Actress Tamzin Outhwaite was joined by her eldest child, Flo Ellis-Outhwaite, at a star-studded press night for her new West End role in "Abigail's Party" on Wednesday. The production, a revival of Mike Leigh’s 1977 play, is currently running at the Harold Pinter Theatre in London following a tour.
Outhwaite, 55, who plays the lead role, celebrated the occasion at The Londoner Hotel after the performance. She was pictured with her son, Flo, who is also an actor. Flo is a member of the National Youth Theatre and has completed a Shakespeare summer course at RADA.
Outhwaite, who shares custody of Flo and daughter Marnie, 14, with ex-husband Tom Ellis, has previously spoken about her family's journey of acceptance. Flo came out as trans and identified as a boy around the age of 10 or 11.
In a June Instagram post celebrating Flo's 18th birthday, Outhwaite expressed immense pride, writing, "I could not be more proud of you. You inspire, surprise and astound me daily." She highlighted his "kindness, heart, dedication, determination, resilience, humour, courage, talent, work ethic, passion, grace, positivity," adding that his achievements in his first 18 years were "AMAZING."
Her own father, Colin, commented on the post, expressing his relief and pride, stating, "I’ve feared for you for 18 years. I need never have worried. Thanks for educating me and being such a special grandson."
Outhwaite first publicly discussed Flo's identity in July of the previous year on the "Parenting Hell" podcast. She shared that she now has a son and a daughter, noting that while this is easy for her to say now, it wasn't always the case. She described Flo as an "incredibly funny, intelligent boy" and a "wonderful human who's very talented," adding that seeing him thrive brings her "nothing but relief and joy" after some "dark times."
She recalled the initial period after Flo came out as trans as "a very distressing time," admitting that her initial reaction was disbelief. Through family therapy and conversations, both with Flo and within the family, they navigated the situation. Outhwaite emphasized the importance of not pushing back against a child's identity, stating that while it was a difficult period, they worked through it as a family with external support.
During the podcast discussion, Outhwaite touched upon the current public discourse surrounding LGBTQ+ issues, describing it as a "hot topic" and acknowledging that the community faces challenges. She noted that while trans issues are part of a public debate, "every situation is completely different, every child is different," and that the actual prevalence is less than one percent of the population. She concluded by expressing happiness for Flo and for their current family dynamic.
