Norman Reedus is an American actor best known to fans for portraying the iconic role of Daryl Dixon in “The Walking Dead”. He was born on January 6, 1969, in Hollywood, Florida to a simple middle-class family. After studying for a semester at Bethany College, Reedus moved to Tokyo, where he lived for a year before moving back to California. The budding actor worked in multiple creative roles, such as a painter or photographer, before finally finding his calling in acting.
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Reedus made his movie debut in Guillermo del Toro’s 1997 sci-fi horror film “Mimic”. He then went on to play Murphy MacManus in “The Boondock Saints” and “The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day” in 1999 and 2009 respectively. In between those films, Reedus was cast in minor roles for “Blade II” and the fantasy drama series “Charmed”. It wasn’t until he snagged the role of Daryl Dixon for AMC’s “The Walking Dead” that Reedus got his big break.
The 2010 post-apocalyptic show was based on a comic book series of the same name. Apparently, Reedus’ character didn’t appear in the original ensemble of characters, but the show’s creators loved the actor’s audition so much that they created the role just for him. Reedus’ portrayal of Daryl immediately hailed him as a fan favorite and earned him a Saturn Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Although the show concluded in 2022, the actor is set to lead his own spin-off series in late 2023.
As “The Walking Dead” became the highest-rated show in cable history, millions of fans across the world were eager to know the man behind Daryl Dixon. Reedus’ popularity rose to new heights with many queries filling online forums about his dating history and sexuality. The speculations didn’t escape his on-screen character as well. So, is Norman Reedus gay? Let’s answer the question once and for all.
VOTE: What is Norman Reedus’s Sexuality?
Norman Reedus’ Relationship Timelines
Unlike his Hollywood contemporaries, Norman Reedus is notoriously private about his personal life. However, he is known within his circles for being quite the ladies’ man. One look at his dating history and one will see a long list of beautiful women. But despite numerous romantic links through the years, Reedus has only been in two serious relationships.
Norman Reedus and Helen Christensen (1998-2003)
In 1998, Reedus met model and photographer, Helen Christensen, during a dinner with mutual friends. The actor later admitted to Nylon Magazine that he felt “cowardly” during his meeting with the supermodel.
When she came into the restaurant, I didn’t wanna look at her. She was sitting right across the table, and I didn’t want to look at her, because I knew if we started up a conversation, it would be serious from that time on. I was just cowardly.”
Norman Reedus to Nylon, 1999
The pair immediately hit it off and welcomed their first child, Mingus, the following year. Contrary to popular belief, the couple never married and parted ways in 2003. However, they remained very good friends and co-parents to their son. When asked about his ex-partner in interviews, Reedus has nothing but good words to say about the model.
In 2018, Reedus and Christensen celebrated their son’s high school graduation and shared a selfie to commemorate the event.
Norman Reedus and Diane Kruger (2016-Present)
Reedus first met co-star Diane Kruger during the filming of “Sky” in 2015. Around that time, Kruger was still in a long-term relationship with Dawson’s Creek actor Joshua Jackson, who also starred in the film. The following year, Kruger split from Jackson and rumors started circulating when she was spotted at Reedus’ photography exhibit.
After several sightings together, the pair indirectly confirmed their relationship when they were snapped holding hands and sharing a kiss on the streets of New York City. Almost three years after their first meeting, the couple made their red carpet debut during the Golden Globes and even shared a kiss in front of the cameras a few days later.
In November 2018, Reedus and Kruger had their daughter, Nova. By 2021, engagement rumors were swirling but the couple didn’t issue any comment until Kruger appeared at the Met Gala. As she walked in her hot pink heels, the actress also showed off a square-cut diamond ring on her finger, seemingly confirming the news.
Reedus and Kruger are still together and celebrating their sixth anniversary in 2023.
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Norman Reedus on Daryl Dixon’s Sexuality
While Norman Reedus is publicly straight, he won’t shy away from portraying gay characters. In an interview with Conan in 2015, he was asked about the possibility of playing his character, Daryl Dixon, as gay. According to the actor, the topic was actually brought up during the early seasons since there was so much room for the character’s background.
Reedus shared that he wasn’t afraid of playing the macho character as gay. In fact, the actor claimed that he would “rock that story.” The storyline would make sense considering Daryl’s lack of interest towards the opposite sex. Reedus’ enthusiasm for portraying his character came as a nice surprise after multiple fake reports surfaced regarding the actor’s alleged resistance to LGBTQ representation. The actor himself denied the news and called it “BS.”
Is Norman Reedus Gay?
No, Norman Reedus is not gay. He is currently engaged to Diane Kruger and they share a daughter together. The actor also has a son with his ex-partner, Helen Christensen. Although Reedus likely identifies as straight, the actor has shared multiple times that he has no problem portraying gay characters.