Watch: Eminem comes out as gay

After years of being accused of homophobia, Eminem comes out as gay. Well, kind of. Okay, not really…

The superstar rapper makes a cameo appearance in the controversial comedy The Interview as himself. In a fictional interview with James Franco’s entertainment journalist character he reveals that he’s actually gay.

“When I say things about gay people, or people think my lyrics are homophobic – it’s because I’m gay,” Eminem tells Franco.

“I mean I’m gay. I’m a homosexual. I like men,” he adds.

He goes on to say: “I’m more shocked that people haven’t figured it out yet. I mean, it’s kind of like I’ve been playing gay peek-a-boo.”

While admittedly funny, the joke could be seen by some as being in poor taste in light of the 42-year-old star’s past homophobic lyrics.

Last year, he came under fire for using anti-gay references in his album The Marshall Mathers LP 2, rapping that he can “break a motherfucker’s table over the back of a couple faggots and crack it in half”.

Eminem was previously slammed by LGBT activists for lyrics on his 2000 The Marshall Mathers LP album and in the 2002 track Without Me.

In an apparent attempt to show that he was not really homophobic he famously performed with Elton John at the 2001 Grammy Awards. He also told Rolling Stone that his lyrics were intended to be “tongue-in-cheek”.

“I poke fun at other people, myself. But the real me sitting here right now talking to you has no issues with gay, straight, transgender, at all. I’m glad we live in a time where it’s really starting to feel like people can live their lives and express themselves,” he said.

The Interview, which deals with a fictional assassination plot against North Korea’s dictator Kim Jong Un, was released on Christmas day in limited theatres and online after mainstream American movie theatres refused to screen it following threats by a hacking group.