Luke Evans has revealed he was “bullied for being gay before I even understood what it meant” in his new memoirs, Boy From the Valleys, an extract of which has been published in The Guardian.
The star of films The Hobbit, Beauty and the Beast and Fast and Furious writes: “The first sense I had of being gay – or at least different – was at the age of eight, when our class got a substitute teacher. He played rugby for Llanelli and had a sharp haircut and a two-seater sports car. He was handsome and sharply dressed; all the girls fancied him, and all the boys wanted to be him. I remember staring at him, muscles busting out of his shirt, and thinking: wow. Even then, I knew I was looking at him in a different way from the other boys.”
From his humble beginnings in a quaint Welsh mining village to the dazzling lights of Hollywood, Boy From the Valleys sees Luke take readers on a poignant and inspiring journey.
Growing up in a small village in the Rhymney Valley, south Wales, Luke’s early life was shaped by his Jehovah’s Witness upbringing. While most children of his age spent their Saturday mornings watching television, young Luke would dress in a suit and tie and join his parents to knock on doors to spread the word of his religion. From an early age, he felt different. This feeling of displacement was not limited to his faith; as he came to terms with his own sexuality, he also faced a difficult and uncertain path.
In the book, Luke writes: “I was bullied for being gay before I even understood what it meant. The worst nickname was “Jovey Bender”, because it combined two aspects of my identity that could never be reconciled.”
In Boy From the Valleys, Luke shares his bold decision to leave home – and the religion – at seventeen to move to London, where the vibrant Soho scene captured his heart, invigorated his creative journey as an actor and opened a whole new world of opportunity.
In December 2022, Luke confirmed his relationship with Spanish construction worker Fran Tomas.
In an interview published in 2024, Luke said: “He’s a great human being. He’s the best part of me, for sure. He’s kind, calm. He’s happy. He’s positive. He’s a hard worker
“He literally makes me a better person. And has put up with my shit, which, I can’t imagine what that would be like.”
Boy From the Valleys is published by Penguin on November 7. Pre order HERE
