"Arrow" actor Colton Haynes has come out as gay.
The 27-year-old actor made headlines earlier this year when writing, "Was it a secret? Let's all just enjoy life & have no regrets," in response to a fan who found out about his "secret gay past."
Now in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, the actor explained why he didn't come forward about his sexuality at the time.
"It was a complete shock. I wasn't ready to be back in the headlines. 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," Haynes said.
While he grew up in Kansas, a mostly conservative state, Haynes in fact has never kept it a secret from his family, friends, cast members and Hollywood bosses that he's gay.
"People want you to be that GQ image that you put out, but people don't realize what it's like to act 24 hours a day. I'd go home and I was still acting.
"People who are so judgmental about those who are gay or different don't realize that acting 24 hours a day is the most exhausting thing in the world."
The actor, who has starred on "Teen Wolf" and "Arrow" also explained his decision to step away from those two hot TV gigs.
"I asked to step away because I cared more about my mental and physical health than my career at the time. 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.
