“Jasika Nicole, 28, an F.B.I. agent on “Fringe,” a new Fox drama, said that as bigger parts became available, her manager, John Essay, sat her down and asked how public she wanted to be about being a lesbian. Some roles could be lost, he told her, as would some fans.
Mr. Essay, who is gay, said he encouraged openness but warned clients of the risks.
“If it becomes exaggerated,” he said, “you just become the gay actress instead of a wonderful actress.”
Perhaps, he suggested, she didn’t want to be too vocal about it.
Ms. Nicole, who has a girlfriend, said she would just be herself. She has been open about her sexual orientation since she started dating women about 3 ½ years ago, while she was filming “Take the Lead” with Antonio Banderas in Toronto.
Now, as she becomes better known, “There’s no way I can keep quiet,” she said. “I want to be clear this is my partner. I don’t want to make that shameful in any kind of way.””
