Connor Jessup: The Gay Actor Playing the Semi-Straight Guy on "Locke and Key"

Did anybody else get a gay vibe in Episode 7 of Locke and Key?  Sam hugging Tyler, sobbing, and complaining about how much he screwed things up?  (Yeah, he killed Tyler's father and threatened him and his family).

In flashbacks, Sam never displays any interest in girls.  Instead, he is shown saying goodbye to his Dad as he leaves to "hang out" with Tyler, and then being upset when he learns that Tyler was just pretending to be interested.

Tyler has a girlfriend, sort of, but he could be into guys, too.  There are some hints.  A teacher comments on his closeness to his new friend Javi.  And the scene where he interrupted during sex by a vision of Sam and couldn't perform. 

So who are these gay-subtext actors? 

26 year old Connor Jessup (Tyler) has been acting since age 11.

And taking off his shirt on camera for almost as long.  Here he stars as a troubled teen in Blackbird (2012).

And playing gay teenagers for almost as long.  Here a hypochondriac gay teenager smooches with the class stud in Fragments (2015).

His characters also get -- or lose -- boyfriends in Closet Monster (2015) and Crazy House (2015)

Connor's most popular acting role to date is Ben Mason in Falling Skies (2011-2015), a freedom-fighter in the war against alien invaders.  Ben gets a girlfriend, unfortunately, but at least he takes his shirt off a lot

Connor also starred in two seassons of the anthology series American Crime

Season 2: Taylor Blaine, a gay high school boy who is sexually assaulted by his boyfriend.

Season 4: Coy Henson, a gay drug addict trying to get clean.

In 2019, Connor made a public announcement that he was gay.  announced that he was gay.  He knew at age 11, but he kept closeted for years, worrying that it would hurt his career. 

While auditioning for every gay role listed in The Hollywood Reporter.

Now if only we could get a flashback scene confirming that Tyler and Sam were boyfriends before things went wrong on Locke and Key.