Danny Pintauro
Danny Pintauro revealed during his OWN interview that he's "terrified" for his husband. Above, Pintauro at the Louis Vuitton Beverly Hills store's reopening party in 2004. Getty

Practically overnight, “Who’s the Boss?” alum Danny Pintauro has become an activist for HIV-positive people. In an emotional interview with Oprah Winfrey for the OWN network’s latest “Where Are They Now” installment, the now 39-year-old, openly gay former child actor revealed that he’s been HIV-positive for the past 12 years. It was a brave and eye-opening interview, but Pintauro confessed that he still has fears – one of them surrounding his husband of a little over a year, Wil Tabares.

Pintauro was diagnosed with HIV in 2003 at the age of 27. Although he used condoms, he said, he contracted the disease after a sexual encounter when he was using meth. The actor explained that his lowered immune system from crystal meth use played a big factor.

Following the diagnosis, Pintauro was afraid that he’d never be in a “good relationship” again and feared having the conversation with a partner. But things were different when he met Tabares.

Tabares is not HIV-positive, and Pintauro explained that he revealed his diagnosis to him on their first date.

“My husband, our first date, we hadn’t even kissed, it was the first thing I told him,” Pintauro said. But the news didn’t send Tabares running. Pintauro and Tabares got married on the beach in Dana Point, California, on April 3, 2014, after just one year of dating.

“When we first got together, he said, ‘I love you and I love you for who you are and I’m not afraid of it,’” Pintauro continued. Despite Tabares’ openness, Pintauro still fears for his husband.

“I’m terrified for him,” he added. “I always worry about it because I love him and I care for him. But he’s prepared for it.”

Watch the video clip of Danny Pintauro discussing his relationship with husband Wil Tabares:

Meanwhile, Tabares is continuing to be a solid support for his husband. He posed with him for an Instagram photo following the interview, and just recently rejoined Twitter. His posted the following message on his unverified account:

Pintauro is using his social media account to thank his followers for sharing his story. (You can follow him here.) He's doing his first Reddit AMA on Thursday at 2 p.m. PDT (11 a.m. EDT).

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