Actor Thora Birch comes out as bisexual while attending 35th anniversary of iconic West Hollywood venue The Abbey

Actor Thora Birch has publicly come out as bisexual, speaking about the importance of community, solidarity and LGBTQ+ spaces while attending the 35th anniversary celebrations of iconic West Hollywood venue The Abbey.

The Hocus Pocus and Ghost World star, 44, made the comments during interviews at the landmark LGBTQ+ bar, where they reflected on growing up nearby and the influence the queer community has had on their life and sense of self.

“As a hometown girl, I’m always here to show my support for the community, which shaped so much of who I am and my identity as well, being a bi person,” Birch said.

The actor went on to urge people to seek out and stand by their communities during what they described as increasingly divisive times.

“I don’t want to get too political, but find your community where you can, and stand with them, and stick with them, and share that love you have together and reach it towards others,” Birch said. “That’s the only way we’re going to get through all this madness - by embracing one another. We have to stop fighting.”

Birch’s representative said the venue has long felt like a home for the actor, who grew up within walking distance of The Abbey, which has been a central part of West Hollywood’s LGBTQ+ scene since the early 1990s.

The announcement has been warmly received by fans, many of whom grew up watching Birch in a string of influential films during the 1990s and early 2000s, including Now and Then, American Beauty and Ghost World. Birch rose to fame as a child actor and has since spoken candidly about the pressures of growing up in the public eye.

Birch is married to film-maker and talent manager Michael Benton Adler, whom they wed in 2018. Speaking publicly about their bisexuality years after marriage, Birch joins a growing number of public figures who have spoken openly about sexuality later in life, challenging assumptions about identity and relationships.

During the same interviews, Birch also reflected on their long career and said they would be open to revisiting some of their most beloved screen roles.

“I feel like so many fans wonder what happened to some of those characters,” Birch said, referencing roles including Dani in Hocus Pocus and Enid in Ghost World. “It would be intriguing to see what they’re up to now - but there’s also something nice about leaving them encapsulated.”