If you’ve scrolled Instagram lately and felt your screen radiate a little extra heat, it’s probably Hugh Sheridan’s latest post — a topless seaside thirst trap that gives “sunset enlightenment meets core strength realness.” But while his abs may be the first thing to catch your eye, it’s the caption (and the cause) that hits home hardest.
Hugh, ever the charismatic multi-hyphenate, isn’t just serving body — he’s serving purpose. The actor is taking on 1,607 push-ups over 23 days to raise awareness and funds for mental health services in Australia. That number? It represents the number of lives lost to suicide each year in Australia. One push-up per life. The campaign is called #PushForBetter, and it’s as emotionally charged as it is physically brutal. (He’s only 90 in and already feeling it — relatable king.)
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But let’s zoom out for a second. Because if you’ve followed Hugh’s journey, you know the real work he’s been doing is the kind that doesn’t always make headlines — exploring and expressing a fluid sense of self in a world that demands definitions.
From Label-Free Love to “Straight For Now”
Back in 2021, Hugh publicly identified as non-binary and bisexual in an Instagram post during his engagement to TikTok star Kurt Roberts. At the time, he shared that he didn’t subscribe to strict labels and preferred a more fluid, open-ended approach to identity — one rooted in the freedom to just be himself without explanation.
Fast-forward to September 2024, and things shifted again. During a candid chat on The Kyle and Jackie O Show, Sheridan clarified some of the labels he’d once been associated with — and rejected them outright.
“I’m not non-binary, I’m like the same as you,” Hugh told Kyle, after the host referred to his supposed non-binary identity.
Kyle asked, “What, straight?”
Hugh replied, “Someone wrote that I was non-binary, yeah I’m straight now.”
Jackie O pressed him: “You’re straight?”
Hugh answered: “For now, for now.”
He went on to say he never actually called himself non-binary — but felt too “scared” to correct the narrative once it gained traction.
“I never said that ever. I never associated myself with any letter of the alphabet,” he said. “I just wanted to be someone who can be yourself, choose day-to-day.”
It was a surprisingly raw moment — not because it fit neatly into any headline, but because it didn’t. He wasn’t trying to be a queer icon or a straight heartthrob. He was just being Hugh: a little chaotic, a little confusing, but totally honest.
“Jackie O could walk out and see a girl she’s in love with… She’s just Jackie O,” Hugh said. “And you’re just Kyle.”
He added: “It’s normal to change. It’s all part of being human.”
And honestly? Same.
Identity Whiplash? Maybe. But Also… Relatable.
To some, the shifting labels and walk-backs might feel jarring. One year he’s waving the rainbow flag at Mardi Gras, the next he’s saying “I’m straight now” on-air. But maybe that’s the point: identity isn’t a final form, and the expectation that someone must define themselves permanently is part of what drives so much anxiety around queerness and gender expression in the first place.
Sheridan’s never claimed to be a spokesperson for the LGBTQIA+ community — in fact, he’s explicitly said he never wanted to be boxed into one. But whether he likes it or not, his openness has helped push the conversation forward, especially around how messy self-discovery can be.
And that’s exactly what makes him so human.
So, About That Instagram Post…
Yes, the lighting is immaculate. Yes, the man looks like he could plank for both world peace and personal vengeance. But beneath the bronzed perfection is someone pushing — literally and figuratively — for something bigger than himself. Mental health advocacy. Authentic self-expression. The right to evolve.
So go ahead, double-tap. But while you’re at it, hit the link in his bio and donate to support mental health initiatives. Because Hugh Sheridan might not know exactly who he is every day — but he does know how to use his platform for good.
And that, dear reader, is hotter than any beach photo.
Source: DailyMail
This is clearly a puff piece that Hugh paid for, he’s the one who claimed to be non-binary, which was explicitly done to distract from the actual controversy surrounding Hedwig, then claimed that actual non-binary Australian actors and activists like Zoe Terakes and Daya totally ran a hate campaign and wanted Hugh to kill himself, then later claimed to have never stated a non-binary identity and simply had it applied to him, he’s not an advocate for mental health or fluid labels, he’s a tosser who tried to ruin the careers of far more honest people with false accusations.
Who is this butter face?
So earlier, queer baiting for publicity. Now, running back in the closet because he thinks he’ll find more work there.
I’m utterly disinterested in anything he may do.
So this person would only be known in Australia…