British-Australian actress Miriam Margolyes, an icon in the entertainment industry, is the cover star of Vogue’s Pride issue. In the interview, she shares the pain of losing 34 friends to the HIV epidemic.
The actress revealed that one day she counted them, reflecting on the beautiful, talented, funny, and gifted individuals who succumbed to the illness.
Margolyes’ sexuality and partnership with Heather Sutherland
Margolyes came out to her parents in 1966 when homosexuality was illegal and current partner, Heather Sutherland, and she have been together for 54 years. Interestingly, Margolyes shared her discomfort with the term “wife” in reference to Heather. The couple lives apart, allowing them to maintain an individual life without sacrificing anything.
Margolyes’ take on Pride marches
Although Margolyes entered into a civil partnership with Heather for legal protection, the actress expressed a lack of enthusiasm for Pride marches, admitting that she finds lesbians to be too heavy-handed about it and considers them somewhat boring.
Miriam’s return from Tuscany and old memories
Margolyes, who recently returned from her Tuscan farmhouse, had been living with Heather since December. She only saw her partner eight times the previous year. The actress expresses regret about coming out to her parents, as their reaction was hurtful, making her care for her ill mother, who suffered a severe stroke. Margolyes cares for her mother until she passed. Despite their lack of acceptance, Miriam emphasizes that she never stopped loving them.
Project Angel Food
Miriam Margolyes joined Project Angel Food, a charity that provides meals for those too ill to leave their homes, during her stay in Los Angeles. She recounts the heart-wrenching scenes of isolated friends peering out of windows as they battled the HIV disease alone.
