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‘Mean Girls’ actor Daniel Franzese writes moving coming out letter to his character Damian

Actor Daniel Franzese, best known as openly gay teen Damian "Mean Girls," is celebrating the film tenth anniversary by writing a touching coming out letter to character. In it, the actor describes Damian as an “inspirational” depiction of a gay youth.

[ Teenagers React to 'Mean Girls' 10 Years Later ]

“It’s been a long time since our last encounter,” Franzese wrote to "Damian" over on Indiewire. “I was twenty-six; you were sixteen. You were proud of who you were; I was an insecure actor. You became an iconic character that people looked up to; I wished I’d had you as a role model when I was younger. It might've been easier to be gay growing up.”

But Franzese also admitted to his complex love-hate relationship with Damian, due to the years of typecasting he faced post-"Mean Girls." Though Franzese was not officially “out of the closet,” he recounted not being allowed to audition for straight roles because people only knew him for his flamboyant character.

“[Casting directors] wouldn’t even let me audition,” Franzese wrote. “There were industry people who had seen me play you in ‘Mean Girls’ but never seen me read in an audition and still denied me to be seen for ‘masculine’ roles.”

The only big roles that did come Franzese’s way were what he describes as “feather-boa-slinging” stereotypes who were always the butt of the joke.

“So, there it was. Damian, you had ruined my life and I was really pissed at you,” the actor admitted. “It wasn’t until years later that grown men started to coming up to me on the street -- some of them in tears -- and thanking me for being a role model to them. Telling me I gave them comfort not only being young and gay but also being a big dude. It was then that I realized how much of an impact YOU had made on them.”

Despite their tumultuous relationship in the years since “Mean Girls,” Franzese credits Damian (and, by proxy, screenwriter Tina Fey) with eventually giving him the courage to be proud of who he was again.

Although it doesn’t have the same ring to it as a certain “Glenn Coco”-related “Mean Girls” quote, it needs to be said: You go, Daniel Franzese!