Cassandra Peterson - the actress perhaps best known for her alter-ego, Elvira, Mistress of the Dark - has come out in her new autobiography.
The 70-year-old star speaks candidly about her 19-year romantic relationship with another woman in her new memoir, titled Yours Cruelly, Elvira.
Now, you're probably wondering how a camp horror icon with the moniker "Mistress of the Dark" goes about meeting somebody - and it turns out it's just like everybody else: at the gym.
Writing in her memoir, Peterson reflects on how she was doing her "preworkout warm-up on the treadmill" when a certain trainer caught her eye. Describing the individual as "tan, tattooed, and muscular", Peterson continues:
"Dark and brooding, he gave off such intense energy that when he crossed the enormous gym floor, the waters parted and people stopped in their tracks to stare."
Peterson then reveals that the person wasn't a "he", but a "she" - a woman named Teresa "T" Wierson.
At the time, Peterson was married to musician Mark Pierson - whom she wed in 1981. The pair share a daughter, Sadie Peirson, who was born in 1994.
However, following Peterson's divorce from her ex-husband in 2003, the actor's friendship with Wierson continued to grow and the pair become more than just friends.
Peterson details how Wierson came to her in need of help one rainy night, writing: "There on the doorstep stood my trainer, T, holding a trash bag full of her belongings, looking sad and bedraggled. She’d split from her longtime partner, spent some time in rehab, and now had no place to go."
After spending a period of time living together, Peterson then details that she made romantic advances towards "T".
Peterson writes: "What the hell was I doing? I’d never been interested in women as anything other than friends. I felt so confused. This just wasn’t me! I was stunned that I’d been friends with her for so many years and never noticed our chemistry.
"I soon discovered that we connected sexually in a way I’d never experienced."
The actor revealed that the pair have been together ever since, as she kept their 19-year relationship a secret from fans - believing that the revelation would somehow hurt the mystique of her gothic alter-ego.
"T" even became Peterson's assistant - but even this wasn't enough to make fans clue on to the fact that they could be romantically involved.
Regardless of what her fans think, Peterson writes that it was time to start being true to who she is:
"Would my fans hate me for not being what they expected me to be? I’m very aware that there will be some who will be disappointed and maybe even angry, but I have to live with myself, and at this point in my life, I’ve got to be truthful about who I am."
And she's absolutely right - and I'm sure her fans will continue to support Peterson all the way!
