Cuban-American actor Carlo Arrechea is ready to embrace “the beauty of being true to oneself” as an openly bisexual man.
The 34-year-old, best known for his roles in S.W.A.T. and Nickelodeon’s Grachi, came out in a touching letter penned to his younger self for Out.
“For so long, I denied parts of myself, unsure how to embrace the complexity of my identity,” he wrote. “But I’ve come to realize that while the world may not fully understand bisexuality, my journey is uniquely mine.”
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Elsewhere in the note, which he adorably addressed to “Carlito,” Arrechea explained he hoped to inspire others “who feel lost or unseen” through his coming out.
“My narrative can serve as a beacon for those grappling with their identities — reminding us that love is love, and it always wins,” he wrote. “I don’t know if my heart will lead me to a man or a woman, but that uncertainty is part of life’s beauty.”
Still, his powerful note made it clear that the biggest inspiration for his coming out was himself.
“Let this be my declaration: I embrace every facet of my being and refuse to hide any longer,” he concluded. “My truth is my strength, and I will share it boldly.”
Arrechea’s revelation was met with an outpouring of support from friends and fans, and he wrote in a separate Instagram post that his heart was “overflowing with gratitude.”
“You’ve shown me that sharing my story was worth every moment, and for that, I am deeply thankful,” he said.
That said, his decision to come out around National Coming Out Day and National Hispanic Heritage Month was not made lightly.
Arrechea, who moved to the United States at 12 years old, has long felt comfortable sharing his sexuality with friends in both Los Angeles and Miami.
But the Telemundo alum was previously told that being candid about his intersectional identity would hinder his career.
In fact, on the heels of his 2020 appearance in S.W.A.T. as Cuban boxer Gio Torres—which put him in Emmy Award consideration—Arrechea recalled his former representatives explicitly encouraging him to stay in the closet.
“They were like, ‘These actors that you probably don’t know who are gay or bi or whatever, they just don’t say anything … They have this straight image, so please don’t say anything, because it can affect your career,’” he revealed.
However, Arrechea now sees things differently.
“F*ck that, why do I have to do that? I just want to be who I am,” he said. “If somebody doesn’t want to give me a role because I have different preference of who I sleep with or who I love … then f*ck them.”
As for what’s next, Arrechea is enjoying his recent induction into the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and serving as an executive producer on the upcoming film Unspoken Bonds.
And while he admitted that he’s still looking for “the right one,” sharing his truth with the world, especially at a time when stigmas around homosexuality in the Latin-American community exist, has him feeling “so much lighter.”
“The whole point is that I’m opening my heart,” he said. “I’m doing this because I want to live as my authentic self. I should be allowed to do that.”
Welcome to the LGBTQ+ fam, Carlo! We are so happy to have you.
Get acquainted with the newly-out rising star with some of our fave pics from his Instagram.
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