Is Richard Armitage Gay? The Actor Refrains from Discussing Personal Life to Avoid Disappointing His Parents

Fans of actor Richard Armitage have wondered about his sexuality since he starred in "The Hobbit." Armitage refused to open up about his personal life, claiming he's afraid his parents would disapprove of him sharing his life with the world.

Born in Leicester, England, on August 22, 1971, Richard Crispin Armitage developed a passion for acting at a reasonably young age. While attending Pattison College in Coventry, Armitage soon found his way to the stage and was starring in plays all over the country in no time.

He eventually enrolled in LAMDA, where his love for entertaining was honed, and landed a few minor roles in popular films. His career slowly took off, and in 2002, the actor found himself opposite Sarah Smart in the BBC miniseries Sparkhouse.

Armitage found widespread international fame after being cast as Thorin Oakenshield in "The Hobbit" trilogy. His performance in these adaptations of J.R.R. Tolkien's literature won the actor a Saturn award. The "Hobbit" films also made fans wonder about Armitage's sexual orientation. Despite the speculation, the actor remains quiet about his personal life.

Rumors about Richard Armitage's Sexual Orientation First Started after the Release of 'Hobbit'

The speculation surrounding Armitage's sexuality only really took off in 2012 when his co-star, Ian McKellan, revealed that two actors who were playing dwarves in "The Hobbit" were gay. Although he didn't name Armitage specifically, many assumed McKellan was alluding to Ashley Judd's co-star in "Berlin Station."

Since the rumors started circulating online, Armitage has revealed why he prefers to keep his private life out of the public eye.

It was confirmed that Armitage's "Hobbit" co-star Lee Pace was indeed gay, but Armitage himself never commented on his sexuality. Nonetheless, many fans chose to believe that Armitage was one of the actors McKellan had hinted at, and the rumors persisted online.

One Twitter user asked: "Serious question now. Is Richard Armitage gay?" Another user responded to the question, saying, "no." Another person wrote in a Tweet, "DUDE NO IS RICHARD ARMITAGE GAY," and continued, "I don't think he is but there's internet rumours so clearly its true (sic)."

Another user responded to a question about Armitage's sexuality by simply saying, "unconfirmed." They continued, musing, "it's one of those like. everybody thinks he is but he's never actually said he is or isn't but nobody would be surprised if he was kinda moments yknow (sic)."

The online speculation was further fueled after an image was leaked showing Armitage having a meal with family over the holidays. What surprised fans was seeing Pace with Armitage in the snapshot, leading many to wonder whether they were dating at the time or merely working together.

Many users responded to an article by Queerty that shared the details of the persistent online speculation. The reactions were mixed, with many people slamming the news site for touting rumors about the personal lives of actors. It seemed many wanted to keep Armitage's privacy intact.

Richard Armitage Tries Not to Talk about His Personal Life Because of His Parents - 'They Wouldn't Be Proud of Me Anymore'

Since the rumors started circulating online, Armitage has revealed why he prefers to keep his private life out of the public eye. The actor doesn't speak about himself and his life off-screen for the sake of his mother and father. In 2020, Armitage spoke candidly about his life in an interview with The Telegraph:

"I felt like I mustn't put a foot wrong, that if I said the wrong thing or revealed too much about my personal life, it could all come crashing down, and it would come down on my parents, and they wouldn't be proud of me anymore."

At that stage, Richard Armitage was dating someone, but the actor refused to reveal any more information. Like singer Mitski, Armitage's sexuality is still a mystery. Even his social media mainly focuses on his career, and he only shares photos of his latest projects on Instagram.