Ryan Murphy on how today's ruling affects his marriage

Andrea Mandell | USA TODAY

Reaction is still pouring in to news of the Supreme Court striking down the Defense of Marriage Act and ruling that same-sex marriages should be allowed in California.

Ryan Murphy wrote in from the set of his new HBO movie, The Normal Heart. "Today is a historic day made all the more meaningful by the fact that my marriage to my husband David will now not only be recognized by my home state of California, but federally as well, as it always should have been," he tells USA TODAY in a statement.

"Many have suggested that Hollywood, and particularly television, has helped move the country forward on the issue of marriage equality. If that is true, and my work played even a small part in that, I am humbled and reminded of the power of entertainment to enlighten as well as entertain."

Few have been as influential in driving themes of acceptance across the television landscape as Murphy, who has introduced gay characters and story lines in projects including Glee, The New Normal and Nip/Tuck. Murphy is currently directing The Normal Heart, starring Julia Roberts and Matt Bomer. The film is an adaptation of the Tony award-winning play about a gay activist raising awareness of the HIV-AIDS crisis in New York City in the early 1980s.