Known to many as Jamal's boyiend Michael on the hugely popular seri 'Empire' (Fox, 2015-), Rafael la Fuente was born Caras, Venezuela 1986. By the age of ne, la Fuente was already sgg the church choir and by 19, he was mted to makg performance his life's work. He emigrated to the U.S. to study theater at the Universy of Tampa, where he earned his BA 2009, and began actg on stage at the nearby Falk Theater. Eventually, la Fuente land his first on screen role, appearg an episo of the telenovela 'Fallg Angel' (Telemundo, 2009-) 2009. Two years later, he was st as Diego on the kids seri 'Grachi' (Nick Lato, 2011-). He would follow this up wh another role on a show for youngsters, playg Jul on the Nickeloon seri 'Every Wch Way' (Nickeloon, 2014-2018), addn to appearanc films like 'The One I Wrote for You' (2014) and 'Lift Me Up' (2015). De la Fuente began appearg on 'Empire' 2015, and quickly beme a fan favore, receivg untls msag via social media om fans who were grateful to him for helpg to portray a gay relatnship whout succumbg to clichés or stereotyp. Eventually, la Fuente would expand his prence on primetime TV, jog the st of the reboot of the nighttime soap 'Dynasty' (CW, 2017-).
Contents:
- DYNASTY’S RAFAEL: “I SUPPRSED BEG GAY UNTIL I WAS 20”
- Q&A: RAFAEL DE LA FUENTE RETURNS TO ‘EMPIRE’ AS HALF OF POWER GAY UPLE #JAMICHAEL
- RAFAEL LA FUENTE TALKS 'EMPIRE,' GAY UPL ON TV, MAKG MIC
- TRAILER: EPIC MISERI ‘WHEN WE RISE’ TELLS THE HISTORY OF GAY RIGHTS & DON’T LEAVE OUT POC
DYNASTY’S RAFAEL: “I SUPPRSED BEG GAY UNTIL I WAS 20”
Bgrafía Rafael La Fuente cluyendo fotos fancia/leg y grabacn la primera vez en la tv + históri etnia y hechos sobre ser gay/hetero. * rafael de la fuente gay in real life *
Speakg a Pri chat wh trans actrs Ivory Aquo, he explaed that took him many years to fally be te to himself as he stggled to feel fortable about beg gay. “I always knew [I was gay] om a very young age, ” he said. I never really told myself ‘I’m gay’.
Rafael went on to expla that durg his time at uni, he was endured mental heath issu bee he found a hard time to feel fortable enough to adm to himself he was gay1 “I was llege.
I didn’t grow up around any gay people that I knew were out.
Q&A: RAFAEL DE LA FUENTE RETURNS TO ‘EMPIRE’ AS HALF OF POWER GAY UPLE #JAMICHAEL
* rafael de la fuente gay in real life *
I didn’t have anyone gay I uld look up to. “When I was about to graduate, I started lookg up people tellg their g out stori and I started to see gay people beg happy and succsful, talkg about thgs I had felt.
Whe gay men have privilege over black gay men, immigrant gay, bi and lbian people al wh different issu than their Amerin-born unter parts.. Whe gay men have privilege over black gay men, immigrant gay, bi and lbian people al wh different issu than their Amerin-born unter parts.
He was proud to play a gay character. “Empire” is one of the many shows that have gone ahead to clu gay characters, and Rafael playg a gay mory character uld not have been prour. Many actors have been assumed to be gay after playg gay characters.
RAFAEL LA FUENTE TALKS 'EMPIRE,' GAY UPL ON TV, MAKG MIC
People like Sean Penn, Eddie Cibrian, and Eric Stontreet put on such an imprsive performance that some fans speculated they were gay. While the are all straight men playg gay characters, Rafael is not. “Empire” was the first show which Rafael was portrayg a gay character, so he felt he need to prepare for like he would any other role.
TRAILER: EPIC MISERI ‘WHEN WE RISE’ TELLS THE HISTORY OF GAY RIGHTS & DON’T LEAVE OUT POC
Thereafter, the 36-year-old Venezuelan actor and sger has land rol a uple of films and televisn shows, cludg portrayg the gay male versn of Sam Jon (origally known as Sammy Jo Carrgton, portrayed by Heather Locklear) The CW’s ‘Dynasty’ reboot. In real life, Rafael is openly gay, and he is reportedly prevly married to Atralian actor Hugh Sheridan. “I always knew [I was gay] om a very young age.
I never really told myself ‘I’m gay’. Durg an terview, la Fuente, 28, talked about the posive feedback he’s received om viewers on Empire featurg a gay character, and why he feels ’s so important to have Lato creators workg on TV shows wh Lato rol. On playg a gay character.
You do get a few haters out there on Twter, but gay kids send me private msag all the time sayg how much they appreciate what we are dog and how they have gathered the urage to e out to their parents or even start a nversatn wh them bee of the show. Fay members of gay people have reached out and said, “Thank you for such an hont portrayal of a gay uple. Have you ever played a gay character before?