Actor Colton Haynes of Arrow and Teen Wolf fame opens up dealing with "terminal anxiety," and how building his career hindered him from being open about his sexuality and living authentically — until now. The actor has publicly come out as gay, telling Entertainment Weekly that he was open about his sexuality with everyone in his personal life, but it was his public image that silenced him.
"People want you to be that GQ image that you put out, but people don’t realize what it’s like to act 24 hours a day. I’d go home and I was still acting," the actor said.
For Colton, acting 24 hours a day meant hiding his sexuality.
"People who are so judgmental about those who are gay or different don’t realize that acting 24 hours a day is the most exhausting thing in the world."
The talented actor has also decided to take a break from the spotlight, saying "I asked to step away because I cared more about my mental and physical health than my career at the time," he said in the interview.
In January, the 27-year-old Arrow star addressed a comment that a Tumblr user had written upon discovering Haynes’ “secret gay past.”
"When I found out Colton Haynes had a secret gay past, I got so excited even though I know it makes absolutely no difference in my life,” the original message read.
“Was it a secret?” Colton asked on his Tumblr. He also added, “Let’s all just enjoy life & have no regrets.”
Until today, his sexuality was not public knowledge, though many felt his Tumblr post was his way of coming out. And while someone's sexuality is ultimately none of our business, we are proud of Colton for speaking out about the pressure entertainers can face when it comes to being open about their sexuality. One the one hand, they are expected to fit perfectly into a heteronormative image perpetuated by mainstream culture, and on the other hand, they are prodded for information about their personal lives. We really don't blame him from wanting to take a break.
We applaud Colton for being so public about his sexuality when he doesn't need to be, and we hope this encourages others to live more authentically and pursue their true selves.
Related: Colton Haynes' Response to a Rumor About His Sexuality Is Perfect
Check this out:
Sex Ed 101:
