‘Young Sheldon’ star Iain Armitage addresses sexuality rumours
Iain Armitage has addressed being asked about his sexuality since he was a child (Warner Bros. Television)
Iain Armitage has revealed that strangers sometimes approach him in public to ask: “Yo, you gay?” and his go-to comeback can be as simple as: “Not for you.”
The 18-year-old Young Sheldon star’s comments appear in Jessica Radloff’s new book Young Sheldon: The (Juicier-Than-Meemaw’s-Brisket) Inside Story of the Hit Comedy, which includes Armitage reflecting on the rumours and assumptions he has dealt with since becoming famous as a child.
Armitage played Sheldon Cooper in the CBS sitcom Young Sheldon, a prequel and spin-off to The Big Bang Theory. He began the role when he was nine, and said the speculation has ranged from who people think he is dating to strangers insisting they already know his sexuality.
“As it is, in real life I’ve also gotten everything from people thinking I’m dating specific people, like Mckenna [Grace], or people thinking I’m gay,” Armitage said.
What did Iain Armitage say about being asked ‘Yo, you gay?’
Armitage said the questions can be blunt when he is out and about.
“Sometimes people will come up to me in public and be like, ‘Yo, you gay?’ or ‘Man, you dating anyone?’” he said.
He added that his response depends on who is asking and how the conversation is going.
“It depends on the person and what they’re saying, but if it’s a guy asking if I’m gay, I’ll say, ‘Not for you.’ Or ‘I haven’t found the right guy yet.’”
How Armitage sets boundaries when strangers ask about dating
Armitage also shared how he handles questions that try to steer him into talking about girlfriends or his love life.
“People will say, ‘Yo, man, do you get a lot of girls? Do you have a girlfriend?’ and I’ll say something funny to make someone laugh and divert the conversation. Or, ‘That’s private, dude, don’t ask that.’”
In 2023, Abbott Elementary star Tyler James Williams also spoke about why speculation about his sexuality can be harmful, in a Pride message shared with his followers on Instagram.
