Colton Haynes Comes Out, Discusses Life After Arrow

An extensive Entertainment Weekly profile and interview of Colton Haynes (Roy Harper) at EW.com, with a longer piece in this week’s print issue, saw the actor talking about his Arrow departure in Season 3; the profile could also be taken as Colton’s official “coming out” as a gay man.

But first, Colton discussed his leaving the popular Arrow head-on.

“I asked to step away because I cared more about my mental and physical health than my career at the time,” Colton told EW. “I’ve had terminal anxiety my entire life. Physically ill, fainting. I’m 27 years old, and I have an ulcer. I had to step back.” After leaving Arrow, Colton stayed in the public eye with social media, but that also caused some trouble for the actor, including a Tumblr post that launched hundreds of headlines, when a fan made a comment about Colton’s “secret gay past” that made him ask “Was it a secret?”

Bloggers took the headline as Colton coming out — but that wasn’t the case… yet, at least.

“It was a complete shock. I wasn’t ready to be back in the headlines,” Haynes told EW, while confirming that he is indeed gay. “I should have made a comment or a statement, but I just wasn’t ready. I didn’t feel like I owed anyone anything. I think in due time, everyone has to make those decisions when they’re ready, and I wasn’t yet. But I felt like I was letting people down by not coming forward with the rest of what I should have said,” he said. Colton’s anxiety got worse and he was checked into rehab for the anxiety and would frequently be back in the hospital for three months.

Thankfully, after Colton had those troubling times, EW’s profile says there is now a positive energy around Haynes, who is open to many opportunities, including a return to Arrow. “Working for Greg [Berlanti] was the greatest experience of my life, and when he offered me Arrow, it was a new beginning for me. I would love to do more,” he said. “They know I love them. I’d go back in a second.”

As for how Colton is doing now? “It took me so long to get to this point, but I’m doing so good,” he told EW. “I’m happier than I’ve ever been, and healthier than I’ve ever been, and that’s what I care about.”

You can read the entire EW profile here.

Here at GATV, we rarely comment on the personal lives of the actors, but in this case, we are very proud of Colton — who has always been a friend of the site — for speaking honestly and openly and hopefully knowing that he is appreciated by those who watch his work. Everything you read about what a nice person he is, is actually true. Here’s hoping Roy Harper comes back sooner rather than later!