In her soon-to-be-released memoir Rebel Rising, actor Rebel Wilson discusses losing her virginity at the age of 35, and in an exclusive interview with People, she revealed that including her story was an intentional effort to "send a positive message" to others.
The Pitch Perfect star told the magazine she wants to let young people know that "not everybody has to lose their virginity as a teenager."
"People can wait till they're ready or wait till they're a bit more mature. And I think that could be a positive message."
"You obviously don't have to wait until you're in your thirties like me, but you shouldn't feel pressure as a young person."
Wilson also recalled being "embarrassed" as a teen when the topic arose, and she would often lie or find a way to avoid talking about it altogether.
"There was one vague time, I think I told my best friend, 'Oh, yeah, I just did it to just get it over with when I was like 23.' Just to really avoid the questions."
"Normally I would just leave the room when the conversation was happening."
"And then the people that said, 'Oh, at 24, it's so late.' And then I'm sitting here thinking, 'Oh my God, my number's 35. What the hell? I'm going to look like the biggest loser.'"
The actor, who called herself a "late bloomer," also said she likely would have "explored" her sexuality more had she "been born 20 years later.”
Wilson, who welcomed her first child via surrogate in November 2022 with fiancé Ramona Agruma, explained:
"I just knew I was attracted to men, and that was the normal thing."
"And so when I started opening myself up probably more after my father’s death and realizing, oh, even though I’d seen marriage as a terrible thing and waste of time, I started opening myself up to that.”
“And then only years later, meeting women and having feelings for a woman, and that, I just think it’s a sign of where society kind of was."
People on social media applauded Wilson for telling her story and agreed that others shouldn't feel pressured to have sex before they're ready.
While discussing Wilson's story on CBS Mornings, Maria Avgitidis, a.k.a. "Matchmaker Maria," said she doesn't believe there's a magic number when it comes to the right age.
"I don't think there's a certain age; I think that it's a conversation to be had."
"I think it's really normal to have sex in your late 20s and early 30s because it's becoming normal."
"More people are coming out and saying, 'Look, it didn't happen to me in college. I didn't meet those right people, but it's happening for me at this time and I'm learning a lot about myself."
Relationship expert discusses Rebel Wilson's personal message on virginitywww.youtube.com
Rebel Rising will be released April 2 and is available for pre-order now.
