Karan Brar has come out as bisexual in a powerful new op-ed for Teen Vogue about his struggles with mental health and embracing his identity.
The 24-year-old actor is perhaps best known for playing Chirag Gupta in the Diary of A Wimpy Kid film series, and Ravi Ross in the popular Disney Channel series, Jessie, and its spinoff, Bunk’d.
Though Brar has been acting steadily since 2010—when he was still in his pre-teens—he admits it hasn’t always been easy, writing in Teen Vogue about reckoning with the gap between who we knew he was and who he thought everyone else wanted him to be.
In the vulnerable and inspiring piece, the young performer details how his career had strained his relationship with his parents and led him to compartmentalize much of his life.
“There was public Karan and private Karan,” he says. “Both were real, but trying to hold them in one body was proving to be too much.”
After turning 20 in 2019, Brar set out to begin a new chapter in his life, moving in with his best friends and fellow actors, Cameron Boyce (Descendants) and Sophie Reynolds (L.A.’s Finest). After a night of drinking, he finally worked up the courage to come out to the two of them, but was convinced they’d ask him to move out immediately.
To his surprise, Boyce and Reynolds were incredibly supportive, surrounding him with nothing but love and support:
“This was the first time in years that I wasn’t hiding anything from them; instead, they were seeing the most authentic version of me,” Brar writes. “I finally gave up and accepted that they loved me as I am, as I’ve been, and as I’m going to be. This was a crisp picture of what unconditional love looked like.”
Tragically, Boyce died not long after from an epileptic seizure at just 20 years old, and Brar says his best friend’s sudden and unexpected passing threw his “already-fragile sense of self into a tailspin.”
Things only got more difficult the following year as his grief for Boyce was only compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic, pushing himself further and further into isolation, and turning to alcohol to cope. Brar says that, around that time, he began having suicidal thoughts, and was eventually able to admit himself to an inpatient treatment center for his depression and anxiety.
“Our worth is in our ability to breathe. Our worth is inside of us as soon as we’re born. It’s not anything that we ever have to prove. We are inherently worthy just by being.”
Three years on, Brar can share he’s doing much better these days. Through his treatment, he was diagnosed with both Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Major Depressive Disorder, and has been provided with the tools and guidance he needs to keep them in check and accept the “ever-changing experience” of grief.
“The thing is, because of my suicidal thoughts, I never really saw myself growing older,” he says in his piece’s closing paragraphs. “I no longer experience chronic suicidal ideations, and sometimes, that feels complicated. There’s a discomfort knowing that suicide is no longer an option when things get too painful. Somehow, I feel more vulnerable than ever. Weirdly, that vulnerability feels more ‘me.'”
In sharing his piece on Instagram, Brar writers, “This essay encompasses the challenging moments that have led me to rebuild and rediscover who I am on a fundamental level. From coming out of the closet, to making the difficult decision of admitting myself into mental health treatment—here’s a clearer look at the person I am today.”
Colleagues, friends, and fans alike have taken to the comments to show their love to Brar. “An astounding read. thank you for letting us tap into your world through this piece—it’s remarkable. Endlessly proud of you,” writes Christian Weissman. “I love you so much. I’m so proud of you,” adds Josie Totah.
Welcome to the community, Karan! Thank you for sharing your truth with the world, and for showing us that there’s always hope for brighter days ahead—it’s going to help countless others find the courage to do the same.
If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts or has concerns about their mental health, there are ways to get help. Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255), or visit www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org.
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