Actor Lucas Hedges: ‘I’m not totally straight’
Lucas Hedges as Jared Eamons in Boy Erased
Oscar nominated Lucas Hedges has opened up about his sexuality, saying he is “not totally straight, but also not gay and not necessarily bisexual.”
Hedges, who stars upcoming gay conversion film Boy Erased alongside Troye Sivan, discussed being attracted to both men and women while he was growing up in an interview with Vulture.
“In the early stages of my life, some of the people I was most infatuated with were my closest male friends,” he said.
Hedges has opened up about his sexuality. (Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for CinemaCon)
“That was the case through high school, and I think I was always aware that while for the most part I was attracted to women, I existed on a spectrum.”
He continued: “I felt ashamed that I wasn’t 100 percent, because it was clear that one side of sexuality presents issues, and the other doesn’t as much.
“I recognise myself as existing on that spectrum: Not totally straight, but also not gay and not necessarily bisexual.”
In July, the first trailer for Hedges’ new film Boy Erased was released.
In the movie, which is based on Garrard Conley’s book Boy Erased: A Memoir, Hedges plays the son of a Baptist pastor, who is sent away to a therapy programme, aimed at “curing” his homosexuality.
The movie also features Nicole Kidman as Garrard’s mother and openly lesbian Cherry Jones playing Dr. Muldoon.
Speaking to PinkNews about his experience of gay conversion therapy, Conley said: “I was given an ultimatum by my father: go into conversion therapy or I won’t see my family again and get an education.”
Watch the trailer for Boy Erased below:
In February, Sivan said that his experience working on the film left him with “a lot more empathy for parents who send their kids off because think I’ve realised it’s just like, sort of just misguided love.”
“It’s a matter of educating people and that’s what I really really hope this movie is going to help people do,” he told Ellen DeGeneres.
“Learn more about it. Realise that it’s been proven to not be effective and hopefully start making changes because it’s still happening all over.”
Boy Erased is set to be released on November 2 this year.
