Ricky Martin talks marriage, American Crime Story and facing up to his sexuality
The actor and pop icon opens up in a world-exclusive interview in Attitude's May Issue.
By Will Stroude
He might be winning plaudits for his role as Gianni Versace’s former partner Antonio D’Amico in The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story, but for Ricky Martin, every part on Ryan Murphy’s hit drama series feels personal.
In a world-exclusive interview in Attitude’s May Issue – available to download, in shops from Thursday (March 29) and with a second special cover featuring Kylie Minogue – the Puerto Rican actor and pop icon admits the story of a globally-renowned star living his life secrecy hit seriously close to home.
Ricky, who ended years of speculation about his sexuality when he came out as gay in 2010, admits he recognised from personal experience the oppressive atmosphere of homophobia that bubbles not far beneath the surface of American Crime Story: Versace.
“The level of injustice that we as a community were dealing with back then was heavy. I played every role before I even started working on this project,” the 46-year-old ‘Livin’ Las Vida Loca’ singer says.
Ricky Martin is photographed exclusively for Attitude’s May Issue by Tony Duran.
“I was a closeted gay man who was making my partners hide. I had relationships with other men who were in the closet and I had other relationships with men who were not in the closet but because of me went back into the closet.
“And so I’m re-living everything that I did.”
Martin, who is father to 9-year-old twins Matteo and Valentino and married his partner, Swedish artist Jwan Yosef, in a secret ceremony last year, goes on to reveal tat it wasn’t just his romantic relationships which suffered because of his struffle to accept his sexuality.
“I submitted myself to my career completely. I didn’t open doors to new relationships, and I’m not talking about romantic relationships, I’m talking about any relationship, because I didn’t want people to know me too much,” he explains.
“I wouldn’t even sit down and have a cool relationship with amazing producers or great film directors because I was afraid that if they spent more than two hours sitting with me they would know my nature.
“I wasted so much energy trying to manipulate my sexuality.”
Check out Ricky’s full shoot and read his world-exclusive interview the Attitude’s May Issue, which also comes with second cover featuring Kylie Minogue. Buy in print, subscribe or download.
