Fool Me Once star Richard Armitage opens up about ‘physical, violent’ homophobic bullying
"You learn really early in your life that you're worth less than the s*** on somebody's shoe because someone told you that," the actor said of his childhood experiences
By Dale Fox
Actor Richard Armitage has spoken out about the homophobic bullying he endured as a child and its lasting impact on his life.
In an interview with The Times published yesterday (18 August), the 53-year-old star of The Hobbit and Spooks shared details of his experiences growing up near Leicester.
Armitage disclosed that the bullying began when he was just four years old, triggered by his interest in song and dance. “It was physical, violent and verbal,” he said, describing how the persecution continued through both primary and secondary school.
The actor revealed that his peers seemed to identify his sexuality before he did. “They probably knew before I did, which I think is also quite sad,” Armitage said. He also recounted a conversation with his mother where he struggled to understand the labels being applied to him.
“I do remember having a conversation with my mum: ‘Mum, they’re saying this word about me.’ And she said, ‘Oh, that’s not you. You’re a big strong boy. That’s not who you are.’”
“You learn really early in your life that you’re worth less than the shit on somebody’s shoe because someone told you that”
Armitage explained that the bullying has had long-term effects on his self-esteem. “You learn really early in your life that you’re worth less than the shit on somebody’s shoe because someone told you that,” he stated, adding: “And you are unlearning that throughout the rest of your life – it’s still an ongoing process.”
The interview coincides with the upcoming release of Armitage’s second novel, The Cut, which draws inspiration from his experiences with bullying. The book will be available as an audiobook on Audible from 22 August.
Armitage came out publicly last year, speaking about his male partner in a series of interviews.
Speaking to Radio Times, he shared that he came out “to anybody who mattered” when he was 19.
“I was always waiting for that question to punch me in the face, and it never did,” he added. “I thought, ‘Are people being polite, or is it that they don’t want to know?’”
Armitage also shared that he didn’t speak about his sexuality as he didn’t want to put his personal life in front of the work, noting: “I just thought, ‘Let the work speak for itself’.”