Jonathan Bailey is stepping away from the spotlight to put his heart into helping others. The “Wicked” star, 37, revealed he’s taking a break from acting to focus on The Shameless Fund. It’s the LGBTQ+ charity he launched in 2024, which supports queer communities around the world.
(Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for Critics Choice Association)Fresh off starring opposite Scarlett Johansson in “Jurassic World Rebirth”, Bailey said he feels called to shift his energy from red carpets to activism.
“Over the next few months, I’ll be focusing on staffing and making sure we get all the right people in all the right places,” he told GQ.
(Photo by Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images)Bailey described his career as “amazing and mind-blowing.” But with “everything happening in the world right now,” he said, it feels like the right time to “stop acting for a bit” and focus on making change.
The Mission Behind The Shameless Fund
(Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for SiriusXM)Bailey said his charity was created to provide more resources to the LGBTQ+ community.
“There’s this statistic: out of every £100 raised in the UK, only 1p goes to the LGBTQ+ community. You really have to dig to find solutions, and I genuinely think The Shameless Fund is exactly that,” he explained.
The organization aims to ensure queer people across the world can “live freely and authentically” without facing the weight of shame or discrimination.
Pink Glasses Collaboration for a Cause
(Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)Bailey’s activism is also shaping his fashion choices. During the “Wicked” and “Jurassic World Rebirth” press tours, fans couldn’t help but notice his now-signature “slutty little glasses”, small round frames that have since inspired a new collaboration with eyewear brand Cubitts.
Together, they’ve launched a pink pair of shades, a color Bailey says carries special meaning. “The colour pink is so important. It’s an expression of joy and happiness, and it’s incredibly flattering – a reason why I wore it so much during the Wicked press tour,” he explained.
His co-stars Cynthia Erivo and Scarlett Johansson have already shown their support, wearing the glasses ahead of their official release. Named Loomis after Bailey’s Jurassic World Rebirth character Dr. Loomis, the frames retail for £150, with half of the proceeds benefiting The Shameless Fund.
From “Bridgerton” to “Wicked” and Beyond
(Photo by Lia Toby/Getty Images)Bailey first found fame in Netflix’s Regency drama “Bridgerton” before taking on a leading role in Showtime’s “Fellow Travelers”, which earned him an Emmy Award for best supporting actor.
In 2024, he took on the role of Fiyero in the film adaptation of “Wicked”, a performance that earned him a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination.
The second installment of the musical fantasy, “Wicked: For Good”, is slated to hit theaters on November 21, 2025. Until then, while fans look forward to his return on screen, Bailey is focused on using his platform to drive change beyond Hollywood.
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