Luke Evans on the Importance of Being a Visible Gay Man Report by Mccallumj. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
00:00You look absolutely amazing by the way. Thanks. You look so good. I mean it feels quite early.
00:03Well they said summer chic. Why do you wear summer chic? So I'm wearing a vest under a jacket, under a suit.
00:08But you need that because it's like so hot as well. It's lovely though, isn't it?
00:11This is such a special event. It's a dream. I love that. It's so exciting. I mean I saw Titan 8 last night.
00:16I'm here today. Oh you did? Oh I'm so jealous. Have you seen it? No.
00:20So I had that. It's obviously Pride tomorrow. It's just a big celebration isn't it?
00:24Wow what a few days yeah. How does it feel to be part of the celebration?
00:28I'm very fortunate that we're in London. I'm not here very much that much so it just perfectly fitted into my time here and it's just nice to come and you know just be around amazing queer people who've you know pushed the needle, done good things, are doing good things and are making a difference and we have to celebrate the positivity right in our community, in fact everybody's community and this is a moment to do that for us.
00:58I'm very proud of it and it's nice to be here and it's nice to be here and to give my award to the person I'm giving it to is a really lucky thing, a lovely thing to do.
01:08Well you're a pride icon to me so how does it feel knowing that people maybe look up to you as well because representation matters you have to see yourself right?
01:16Yeah I mean I'm hyper aware of you know what I say and what I do and how I live my life and how visible I am and sends a message you know and I'm aware of that.
01:30I mean I released my autobiography last Christmas it's just been translated into Spanish and the messages I've received because of that book and it's just my journey right there's nothing it's not sensational it's just my journey from a little kid in South Wales grown up in a very strict religious background
01:49and I accomplished this what I've done with my life but also I'm gay in a world that wasn't necessarily you know open to being you know a visible gay man in a film industry so you know it's a it's a message
02:03and I think it's our responsibility if we have that profile or that platform to use it use it good and send out a good message to the younger generation to any generation you know we all need a little bit of positivity and
02:16I'm here to go I'm here to say you can achieve what you want you you can have dreams and nothing about you who you are should ever hinder that or stop that.
02:26I pop goosebumps you're going to make me cry like oh my goodness but just finally I know you've kind of mentioned it there but what does pride mean to you why is it so important
02:33for you? Well it's firstly it's an ongoing fight for not just equality not just the political side of it but it's about being able to walk down a street and be yourself you know wear what you want be who you want love who you want talk the way you want there's so much about pride and how you feel inside you know that fear is the opposite of pride
03:02pride and there is still fear in many parts of our society for the queer community and to be proud is a very strong word pride being bold being confident and I think that's what this is about being proud is to stand strong with a straight back and look someone in the eye and be you know that to me is what being proud is about and we still have a long way to go but we're definitely
03:29I feel as an observer and as part of this community that it's definitely moving in the right direction and long may that last oh and long may that accent last I could listen to it all day I absolutely love it yours too my love
03:44so nice to see you lovely to see you take care and maybe see you pride if I survive
