Ian McKellen has cautioned against Britain leaving the European Union by highlighting the role Brussels has played in helping push through gay equality legislation.

“Now is the time to be backing Europe and giving back that sense of empowerment to countries in the European Union that are still very backward in this regard,” the actor said in an interview with the Daily Telegraph.

Last month, McKellen wrote a piece for Britain Stronger in Europe to mark International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia, expanding on his position.

The decision over which way to vote on 23 June was, he said, a no-brainer for those who had experienced prejudice that EU legislation had attempted to curb. He also suggested that those of minority sexuality gravitated towards political inclusivity.

“If I were to look at ‘in’ or ‘out’ from that point of view, there’s only one point, which is to stay,” he told the Telegraph. “If you’re a gay person, you’re an internationalist. I don’t want us to retract. I don’t want to and I won’t, whatever the vote happens to be.”

McKellen, 77, won plaudits for his appearance in April at Shakespeare Live, in which he gave an impassioned reading of a speech by Sir Thomas More imagining the plight of an asylum seeker undergoing forced repatriation.

“[Brexit] wouldn’t be the end of the world,” he said, “but it’s nearly the end of my life. And it’s up to the youngsters to decide, really.”