Garrett Clayton, whose classic good looks and acting talents are best recognized from Teen Beach Movie and Hairspray Live, came out as gay on Monday (Aug. 20) in a powerful Instagram post. He also introduced his boyfriend, writer Blake Knight.
In a caption of a car selfie, he discussed his personal relationship to his upcoming movie, Reach, in which he stars as a socially awkward teenager who plans on committing suicide after extensive bullying. On why he took the project on, Clayton wrote that the film “deals with some very serious and timely topics that have affected me personally, and have likely influenced many of your lives as well.”
“When I read the script for REACH, I immediately knew it was a film I had to be a part of,” he continued. “I have personally dealt with suicide within my own family, intense bullying in high school, and – on top of it all – myself and the man I’ve been in a relationship with for a long time (@hrhblakeknight) have both experienced shootings within our hometown school systems, and have witnessed the heartache that takes place in affected communities after such tragic events.”
He ended his message by stressing the importance of the subjects touched on in the film. “This film has come from the perspectives of people who care deeply about these issues, and if watching it helps even one person… then it was all worth it.”
See the full post below.