Luke Evans opens up on coming out journey and painful loss of family support due to religious belief

Welsh actor Luke Evans has shared his personal struggles around coming out as gay, including painful family challenges, in a recent interview with The Guardian ahead of his memoir, Boy from the Valleys: An Unexpected Journey. Evans, 45, known for roles in Clash of the Titans and Beauty and the Beast, grew up with parents who were devout Jehovah’s Witnesses, a denomination that strictly opposes homosexuality. Evans recalled feeling deep inner conflict while hiding his sexuality, saying, "All that was in my head was: if I don’t sort this out, I’m going to lose my mum and dad."

At 13, Evans was baptized, hoping it might suppress his true identity. However, he later came out to his family in early adulthood, resulting in his excommunication from the church. Reflecting on that experience, Evans said, "The only thing that mattered to me was my mam and dad...I had to make this decision: either you keep lying...or you take the risk and hope they don’t cut you off."

Evans was not present for his formal disfellowship, but he imagined church elders would have declared, "Luke Evans is no longer a member of the Christian congregation,” which he interpreted as a directive for family and friends to avoid him. He described the aftermath as painful, saying, "It was painful because I knew my mam and dad were sitting in that Kingdom Hall surrounded by people that knew them and knew me."

Despite these challenges, Evans expressed understanding of his parents' faith, adding, "I see two people who have found a life that works for them. They have wonderful friends, inside and outside the religion." His memoir, detailing his life journey, will be released on November 7.