LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Cassandra Peterson, an actress best known for playing Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, has come out as a member of the LGBTQ+ community.
At 70 years old, Peterson revealed in her new autobiography that she’s been in a longtime relationship with a woman for 19 years, CNN and The Advocate report.
In the book, titled “Yours Cruelly, Elvira,” Peterson reportedly shares her love story with Teresa "T" Wierson and explains that she met her at a Hollywood gym.
Peterson wrote that she was married at the time to her manager, Mark Pierson, but she and Wierson became friends. Eventually, Peterson says the friendship turned romantic after she and her husband split up, according to outlets who have obtained the book.
The actress reportedly explains in the book that she had never been interested in women as anything other than friends and she was stunned when she discovered her chemistry with Wierson.
Peterson writes that she was worried about going public with her relationship because her Elvira character is so tied to being a sexy temptress for men and she didn’t want to damage her brand, according to CNN.
In the end, Peterson says some may be disappointed with the disclosure, but she needs to be truthful about who she is.
Peterson became known for her Elvira character after hosting a weekly movie presentation on a Los Angeles television station. She has since appeared in numerous TV shows and films as the character.
