Richard Madden on Brandon Flynn dating rumours: ‘I keep my personal life personal’
The 'Bodyguard' star was asked whether and and Flynn were an item by The New York Times this week.
By Will Stroude
Okay, let’s get something out of the way: While there’s been plenty of speculation on social media and in the tabloids about the nature of Richard Madden and Brandon Flynn’s relationship since the pair were pictured with their arms around each other in LA earlier this year, it’s not something we here at Attitude felt any need to comment on.
Why? Because first off, we don’t believe in (possibly) outing people, and second, because doing so might feed into the false idea that a gay man like Brandon can’t just be platonic friends with a (as far as we know) straight man like Richard.
However, it’s encouraging to know that Madden, who can currently be seen starring opposite Taron Egerton in acclaimed Elton John biopic Rocketman, has no qulams about people speculating over his sexuality or nature of his relationship with 13 Reason Why star Flynn. You know, exactly how it should be.
The Scottish actor, 32, was asked outright by The New York Times whether he and Flynn, 25, were an item during a recent cover profile, yet rather than try to shut down the rumours or try to reassert his ‘public identity’ as a heterosexual man, he answered in the exact same way he’d respond to any other question about his private life.
Check out the below, from the New York Times:
Tabloid interest in his personal life has increased, too: Madden, who was in a relationship with the actress Jenna Coleman until last year, has recently been photographed several times with the actor Brandon Flynn, who used to date the singer Sam Smith.
Are the two men an item?
Madden shrugged, unbothered by the question but in no hurry to answer it, either. “I just keep my personal life personal,” he said.
“I’ve never talked about my relationships.”
Whatever you make of the rumours, it’s certainly refreshing to know that Madden, whose profile in both the UK and US has exploded since his acclaimed turn in Bodyguard last year, doesn’t feel the need to scream ‘I’m straight dammit!’ from the rooftops as he seeks to crack Hollywood.
The former Game of Thrones star, who as well as former Doctor Who star Coleman has been linked with TV presenter Laura Whitmore, model Suki Waterhouse, and actress/model Ellie Bamber over the last few years, is currently shooting Sam Mendes’s First World War drama 1917 in London.
Meanwhile, Flynn, who came out publicly in 2017 before dating Sam Smith for nine months, is set to reprise his role as Justin Foley when teen drama 13 Reasons Why returns for a third season on Netflix later this year.