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Hunky Hollywood actor Luke Evans will drop jaws worldwide in his latest heart-to-heart. Born and raised in Aberbargoed, a small Welsh town with a population of 2,000, Evans, 44, recollects his experiences on why he left his home town, finding his own fashion, marriage, and his battle with body image.

Evans has gained international recognition through his acting roles, specifically notably “Gaston” in the live-action adaptation of Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast,” and “Owen” in “The Hobbit.”

In his new film Our Son, a bluesy drama about a couple on the outs, Evans gets to play a modern gay man.

“It was the first time I’d read a story like this from two gay people’s point of view,” he explains. “We’ve seen the celebration of being gay, of gay marriage, of having children and all of those wonderful things, but not so much the splitting up.” He thinks it’s been an oversight. “When gay people were given the right to marry, we were also given the right to divorce. And [these stories] are important. They allow everybody just to go, ‘We’re all the bloody same – we’re all dealing with the same things.’”

The actor loved working with Billy Porter. “We’re both proud gay men in an industry where there isn’t so much of this going on, you know? Gay men playing these roles and telling these stories… I thought that was very powerful and important.”

Evans, who proudly came out as gay to his parents when he was 16, has been a defiant advocate for LGBTQ+ rights.

He has previously said that: “Coming out is a scary thing. I didn’t know one gay person when I was growing up. At 16, 17, the thought of telling the two people you love something that could damage your connection with them is terrifying.

“But my parents were able to understand that this was who I was; I couldn’t really change who I was and they accepted that. It was very difficult, but we got through it.”

After leaving Aberbargoed at 16, to Cardiff and then London, he strived for self-discovery in the bustling city. It was challenging but necessary, he tells Independent.

“You could almost disappear,” he explains. “That’s the reason London appealed to me when I was a young man. You want to find your community, and often where gay people are brought up, there isn’t one, or there’s shame, or there’s secrets. To feel free, and to feel part of something, you go to a big city where you’ll find people like you. It’s what gay people have done for decades and will keep on doing. Though I do hope that these smaller villages and cities are a bit more accepting now.”

Related: Luke Evans’ Love Life: Gay, Glorious, Thriving

On his journey to stardom, Evans embraced his fashion identity, favoring bold choices that embody confidence and charisma. Luke’s campaigns with luxury brands like Versace have been lauded for setting precedents for openly gay actors in industries typically deemed stereotyped.

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Recently Evans and his beau Fran Tomas launched a fashion line inspired by Steve McQueen and Marlon Brando together. The couple are working alongside David Beckham’s stylist Christopher Brown on the brand, called BDXY, and say it’s been inspired by an “old Hollywood classic” aesthetic.

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Body image has been a topic close to Evans’ heart. His roles have required distinct body types, but he admits managing body image within the public eye has been a nuanced discussion. He advocates for mental health awareness and seeks to inspire others with his health journey.

From Aberbargoed to Hollywood, Luke Evans has become an international phenomenon. Leaving his home town to pursue his dream, his fashion sense, views on love, marriage, and addressing body image reaffirm that Luke Evans is indeed a force to be reckoned with.

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Related: Luke Evans: From Briefs to Blockbusters, a Star’s Bold Journey