Richard Madden is a Scottish actor who has captivated audiences with his remarkable talent and charismatic presence. Born on June 18, 1986, in Elderslie, Renfrewshire, Madden embarked on a path of acting early in his life. He rose to prominence through his portrayal of Robb Stark, the noble and heroic character in the acclaimed television series “Game of Thrones.”
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Madden’s ability to bring depth and vulnerability to his roles has garnered him widespread recognition and critical acclaim. His performances showcase a range of emotions, seamlessly transitioning between intensity and sensitivity. In addition to his breakout role in “Game of Thrones,” Madden has showcased his talents in various film and television projects, including “Cinderella,” “Rocketman,” and “Bodyguard.”
With his undeniable talent, Richard Madden has established himself as a versatile and compelling actor, captivating audiences with his on-screen presence and leaving a lasting impression in the world of entertainment. But due to his portrayal of gay characters in notable projects, fans have speculated about the actor’s sexuality. So, is Richard Madden gay? Let’s find out.
VOTE: What is Richard Madden’s Sexuality?
Richard Madden’s Sexuality: How The Gay Rumors Started
Speculations about Richard Madden’s sexuality started when he was spotted holding hands with Brandon Flynn in Los Angeles sometime in 2019.
When the New York Times directly asked him about the dating rumor, the Rocketman star responded nonchalantly and vaguely, further fueling the speculation.
New York Times reporter Kyle Buchanan said that “Madden shrugged, unbothered by the question but in no hurry to answer it, either.”
I just keep my personal life personal. I’ve never talked about my relationships.”
Richard Madden, New York Times, 2019
“He’s working on a way to deter paparazzi interest in who he’s seen with,” added Kyle Buchanan.
I wear the same clothes days in a row, because if it looks like the same day, they can’t run the pictures. There’s only so many photos you can have of me with a green juice walking down the street.”
Richard Madden, New York Times, 2019
Brandon Flynn, who came out as a member of the LGBTQ community in 2017, responded to the rumors by saying that he felt scandalized.
It’s all just something to egg on some sort of rumor cycle that will just keep going around until you finally get something that will actually just make it all true or false. So, it’s hard not to feel scandalized. It feels like a slight. But no one wants to write that article or read that article that would be like, ‘Oh! Brandon is with this person and we are so happy for them.’”
Brandon Flynn, Variety, 2019
The actor also said that there would be less speculation about them if he was a woman.
There’s always something behind it and there’s always some sort of scandal that wants to be revealed, and that’s frustrating. And in fact, it wouldn’t be there if I was with a woman.”
Brandon Flynn, Variety, 2019
Richard Madden’s willingness to take on queer roles has also likely contributed to the rumors about his sexuality. In 2019, he portrayed the character of John Reid, Elton John’s manager, in the biopic “Rocketman.” The bed scene between Madden and Taron Egerton in the film was said to have made Hollywood history.
What an honor. If it’s an important cultural moment I’m grateful to be part of it.”
Taron Egerton told NewNowNext
Richard Madden also stated that the bed scenes were crucial to the plot as it was the first time that Elton makes love.
What the scene is about is two people being in love and that’s what we tried to achieve in the scene, an intimacy between two people.”
Richard Madden explained
We shot a scene where we are both naked on a bed and we are rolling around. I don’t really know how much further we could have gone.”
Taron Egerton said in an interview with Attitude magazine
In the script, this is the scene of Elton losing his virginity and we wanted to try to do that justice, and also at that point their relationship hasn’t broken down yet. They were falling in love and it’s beautiful because it should be. We didn’t want to play like they were a couple who were eventually going to fall apart, we wanted to play it like two guys in their early twenties who are falling in love and who are incredibly sexually attracted to each other.”
Egerton added
In addition to the iconic bed scene, Richard Madden portrays Ikaris in the 2021 superhero film “Eternals,” marking the first openly gay character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The actor expressed his excitement when he learned about the role.
I think it’s hugely important, just the cast is so diverse. I’m a white male actor and not in the majority of this cast. I’m the minority, which is important in terms of diversity in filmmaking. I think Marvel are really at the forefront of that.”
Richard Madden
Everything — from his dating rumors with Brandon Flynn to the queer roles he has taken in the past — has contributed to the gay rumors that have been swirling around his name for years. Now let’s look at his relationships to get to know the actor better.
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Richard Madden’s Relationships
Richard Madden and Jenna Coleman (2011 – 2015)
Richard Madden was in an on-and-off relationship with Jenna Coleman for four years. They started dating in 2011 and ended their relationship for good in 2015. Although the couple kept their relationship low-key, Richard mentioned once that he visited Jenna on the set of “Doctor Who”.
I mean, I’ve watched Doctor Who since I was a kid. I loved it, and I still love it. I can geek out about it, like when I go to set and see the TARDIS. I was selfie-ing the shit out of it and sending it to my dad! ‘Look, it’s me in the TARDIS!’ I thought it was the coolest thing ever.”
Richard Madden told Vulture
Richard Madden and Laura Whitmore (2016)
The actor also dated TV presenter Laura Whitmore in 2016; however, their romance was short-lived due to their busy schedules.
Laura knows the Game of Thrones cast well, especially Kit [Harington], and got to know Richard through those connections. She has been telling friends she is excited by the new romance. It’s still early days, but it is already clear they really like each other. Richard immediately felt a connection and thinks this could go somewhere, there’s real chemistry between them. He has done much of the wooing but they’re both keen.”
a source told The Sun
Richard Madden and Suki Waterhouse (2016)
There were also rumors that Richard hooked up with Suki Waterhouse in 2016 following his split with Laura, but these rumors were never confirmed.
The Rocketman star was also in a relationship with Ellie Bamber. They began dating in 2017 and they were quite into each other at first. However, their relationship faced difficulties after about a year and a half. Despite attempting couples therapy to salvage their relationship, they ultimately broke up sometime in 2019.
They’re both absolutely gutted but it was a decision made for the best. They were arguing almost daily toward the end and, despite considering couples therapy, it became evident there were far too many issues that could not be fixed.”
a source told The Sun
Richard is the toast of Hollywood at the moment and understandably wants to let his hair down. Ellie is a bit quieter and wants to focus purely on her work. It felt like their day-to-day lives were increasingly becoming worlds apart. They were pretty inseparable from the day they met—and their friends and family had all merged—so obviously everyone around them is gutted too. But both Ellie and Richard hope to remain friends.”
the source added
Richard Madden and Brandon Flynn (2019)
Fans believed that Richard Madden was also in a relationship with his ex-roommate Brandon Flynn, who is openly gay. However, neither of them confirmed nor denied the speculation surrounding their relationship.
The Eternals star is reportedly single at the moment.
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Is Richard Madden Gay?
Although fans believed that Richard Madden dated Brandon Flynn, who is openly gay, neither of them confirmed nor denied the relationship. The actor remained tight-lipped about his sexuality, making it difficult to determine if rumors about him being bisexual are true. However, based on his confirmed relationships, it is reasonable to assume that he is straight.