Was Luke Evans Ashamed of His Sexuality?
It’s easy to forget that when the cameras are switched off, celebrities have personal lives just like the rest of us. Actor Luke Evans is no exception — and he isn’t always quick to share the details of his private life with the rest of the world. Recently, though, Evans addressed rumors that he was hiding his sexuality.
Who is Luke Evans?
Evans is a Welsh singer and actor. At 41 years old, he has been hard at work for around 20 years, starting his career in musical theater at London’s West End. Evans appeared in his first film a few years later. And since then, fans have enjoyed him in movies including Fast & Furious 6, The Hobbit, and Disney’s live-action Beauty and the Beast.
Evans also sang on the Beauty and the Beast soundtrack for his role as Gaston. And he released his first studio album titled At Last in 2019.
Luke Evans addresses rumors that he was hiding his sexuality
Evans recently sat down with Attitude to discuss the rumors that he’s hidden his sexuality as a gay man. According to the magazine, Evans has been open about his sexuality for his entire career, but as he achieved higher levels of fame some people felt he was being too quiet about his sexuality and “pushing himself back into the closet.” However, Evans said that’s not why he was being so private.
“It was the last thing I had, because everything else I’ve given to the world,” he told Attitude. “My career was public, I was photographed, and all that stuff. My personal life just became the last thing that I had. Also, what was strange was that when people did find out that I was gay, there was a lot of articles and stuff written saying that I was hiding it, and I wasn’t.”
Evans told the magazine he first realized he was different from the other boys he knew when he was around 9 years old. And he faced some difficult times growing up.
“I mean, I was a happy kid. I’m quite a positive human being and I made the best of it,” he said. “But I didn’t have a good school life. I was bullied very badly. I was an only child. There were a lot of bullies in my school, and I was an easy target.”
He ended up leaving home at 16 years old to find a place where he could fit in.
“I needed to find my identity, and I needed to be independent of my family, find my voice and be a happy, gay teenager. A teenager living on his own,” he said.
Evans says he’s lived a life he’s ‘never been ashamed’ of
Evans is confident in the life decisions he’s made for himself.
“I went into the world as a kid, because I had to,” he told Attitude. “I am proud and happy, and I’ve lived a very big life that I’m super happy with. And I’ve never been ashamed.”
He also hopes that with his success he’s proven gay actors can be profitable movie leads.
“I hope that I’ve broken down a lot of barriers, just because I’m trying to represent my community, but I can’t represent everybody. And I certainly can’t please everybody,” he said. “I just have to do it my way.”
