Tilda Swinton, 60, says she identifies as ‘queer’ as she speaks out ‘finding her circus’

Award-winning actress Tilda Swinton has announced she’s ‘queer’ in a new interview.

The screen star, 60 – who is currently in a relationship with painter Sandro Kopp and shares twins Honor and Xavier, 23, with artist John Byrne, 81 – touched on ‘finding her circus’ and said her experience with the identity is to do with ‘sensibility’.

In February’s issue of British Vogue, the narrator shared: ‘I always felt I was queer – I was just looking for my queer circus, and I found it.’ 

‘For me, it’s to do with sensibility’: Award-winning actress Tilda Swinton has announced she’s ‘queer’ in February’s issue of British Vogue

The Chronicles of Narnia star also touched on her close relationships with her industry colleagues as she added: ‘I’m very clear that queer is actually, for me anyway, to do with sensibility. And having found it, it’s my world. 

‘Now I have a family with Wes Anderson, I have a family with Bong Joon-ho, I have a family with Jim Jarmusch, I have a family with Luca Guadagnino, with Lynne Ramsay, with Joanna Hogg.’

The media personality was nominated for the European Film Award for Best Actress in 1993 for playing a nobleman who had the ability to live for 400 years as man and a woman in Sally Potter’s 1992 film Orlando.

Tilda later portrayed the role of genderless angel Gabriel in 2005 superhero horror movie Constantine. 

The screen star, 60, touched on 'finding her circus' in the industry (pictured as titular nobleman Orlando who transforms into a woman in 1992

Experimental role: The screen star, 60, touched on ‘finding her circus’ in the industry (pictured with Billy Zane as nobleman Orlando who transforms into a woman in Sally Potter’s 1992 film)

Candid: 'I always felt I was queer - I was just looking for my queer circus, and I found it', the narrator shared (pictured in 2019)

Candid: ‘I always felt I was queer – I was just looking for my queer circus, and I found it’, the narrator shared (pictured in 2019)

On gender, the Deep End star said in the past: ‘I don’t know if I could ever really say that I was a girl – I was kind of a boy for a long time. I don’t know, who knows? It changes. 

‘That whole idea of transformation is at the heart of what I’m interested in as a performer and not least through the idea of gender. It’s a very personal matter. I can categorically say that as Orlando does in the film: Yes, I’m probably a woman.’

The Ancient One actress added to journalist Vera von Kreutzbruck in 2009: ‘I enjoy walking the tightrope of identity, of sexual identity, of gender identity.’ 

'It's t's my world': The media personality also portrayed the role of genderless angel Gabriel in 2005 superhero horror movie Constantine (pictured with Keanu Reeves)

‘It’s t’s my world’: The media personality also portrayed the role of genderless angel Gabriel in 2005 superhero horror movie Constantine (pictured with Keanu Reeves)

Versatile: In 2016, the TV and film star played The Ancient One in Dr Strange (pictured with Chiwetel Ejiofor)

Versatile: In 2016, the TV and film star played The Ancient One in Dr Strange (pictured with Chiwetel Ejiofor)

Long-term: The thespian has been dating German painter Sandro Kop, 42, since 2004 (pictured in 2019)

Long-term: The thespian has been dating German painter Sandro Kop, 42, since 2004 (pictured in 2019)

Elsewhere in her new interview, the mother-of-two surprisingly admitted she ‘never had any ambition as an artist’ before her successful career, stating: ‘That may sound crazy and transgressive, but it’s a fact.’ 

Out now! Read the full feature in the February 2021 issue of British Vogue available via digital download and newsstands now

Out now! Read the full feature in the February 2021 issue of British Vogue available via digital download and newsstands now 

On putting her personal life first, the I Am Love star explained: ‘If you’d asked me when I was 10 or 20, I would have said my only ambitions were to live in a family, to have friends that made me laugh and laughed at my jokes, and to live in the Highlands of Scotland, by the sea with a lot of dogs and a kitchen garden. Seriously. 

‘And I have been really blessed to be able to achieve them. Everything else is a bonus. Everything else is just icing and candles and flowers alongside.’

The Adaptation star also reflected on being the muse of the late Karl Lagerfeld, recalling: ‘I did have this beautiful connection with Karl Lagerfeld, which was kind of mysterious to me because I was a jumbo shrimp, as my friend once called me, and he was working in this whole different exotic empire. 

‘That’s what brought me into my relationship with Chanel, which continues to be really inspiring for me.’ 

Read the full feature in the February 2021 issue of British Vogue available via digital download and newsstands now.

Personal life: The mother-of-two shares twins Honor (pictured in 2019) and Xavier, 23, with artist John Byrne, 81

Personal life: The mother-of-two shares twins Honor (pictured in 2019) and Xavier, 23, with artist John Byrne, 81