No surprises here: We’re obsessed with Obsession, Netflix‘s new erotic thriller miniseries that has convinced us to always think twice before laying our heads down on a hotel pillow…
As a celebrated neurosurgeon who begins a dangerous affair with his son’s new girlfriend, Richard Armitage makes quite a splash in the series, especially because he lets it all hang out for the role.
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Obsession definitely marks a big moment for the English thespian who’s been working in film and television for the past 25 years. He had an unforgettable arc late in the Hannibal TV series’ run, and even showed up in Ocean’s Eight, but Armitage is probably still best known as “dwarf king” Thorin Oakenshield in The Hobbit trilogy.
You know, this guy (though to be fair, he’s not very recognizable under all that hair and makeup!):
Speaking of The Hobbit, while those films were in production, rumors began to swirl about Armitage’s sexuality after Sir Ian McKellen let slip that a number of his co-stars were gay, including actors who played “two of the dwarves.” Some folks even thought he and co-star Lee Pace were secretly dating at the time.
While Armitage long kept quiet about the subject and avoided discussing his personal life in interviews (as is his right, we should add!), all the new press around Obsession has inspired him to open up in a new way.
In conversation with Radio Times magazine, the actor reflects on coming out to the people in his life when he was a teen and why he didn’t want to talk about it publicly for so long:
“[Coming out] happened when I was 19–to anybody who mattered–and I was always waiting for that question to punch me in the face, and it never did,” Armitage says. “I thought, ‘Are people being polite, or is it that they don’t want to know?’”
He continues: “I don’t know that I ever wanted to put myself in front of the work I was doing, anything about my family or personal life. I just thought, ‘Let the work speak for itself’.”
Related:
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But, he adds, “we’re not all so lucky to get the free pass in life.”
But, over time, Armitage’s feelings have clearly changed. In a separate interview with The Evening Standard, he discusses filming Obsession‘s more revealing scenes and says he did give his partner a head’s up about going full-frontal:
“We did talk about it. I reassured him that it was all going to be fine, and we were being well looked after.”
While we don’t have any clarity on how Armitage identifies exactly, this is the first time he has publicly used male pronouns when discussing his partner, which is huge!
So what’s inspired the actor to open up more at this point in his career? He credits the younger generations, who have proven to be much more open about sexuality and gender.
“I love the conversation with the younger generation,” he tells Radio Times. “I love the idea that whatever gender, sexuality, the fluidity of who you love, how you identify, is not fixed.”
Related:
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“That was always a thing: If I declare who I am and my sexuality, then I’m saying it’s fixed and I don’t know that, or if I might feel something for somebody further down the line. I doubt it, but I don’t know. It’s more relaxed now. As a writer and producer, I do wonder if anybody has to be defined by who they’re in love with.”
So, there you have it! Our new favorite TV daddy (who is not a daddy in real life—as far as we know) is part of the community! We’re selfishly excited, but also proud of the journey Armitage has been on and glad he’s at a point where he feels more comfortable talking about his sexuality. Good for him!
Obsession is now streaming exclusively on Netflix.
Max
I’ve been crushing on him for some time. yay, he plays on our team!
bigdandd
I am right there with you. I have followed his career for quite sometime myself. ALWAYS thought he was hot and crushable. I am however, somewhat surprised to find out that he is indeed on our team. I would like MORE about Richard than this obsession with Pascal though. Enough already with that guy! How long do some of these people have to wait before this fame crazy individual comes out?
FreedomZZ
HAHA, that’s funny to me.
wikidBSTN
He never lit up my gaydar. I’ll have to take it in for a tune up.
CatholicXXX
Does it even count as full frontal when it’s a prosthetic?
CKNJ
He said it himself that it is all him, not prosthetic.
meghanada
Richard is gay. The only idea he loves all the talk of fluidity is because he can’t alienate fangirls by saying he’d never be attracted by a single one of them.
Troyfight
@meghandada Surely you know this is true.
charlietex
If I were his male partner, I’d be more worried and annoyed with him that in the process of acknowledging me, he also said that he might decide he’d rather date a woman in the future.
mujerado
I don’t see him saying “rather.” I see him saying merely that he doesn’t know how he might react to a given person. It’s important not to put words or ideas into people’s mouths.
Bob M
Weren’t there rumors a few years back that he and Luke Evans were a couple before HE offcially came out?
DBMC
Luke Evans was out, then went in, then came out again.
50 50
I think you’re talking about Richard and Lee Pace. They are good friends but never confirmed as anything more.
DBMC
Nice! I’ve had a crush on him for quite a while. Such a good actor!
KellyRobinsonJr
WOOF DADDY!
e_ddee
I’ve nursed my huge crush on Thorin for so long!
This makes me so happy, beyond words.
JJinAus
Hmm, like others, he never pinged gay to me. Just well spoken. My gaydar needs a tune. He is a hottie though, glad he’s on our team, even though out of reach. I really enjoyed his performances, notably, Vicar of Dibley and Spooks.
bigdandd
Well I sat through ALL four episodes of this series and saw NO full frontal of Richard. There were plenty of butt shots of him, but no peepee that I could catch. I hated the son’s fiancee from the git-go! The film with Jeremy Irons was so much better. I expected more, but it didn’t measure up to the original film.