GenQ

In an interview with eTalk that aired last night, 21-year-old Ruggiero said that it was "just time to talk."

"Some people say 'I knew from the beginning' and in that sense I think I very much did," Ruggiero said.

Of coming out to his family, Ruggiero said he was nervous, but they were supportive. "I come from a fantastic family but it was very scary."

Ruggiero has decided to go public with his homosexuality, and will be posing for the cover of "fab Magazine," Canada's leading guide to gay culture.

On-screen, Ruggiero's Marco Del Rossi has had a challenging time coming out to his friends and family, even announcing his lifestyle to his entire school at a public assembly.

Feeling that his character's arc is coming to an end on the series, Ruggiero thinks that this is the right time to talk about his own sexuality.

"The thing with 'Degrassi,' is it's not the role we're playing -- we've become these role models and spokespeople for these issues. And I thought, you know, I was learning and I learned, and I thought what better way to share my knowledge than right now."

Ruggiero says that the interesting thing about his own journey to self discovery is how closely his "coming-out" experiences mirrored Marco's.

"The funny thing is, every time Marco did it, I did it. Marco came out to his mom in his room on the bed, and I did the exact same thing, with my mother, in my bedroom. And Marco confronted his dad in the kitchen, and I did the same thing, with my dad in my kitchen. And I didn't even plan it that way," says Ruggiero.

"Maybe it's life imitating art, or maybe that's what 'Degrassi' intended to do. I feel like I'm living proof of what the show wanted to accomplish."

Tags: adam ruggiero, coming out, gay canada