Sean Hayes on How He Met His Husband Scott: Inside Their Marriage
"Will & Grace" star Sean Hayes and his husband, Scott Icenogle, have been an item since 2006 after they met on a show. Eight years later, the actor happily married the most loving man he knew.
Sean Hayes is an actor, comedian, writer, and producer born in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, on June 26, 1970. He majored in performance and orchestral conducting at Illinois State University and made his professional debut in "Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss" in 1998.
The Emmy and SAG Award-winning actor is known for his other acting roles in "Pieces of April," "The Bucket List," "Soul Men," "The Three Stooges," "Lazy Susan," and more.
Scott Icenogle and Sean Hayes at the SiriusXM studios in New York, on November 26, 2018 | Source: Getty Images
As a producer and creator, Hayes is known for "Grimm," "Hot in Cleveland," "Crowded," "Sean Saves the World," and "Hollywood Game Night," among others.
His husband, Scott Icenogle, born on September 22, 1969, is a composer and producer known for composing music for "Q-Force," "The History of Comedy," "Will & Grace," "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," and more.
He got his start in 2005 and has worked on music with Christina Aguilera, Madonna, Justin Timberlake, Katy Perry, Beyoncé, and other pop artists.
In October 2014, Hayes and Icenogle got engaged, and the actor's representative confirmed the news. The news came after the actor was seen with a ring at an interview after eight years of dating.
At the time, the couple did not talk about their engagement. However, the actor's representative revealed they had been engaged for some time.
How Sean Hayes Met His Husband
Hayes met his husband when Icenogle was a DJ on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" and began dating around 2006. The actor later revealed they were fans of each other.
While the actor is proud and honored to play Jack McFarland on "Will & Grace" for years, he is more proud of being himself and being able to express his love openly for his husband.
They usually make silly videos on Facebook, hold hands when they make red-carpet appearances, and more. The actor's message of love is to show that everyone is human as he tries to normalize what should already be natural.
Hayes claimed in 2018 that his husband is the sweetest, most genuine, kind, generous, caring, and loving man he had ever known. He referred to Icenogle as the greatest person he had ever met.
He stated that from meeting Icenogle for the first time, he knew the music composer was the perfect man for him. The actor further revealed that he knew his husband would make him better.
While he referred to himself as a crazy actor, Icenogle is a grounded and stable person. These qualities endeared him to his husband. After their first meeting, he even mentioned to DeGeneres that the music composer seemed funny and cute.
Sean Hayes and Scott Icenogle's Marriage
Around the second week of November 2014, Hayes and Icenogle married in a private ceremony. The actor informed his fans that he was married on November 20, 2014.
He took to his Facebook page to post a throwback picture of him and his husband smiling from their wedding day while stating that it had happened the previous week after dating for eight years.
Hayes, who had always been private about his sexual orientation, came out publicly in 2010 after mentioning that he spends his time with someone special in his life, and it was fantastic because that was all he needed.
When asked how he proposed to his husband, he revealed that it was not a regular proposal. The actor said:
"I said to Scotty, 'Hey, you know if we get married, there's like a death tax thing?' He was like, 'Oh, great. Let's get married.' That's it."
Inside Sean Hayes and Scott Icenogle's Home
Two years after their wedding, the couple opened their Tudor-style home and showed off their renovations for Traditional Home magazine's February/March 2016 issue.
The "Will & Grace" actor Sean Hayes and his husband decided their Los Angeles home needed updating. They wanted to make it the perfect place to suit their entertaining needs, especially when they have guests.
Icenogle stated that the previous scheme and tone of the house were too dark and serious. They wanted a cozy, fun, and comfortable place for themselves and their guests.
They opted for a contemporary and classic feel for the renovations but did not want their home to become too modern and museum-like.
The couple collaborated with interior designer Chris Barrett to make their wishes a reality. They kicked off the project of brightening the house's look by changing the color palette and repurposing spaces.
Barrett turned the couple's dining room into a library featuring floor-to-ceiling bookshelves and a homey window seat because they only used the space during the evening. The couple also needed more space if they would frequently host friends.
So, they turned Hayes's office into a billiards room, giving them the extra space they needed for game nights with friends and other fun activities. It also became the room where he displayed his awards.
In addition, to make the room perfect for movie nights with friends, the interior designer boosted the room's capacity by rearranging the furniture.
Barrett arranged a pair of spool chairs with embroidered cushions, two woven rope stools, and two light blue sofas in symmetrical groupings.
Icenogle and Hayes fell in love with the final result and were not alone, as their guests loved the new design. They loved the compliments they now received about their home's new look.