Hunky actor Max Parker is the latest well-known public figure to come out as gay. The British actor confirmed the news in an eye-opening interview with Attitude Magazine that was released on Tuesday, December 22.
Speculation about his sexuality first arose over the summer when it was reported that he and his Emmerdale costar Kris Mochrie (who play brothers on the popular ITV series) were a real life item.
“Certain things have come out in the press and that’s their side of my story, but I’ve never got to tell it from my side”, Max said in relation to the chatter while adding, “I think now, with the way life’s going and the way the world is now, it’s just a really good, happy thing to just be yourself. And I think that’s why now’s a good time.”
Max went deep during the chat about his decision to be his authentic self which he claimed happened in “stages”.
“I think a lot of people come out in different stages”, he said. “They’ll come out to their friends, their parents, family. What I’ve found hardest is probably coming out to yourself. I guess that’s why I’m here, it’s like the final stage of my – not accepting [myself], because I’m really happy with who I am – it’s more being comfortable to talk about it.”
He grew up in Greater Manchester, England in the 90’s where “the cool thing to do [was] to have girlfriends and play football”. Max did both even though he claimed that his parents would’ve been supportive of him at that time if he decided to come out as gay.
Then, at the age of 16, he decided to move away from his parents where he experimented with both men and women.
“I just wanted to go out and have fun and meet people who I hadn’t really been in touch with before”, he said. “So me and my parents had a bit of a – I think they thought I ran away because I was gay, and I didn’t want them to think that, even though maybe it was – so it was this sort of battle with myself [about] what was going on.”
The years to come found Max coming out to some of his friends as bisexual and entering a relationship with a woman which lasted for a very long time. It was during their time together where people were “questioning” him over why he hasn’t proposed because ultimately he knew it was something he couldn’t do.
“I felt one of the main reasons why we did split in the end was because I knew that she’s a beautiful girl and she could basically be with anyone she wants, and I was stopping her from [doing] that.”
Things eventually ended between them and Max began experimenting with men again. “There did come a point maybe about a year later where I thought ‘From now on I don’t think I can imagine myself being with a woman’. Something in my mind just changed.”
All this time later he can finally admit the following: “I feel comfortable now knowing that I am gay.” Him doing so did came at a cost, however, as the tabloid rumors about him and Kris forced him to first come out to his grandparents who were A-OK with his news. “We’re absolutely fine with it, glad you’re happy,” his grandmother sent to him in a message.
And yes, he and Kris are a couple. He revealed in the interview they first met on set of Emmerdale before backing into each other on, of all places, Tinder. Max then DM’d him on Instagram and their relationship began to blossom.
Max is one of many celebrities who came out as LGBTQ this past years. Others include retired skier Hig Roberts, Big Brother alum Zach Rance and 2-time Olympic gymnast Danell Leyva.
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