Out actor Lee Pace has strong words for “absurd” online fans who pushed Kit Connor to come out before he was ready.

Earlier this month, Kit Connor came out on social media as bisexual. Rather than being a joyful moment, he did so grudgingly after months of accusations against the Heartstopper star for queerbaiting. The criticism reached a fevered pitch after the actor, who plays bisexual teen Nick on the beloved Netflix series, was seen holding hands with a woman.

“back for a minute,” wrote Connor on Twitter. “I’m bi. congrats for forcing an 18 year old to out himself. i think some of you missed the point of the show. Bye.”

When asked by Vulture about this whole debacle, Pace made his feelings on the subject very clear.

“It’s absurd,” said Pace. “I look at him, and he’s so great in the show, and all I think is, I want to see what else you do. I want to see all of the people you inhabit in your career.

“I actually don’t care about anything else. I don’t want to know it; it’s none of my business anyway. I’d rather take your word for it than some kind of hot take on it, you know?

“He’ll choose to reveal himself in the work he does, in the way he interprets characters, in the way he chooses the characters he wants to play.”

Pace also reflected on his own coming out in 2018 via The New York Times. “I never really thought I was in,” he recalled. “I never felt like that was a choice I made. But the media has a way of talking about things. I feel strongly, and did then as I do now, that I reserve my right to contain multitudes, and I would wish the same for all other actors. I reserve my right to explore all the different facets of humanity through my work and in my life.”