Lukas Gage Is Having a Moment, but Says 'Authenticity Is Expensive'

As for his sexuality, he tells Attitude, he recalls being bullied for being gay and covering it up with girlfriends. "I'm grateful and privileged that my family were for the most part amazing, and it was smooth. I grew up bullied for it but always covered with girlfriends. My friends were all great. The only backlash was from strangers online or in life. I try not to read anything online, but we all do."

And he expresses empathy for "Heartstopper" star Kit Connor being 'bullied' into coming out at just 18 years old after playing Nick in the Netflix series. "I remember, it was the same time people were coming for me, they were coming for Kit [Connor]. "Feeling bullied into coming out at 18 years old? That area where public and private intersect is so confusing to me."

He explains to Attitude that issues of coming out as an actor is a complicated one, along with that of straight actors playing gay roles. Before he acknowledged his sexuality, he recalls being called out for taking a gay role away from a gay actor. "I was dealing with people coming for me, being like, 'Why is he stealing a gay role? He's just a straight guy, how dare he, blah blah blah.'"

He sees it two ways. "I'm in the camp where there's of course certain scenarios,' Lukas said of who should play gay characters. It's an injustice to not cast with diversity and inclusion, to tell the most authentic story.

He then adds: "In other less specific cases, it's important to remember it is acting, and we should be free to play as many different kinds of roles as possible. There has to be grace and generosity. I don't like it when people do a witch hunt for people for doing it."

And cautions: "I want to have visibility, to be a role model. I want little kids to see me and think, 'He's doing it – I could do it too.' But it's also the thing Tina Fey said, 'Authenticity is expensive'"