Luke Evans on his journey from Jehovah’s Witness to Hollywood’s first gay action star
Luke Evans speaks with GAY TIMES about his Jehovah’s Witness upbringing, memoir and paving the way for LGBTQIA+ representation in Hollywood.
WORDS BY SAM DAMSHENAS PHOTOGRAPHY BY PATSY O’NEILL “My story is, I hope, one of hope and inspiration—reminding others to keep going and believe that something better is possible,” says Luke Evans.
The Welsh actor has just released his memoir, Boy from the Valleys: My Unexpected Journey, an intimate account of how he reconciled his sexuality with his Jehovah’s Witness upbringing, eventually leaving the faith, and ultimately becoming the world’s first openly gay action star.
Evans shares with GAY TIMES that he “wasn’t expecting” such an “unbelievable” reaction to his memoir from readers who have experienced similar trauma. “My DMs have been flooded with beautiful, painful, heartwarming, and inspiring messages from people all over the world—many of whom have gone through something similar, haven’t come out, or live in countries where they can’t be their true selves,” he says. “I’ve kind of given them a voice.” Evans’s journey from self-discovery to Hollywood trailblazer has also defied expectations within the industry.
