Hollywood actor Luke Evans is starring in ITV's psychological thriller The Party. The Welsh actor, now 47, has appeared in films such as Fast & Furious and Beauty and the Beast, as well as TV dramas including The Pembrokeshire Murders.
Raised in Aberbargoed in the South Wales Valleys, Evans began his career in West End musicals like Avenue Q and Miss Saigon. He has previously spoken about contemplating suicide during his teenage years.
Feeling 'very isolated'
Evans has discussed reaching a "dark place" during his adolescence when he faced challenges growing up as gay while being part of the Jehovah's Witness community, reports Wales Online. In the third instalment of the BBC series Alison Hammond's Big Weekend, he revealed his experiences of bullying and the clash between his sexuality and faith, which led him to a "dark place" where he considered taking his own life.
"I knew I was different, I didn't know I was gay," he explained. "I just knew I was different from the ages of 7, 8, 9, you know, very young."
He continued: "I also didn't have anyone outside the religion to be able to confide in or ask what was wrong. I've been baptised in the religion and that meant if I chose to be openly gay, I would be cut-off from everyone and everything I knew."
Evans acknowledged the situation was "very complicated" and "very confusing". He said: "I felt very, very isolated." Asked if he had reached a "dark place", he replied: "Oh god, yeah. My teenage years, when it was clear in my mind who I was, and I was just... I had no-one to talk to. It was a very difficult position, place to be. Yeah, I contemplated suicide for sure."
Love life
Evans previously dated Spanish model and actor Jon Kortajarena, who has fronted campaigns for brands including Just Cavalli, Versace, Giorgio Armani and Guerlain. In 2009, Forbes placed him eighth on The World's 10 Most Successful Male Models list.
Evans is currently in a relationship with entrepreneur Fran Tomas, whom he has been with since 2021. Speaking to People magazine, he described Tomas as his "best friend".
"We're a great team in life. He's my best friend. He's the calm, deep waters, and I am the rushing, bubbly water. And between the two of us, we can solve anything," he told the publication.
What is The Party about?
Elizabeth Day's bestselling 2017 psychological thriller has been adapted into a five-part series. It follows Martin Gilmour (Luke Evans), a scholarship pupil who escaped poverty to enter British high society after befriending the affluent, magnetic Ben Fitzmaurice at boarding school.
The delicate relationship shatters during Ben's extravagant 40th birthday celebration at his newly acquired grand country manor. The following morning, Martin finds himself inside a police station facing questioning over a disturbing incident that occurred overnight.
The Party is on ITV1 and ITVX.
