When you see a hot Hollywood actor, do you automatically think, “Hmm, must be nice to live life as confidently as him?” Well, that might not be the case for all celebrities. Take Luke Evans, for example. In his recently released memoir, Boy From the Valleys: My Unexpected Journey, he humbly talks about his struggles growing up in a conservative home, coming out, and figuring out who he was. Recently, he stopped by the How to Fail with Elizabeth Day podcast to discuss how he too has self-confidence struggles.
Huge congrats dearest @thereallukevans for the great finale of #boyfromthevalleys 📚tour! 🥳🎉
TYSM for publishing the masterpiece, sharing ur amazing life journey , putting lots of time, passion & heart into it! TYSM for bringing us huge joy to see YOU so close 🥰🫶 #lukeevans pic.twitter.com/bgY02jbjlc— 雑煮【ZONY】 (@zony_chan) December 1, 2024
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The pressure to maintain a perfectly chiseled and toned physique isn’t lost on Luke Evans, who has taken on many physically demanding roles in films like Fast & Furious, Dracula Untold, Beauty and the Beast, Echo 3, and his latest project, Weekend in Taipei. During his appearance on Elizabeth Day’s podcast, the Dracula Untold star spoke openly about the inner struggles he faces as an actor constantly expected to meet certain physical standards for his roles.
Luke Evans 😵💫😵💫😵💫😵💫😵💫😵💫😵💫😵💫😵💫😵💫 pic.twitter.com/aSYpRxvTl0
— Luna 🐺🦴🏳️⚧️ (@MusclePuppyGirl) December 1, 2024
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“I still sometimes go to the gym and just feel very anxious. I look at myself in the mirror and just go, ‘You don’t look good enough,’ or ‘You’re letting it go.’ I look at my face…the terrible part of my industry is that you’re just reminded constantly of the decades of film you’ve done when you had not a crease on the face and not one gray stubble, whereas all my stubble is now gray,”
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If you’ve read Luke’s book Boy From the Valleys: My Unexpected Journey then you would know that Luke is a wonderfully gifted writer who shares stories from his childhood and younger days. As a grown-up, you would think that a man who looks like Luke would supposedly lack insecurities, seeing as how hot and charming he is on camera, but I guess we all have our bad days, and Luke is no exception.
“I’ve had to learn to be kinder to myself, but I have terrible anxiety about feeling good enough physically. Part of that isn’t completely bad [because] it gives you a little something to fight for, but it can be overwhelming. I’ve been on a beach just recently, and I didn’t want to take my T-shirt off. I don’t want to be in that place. I know I shouldn’t feel like that, but you know we are sensitive creatures, we’re very delicate. As hard as I may look, I am quite delicate.”
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It takes a lot of effort to have the body that Luke has, and sometimes, even he isn’t particularly keen with the upkeep. With more than two decades of acting work under his belt, Luke understands that in order to land roles in Hollywood, he’s required to maintain or to develop a certain look for those roles–it just comes with the job.
“I’m sure if I didn’t have to go and take my top off on a movie set every now and again, I’d probably let it all go. I wouldn’t care so much, but it is part of my job. I get cast in certain roles that require a certain amount of physical strength and aesthetic. It’s been good because it’s probably kept me on the straight and narrow.”
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In hindsight, Luke says that it’s actually beneficial that his required to maintain his physique since it helps to build his confidence, which is particularly helpful for days when he’s lacking in the self-confidence department.
“I’m not massively confident about lots of things about me, but I’ve learned to deal with it, not ignore it and understand why and process it, but it doesn’t go away.”
If you haven’t already fallen for the kind and beautiful soul that is Luke Evans, go grab his book to read now, you’ll definitely be smitten by the end of the first chapter. Boy from the Valleys: An Unexpected Journey, published by Ebury Spotlight, is already available in independent bookshops like Waterstones and WHSmith. It can also be ordered online (e.g., Amazon), as an audiobook, and even found in supermarkets like Asda and Sainsbury’s.