Is Richard Madden Gay or Bisexual?

Richard Madden Gay Bi Rumors Explored

Is Richard Madden gay or bi? This is a question many fans of the Scottish actor have asked in recent years. A big reason behind the questions relates to his role as Rob Stark on the smash hit HBO series Game of Thrones.

Given your interest in the actor, you may have landed on this page because you want to know who Richard Madden has dated, if he has a girlfriend (or boyfriend), and any indication of his sexual orientation.

If this describes you, then keep reading! You are about to take a deep dive into all things Richard Madden as we explore if the man is gay or bi. At the end, we've also included a poll just for fun.

Richard Madden Background

Born: June 18, 1986, Elderslie, Scotland, United Kingdom

Height: 5’10

Eye Color: Blue

Zodiac Sign: Gemini Man

Shoe Size: 11.5 (rumored)

Body Type: Athletic

Richard Madden: Roles and Gay Rumors

Richard Madden is best known for his role on Game of Thrones, but the actor’s credits pre-date his 2011-2013 appearances on the show by many years.

It is fair to say he got his true first break when he was cast for the part of Sebastian on the television series Barmy Aunt Boomerang. His part on BBC1 spanned 20 episodes between 1991 and 200. While the show may have been short-lived, people began taking note of the actor.

Later, Richard would accept parts with much wider audiences. Examples include his role as Prince Kit in Disney’s 2015 version of Cinderella and as David Budd in BBC’s 2018 movie, Bodyguard.

In fact, his performance as David Budd earned him a Golden Globe award for Best Actor.

Other roles would include John Reid in the 2019 Elton John biopic called Rocketman. Many attribute the gay and bi rumors to this particular role because of his convincing role ability to play the part of Elton John’s ex-boyfriend.

Here is the truth. Anytime an actor appears in a movie with gay characters, has a queer theme, or has a same-sex relationship, questions about that star’s sexual orientation pop up.

An example can be found here where people have asked if Channing Tatum is gay, bi, or straight.

Is Richard Madden Gay, Bisexual, or Straight?

The central question many want to know relates to this actor’s sexual orientation. Because of his many roles over the years with a gay-bi vibe, it makes sense people like you are curious.

This is particularly true in light of his work on Rocketman and Ikaris in Eternals. See this YouTube video on the gay scene between Madden and Taron Egerton.

But here is the thing. Richard is ridiculously quiet about his private life and shares very little about his dating life with the press.

In May of 2019, Madden was asked by The Guardian about actors who are (assumed) straight but play gay roles. Madden offered the following as a response: “We have to focus more on diversity and having everyone represented, but I’m also a firm believer in the best actor for the part.”

When responding to criticism in the same article straight guys playing gay parts, he said, “It’s a really terrible route to go down if we start restricting people’s casting based on their personal lives.”

There are other sources of fuel behind the gay or bi gossip, but upon closer inspection, much of it is pure speculation. Examples include being allied with the LGBTQ community or flat-out catering to gay audiences. Nick Jonas has long had rumors swirling about for these very reasons.

Related: Why Nick Jonas is a gay icon

Because some see Madden as “pretty” or even “beautiful”, he and other stars become fodder for the rumor mill. Does that sound ridiculous? The obvious answer is yes, but this can be part of the reason why “talk” happens.

Who Has Richard Madden Dated?

Richard Madden has a long history of dating women. A notable person was Jenna Coleman who played the part of Victoria from Doctor Who. According to an online article in Cosmopolitan, the two dated (on and off) for about three years [2012-2015].

The scuttle-but is the pair split because Madden was getting a little too cozy with Cinderella co-star, Lily James.

Then there were the relationships with English model Suki Waterhouse and an Irish model named Laura Whitmore (circa 2016). Apparently, both romances were short-lived.

Next on the Madden dating list was Caroline Flack, a reality star contestant on Love Island who was arrested in 2019 assault allegations.

As a side note, Caroline was friends with the previously mentioned Laura Whitmore. Online sources suggest the two got into a spat over the Madden romances.

An unnamed person shared with Female First the following about the friction between the two women: “Caz and Laura had a big bust-up and they’re not talking right now. Basically, Laura thinks Caroline broke the girl code and Caroline didn’t even tell her about Richard — Laura found out through mutual friends. When she saw on social media they were hanging out, Laura was really upset.”

Around 2017, Richard Madden apparently started dating English actress Ellie Bamber. It is thought the duo had split early in 2019 because Madden showed up at the Golden Globe awards without her. When he accepted his award that evening, he made no mention of her.

According to an item appearing in The Sun, a person familiar with the two said, “They were arguing almost daily towards the end and, despite considering couples’ therapy, it became evident there were far too many issues that could not be fixed.”

At the time of this post, it is thought Madden is not seriously dating anyone and may be single. This page will be updated should that change.

Relationship With Openly Gay Roommate

At one time, Madden was roommates with openly gay actor Brandon Paul Flynn. He played the part of Justin in the hit Netflix series, 13 Reasons Why.

Flynn has spoken publicly about his struggles with coming out as gay in several interviews. When word got out that the two shared living space together, the rumors started to swirl.

In 2019, it was reported the roommate thing was over because the two had a falling out. Here is what The Sun reported on the matter:

“Richard and Brandon bonded over being up-and-coming actors in the industry and decided to share a place while both working in LA. But they have fallen out in the past few months and have cut ties with each other.”

Friends with Froy Gutierrez

Richard Madden has also been seen in Italy at the Giffoni Film Festival with American actor Froy Gutierrez. Because gay rumors have swirled about Gutierrez, the speculation on Madden began to intensify.

Froy and Richard Madden in Italy for the Giffoni Film Festival, July 25 2022. pic.twitter.com/NRb0FZR87X

— Froy Gutierrez Daily (@froygdailyx) July 26, 2022

Final Thoughts

Richard Madden is a well-known, attractive male celebrity. Like other stars, he has experienced his fair share of speculation around his sexual orientation.

Because he lives such a private life and because he speaks little of his personal affairs, it creates a void of knowledge that others like to fill in.

Is Richard Madden gay, bisexual, or straight? That is a question only he can answer.