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British actor Max Parker has given an exclusive interview to Attitude magazine in which he talks about his sexuality and relationship with fellow actor, Kris Mochrie.
Both Parker and Mochrie have appeared in the well-known British soap opera, Emmerdale, set in a rural, farming community in the north of England. Rumors the pair were dating began in the summer when they shared Instagram photos of themselves together on holiday.
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British tabloid, The Sun, reprinted the photos and stated the men were dating. It highlighted the fact the actors had played the roles of brothers on the soap. In fact, Parker met Mochrie on the latter’s last day of filming, before Mochrie’s character was killed off. They never actually shared any screen time together. Parker continues to play the role of Luke Posner.
Related: Actors who play brothers on TV revealed to be boyfriends in real life
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Parker did not rush to confirm the speculation (although Mochrie did confirm in an interview with The Mirror in September). Parker has now spoken out about his journey to realizing he is gay. He also says he and Mochrie recently moved in together.
“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,” Parker, 28, told Attitude. “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.”
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Parker grew up in Greater Manchester, in the north of England. He says as a child in the 90s, “the cool thing to do [was] to have girlfriends and play football”. Parker did both, even though he says his parents told him they would be supportive if he were gay. Despite this, he moved away at the age of 16 and says he began to have experiences with both other men and women in his late teens.
“I just wanted to go out and have fun and meet people who I hadn’t really been in touch with before”, he says. “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.”
“One of the main reasons why it took me quite a while to come out is because my parents are so accepting and they’ve always said to me ‘You know, if you’re gay you can tell us’, and I’m really stubborn and I don’t want to be proven ‘wrong’, so I was trying to prove to myself ‘No no, they’re wrong, I’m not gay’.”
At 18, he told some close friends he was bisexual. A couple of years later, he began dating a woman and was with her for seven years. However, after being together so long, he says he felt people were questioning why he hadn’t yet proposed. It was something he knew 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.”
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After this relationship ended, he says he then began to explore relationships 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.”
Parker says that when stories about him and Mochrie first appeared in the tabloids in July, he hadn’t come out to his grandparents. The thought of them being informed via a newspaper upset him. Fortunately, his grandma sent him a message saying, “We’re absolutely fine with it, glad you’re happy.”
Related: US ski champion Hig Roberts comes out as gay
“I think a lot of people come out in different stages”, reflects Max. “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.
“I feel comfortable now knowing that I am gay.”
Parker shared a photo from the interview shoot to his Instagram, with the caption: “This was scary! But it was time. #BeYourself”
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Read the full interview in Attitude.
AZ71
Its always easy to come out when you’re gorgeous, have a stunningly handsome boyfriend and are wealthy and a celebrity. Try coming out when you’re ugly, single and old. Not as glamorous.
curiobi
What an odd thing to say. Is coming out to loved ones ever really “glamorous?”
michael_totzke
Life throws us all challenges, AZ71 …
BridgeTunnelCom
If you read the story, they didn’t “come out” on their terms — they were outed by the tabloids. Parker did this interview to tell his story and take control of his truth. In many respects it still can be career suicide — there are many roles and opporunities that he will no longer be considered for despite being “gorgeous.”
In turn, gays who are not in the public eye can come out on their terms (more easily) and can do so without risking as much.
Either way, beauty is in the eye of the beholder and age is relative — life is what you make of it.
Essie
I don’t think anyone is truly “ugly” if they are happy, caring and have a good heart. I know that sounds trite but I really believe that. If you think you’re ugly maybe you need to work on what’s inside and your personality. Make your life what you want it to be. Nobody is going to do it for you.
barryaksarben
Well, I was not beautiful or rich or a celeb but I was young and couldnt lie to myself or others about my desires. NO ONE has it easy but what you can do is to not feel sorry for yourself develop really good friendships and you will find someone. Do not look for a perfect prince charming. Most perfect people are a little boring. I have always like guys who were a little goofy/cute. A term my friends came up with to describe the guys I liked. REAL guys are interesting with all their good and yeah bad points. Just try to find one whose bad points arent that bad and whose good points are amazing. Be the guy inside who you want and someone will want you. Do not be lazy and blame everything 100% on others. We all are a little messy but work on yourself and find someone working on themselves. DO NOT ASSUME PRETTY PEOPLE ARE HAPPY. I have known a few and usually they are as messy as the rest of us. I have had 3 long term relationships the last ending in a very happy marriage. We are old and not pretty or rich but the bond is so strong we dont need that and neither do you
Thad
Honesty is always glamorous.
barryaksarben
the perfect comment
nm4047
isn’t this just a recycled story that was featured on here 4 or 5 months ago with exactly the same pics from insta when they went on a trip together (during the northern hemisphere summer)?
bgeorge59
And we care about this couple because???
inbama
Because they’re both beautiful.
CityguyUSA
HIs abs morph with each picture. Don’t they know the body is symmetrical? Why not just put a shirt on if you have to fake it to make it?