for a photoshoot with British Vogue.

The rare shirtless portrait would have made for a good bookend to a scene that was reportedly clipped from "Wicked" in which Bailey and co-star Ethan Slater tore off their shirts in a moment of competitive bravado. (According to "Wicked" co-star Bowen Yang, who revealed the snipped scene on a recent podcast appearance, that moment was part of a montage that ended up on the cutting room floor, excised for time.)

In the accompanying interview with Vogue, Bailey opened up to Vogue about how he dated a woman in his youth, being the target of a teacher's anti-gay slur in front of the whole class, and how parenthood is a potential part of his long-term plan.

"I think other people understood my sexuality before I was even aware of it," the 36-year-old "Bridgerton" star mused, recalling how he didn't think of himself as being "in the shadows" during the two years he dated a woman. "She remains one of my best friends," he said of his ex.

Even so, he was still in elementary school when, during a sleepover, he posed a bombshell question to the other boys: "Guys, guys, who else thinks they're gay? Do you? I do. I do."

The actor told Vogue that "It was a conversation I really, really wanted to have, to see if everyone else was on the same page. But everyone went quiet."

Until they didn't.

"I was having trouble with my work," Bailey recalled of one particular day at school, "and [the teacher] said, 'Well, if you weren't so busy being a fairy you'd understand.'"

Bailey has a long theatrical background to his credit, having trod the boards at an early age – long before his breakout role in "Bridgerton" and then his stratospheric fame with roles in the miniseries "Fellow Travelers" and now his turn as Fiyero in the film version of "Wicked."

When Bailey was cast opposite Sir Ian McKellen in 2017, he was keen to hear about times past from an actor who impressively came out decades before it was seen as safe to do so. But when Bailey asked McKellen to "tell me everything," he found out there wasn't much to tell.

"I assumed everyone would have been happily expressing themselves, fucking in the wings, all the things you'd hoped, Bailey told Vogue. "And he said, 'No, no. No one knew, not even in the most creative pockets.'"

Bailey also warmed to the topic of potential parenthood, calling the experience of having children "such a privilege for a man..." Though he feels he "can't bring children into my lifestyle now" due to the demands of his career – "I want to make sure I'm going to be present" – he's giving serious consideration to making kids part of his life some day.

"I'm reading books on adoption," Bailey told Vogue. "I might coparent with a woman, but I'm thinking it will be with a man."

Any man in particular? Is there a man in his life even now?

Bailey was unwilling to open up that part of his life to inquiry: His short, decisive reply to the query was, "Not discussing that."

Everything else was on the table, though, including his likes in the food and drink department. "I love a dirty martini," Bailey exclaimed, "The dirtier the better." And, he went on to add, "Sometimes I make my own granola. I just love a seed."

Don't we all.

As for the smash hit that "Wicked" has become? The actor didn't seem like he'd be too surprised at how audiences love it. "Isn't it lovely, isn't it special, isn't it actually!" he exclaimed to Vogue. "When I watched it, I sobbed. I think it's a masterpiece."

Check out a few thirsty shares from Bailey's Instagram: