Luke Evans: Gay actor’s memoir, ‘Boy from the Valleys: My Unexpected Journey’ shares his life’s journeys

There has been an avid longing in the LGBTQ art and entertainment community for a serious openly gay, masculine artist to be able to create memorable roles that appeals to mass audiences, all genders and sexual persuasions. Luke Evans has filled the bill on every level.

Born an only child in Pontypool, Wales and raised in Aberargoed, his mother noticed that as a child he was an extremely finicky eater. She asked, didn’t he want to be a big, strong, rugby player? His response was, “I want to be a ballet dancer.”

Cooking and baking became other passions, and his dad’s record collection inspired him, but the big hurdle was that his family was devout Jehovah Witnesses who very strict about censoring, well, everything.

Training days
As Luke attended school, he was taunted about not only his small frame and lack of interest in sports. He was also bullied because of his religious beliefs. He became obsessed with music as the New Romantics period in music and pop culture were ruling the charts.

His first meditation was when in a record store he discovered Roberta Flack’s Grammy-winning single, “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face.” He quickly discovered musical theater and was cast in all kinds of roles in school, where he learned that he could seriously sing.

Bristling at his stifling religion as his budding sexual orientation was emerging, he left home, got a job, apartment and his first relationship in Cardiff, Wales. Unfortunately, the relationship was with his boss.

Yes, there was a scandal and they both had to find other employment. But his lovers’ two friends sponsored him to get a scholarship at the prestigious London Studio Centre. This was the beginning of Evans refining his technique in all forms of theater while he explored the thriving gay scene of London, all at 16 years old.

Evans blossomed in the school and when he graduated (His graduation performance was his beloved song by Roberta), he landed a gig as Billy in the original cast of the musical “Taboo,” the story of Boy George’s nightclubbing days.

Of course, George took Luke under his sequined wing. Luke was of course quite a hit and was soon being cast in all kinds of roles one drama he was cast in tested his mettle and garnered him serious attention and a very serious agent.

Character-building
Now armed with the lithe physical allure of John Baryymore and the vocal charisma of fellow Welshman Richard Burton, Evans became the young, exciting male character actor who played Apollo in the remake of “Clash of the Titans” in one year and Zeus the next year in the movie “Immortals.”

Luke learned the nuanced techniques of cinema from the best, most notably Liam Neeson and director/ visualist Tarsem with costumes that displayed his lanky frame by Oscar winning-designer Eiko Ishioka.

America took notice and soon he was playing several plum roles in huge blockbuster movie franchises (“Fast and the Furious”), major television series (the BBC series hit “The Party”) and respected theater plays where the critics and crowds embraced him (“Miss Saigon”). He is still fondly remembered for playing Gaston in the Disney live-action remake of “Beauty and the Beast.”

Out with it
 Evans was basically outed by an old interview he did during his “Taboo” run, but by this time he was a proven commodity and audiences of all ages love him and he continues to enjoy an amazing career in all forms of entertainment.

The book is a great exploration of an openly gay artist who kept his head down, learned his craft and did the work to great success and acclaim.

In his memoir, he doesn’t shy away from revealing his personal life and relationships, from his first threeway sex experience with two adults in London while he was underage to his briefly dating supermodel Jon Kortajarena.

Evans poignantly talks about his great loving relationship with his parents after his being excommunicated from the Jehovah Witnesses, and his surreal experiences with celebrities.

Having matured into quite a man and is doing well with his partner Fran Tomas, promoting his own underwear line and for the past several years burning up international men’s lifestyle magazines in very sensual editorial spreads and interviews.

Evans released an album that includes with his breathtaking version of “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” and he is a passionate spokesperson against bullying and supporting HIV/AIDS nonprofits. He continues to give the planet every reason to be mad about the boy from the valleys.

‘Boy from the Valleys: My Unexpected Journey,’ by Luke Evans
Hardcover $29, paperback $19, also Kindle and audiobook
https://www.penguin.co.uk/