Ricky Martin warns gay men are ‘having to hide again’: ‘We’re dealing with the same fears as the ’60s’
Martin says the fears faced by his closeted character in Apple TV's Palm Royale are still present for gay men today
By Callum Wells
Ricky Martin says the fears faced by his closeted character in Apple TV‘s Palm Royale are still present for gay men today.
“This is a story of a man, a gay man in [the] late ’60s, but unfortunately, we’re dealing with the same fears and the uncertainty and we’re [dealing] with the rejection today,” Martin told USA TODAY.
The singer, who began performing at age 12 in Puerto Rico’s Menudo and later achieved international fame with hits like Livin’ la Vida Loca and Shake Your Bon-Bon, came out publicly in 2010 despite being warned it could end his career.
“It’s crazy that we’re talking about this story of the ’60s, but it’s so relevant” – Ricky Martin on Palm Royale’s storylines reflecting today’s landscape
Martin highlighted that the challenges for LGBTQ+ people aren’t confined to history. “We can say, yeah, it’s [a problem] in other countries of the world,” he said in the interview. “No, here in America, we’re having to hide again. And it’s really sad. It’s crazy that we’re talking about this story of the ’60s, but it’s so relevant.”
Recent events reflect the ongoing issues Martin references. In 2025, several US states proposed legislation to repeal same-sex marriage, while the FBI’s 2024 hate crime report found more than 20% of incidents were motivated by sexual orientation or gender identity.
Martin said portraying Robert in the Apple TV series allowed him to address these ongoing struggles
Earlier this year, the rainbow-coloured crosswalk in Orlando honouring the 49 victims of the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting was removed amid pressure to eliminate street art with “political messages”.
Martin said portraying Robert in Palm Royale allowed him to address these ongoing struggles. “‘How are we going to create a social impact and … tell the story of Robert, which could be the story of many men nowadays struggling with fear?’ So for me, it was wonderful to do this,” he said.
In the show, Robert is a caretaker for Palm Beach socialite Norma (Carol Burnett) and a bartender at the Palm Royale. Season 1’s finale saw Robert accidentally shot during the town’s Beach Ball and uncover Norma’s true identity as her former boarding school roommate, Agnes.
Season 2 of Palm Royale will premiere globally on Apple TV with its first episode on Wednesday, 12 November 2025, followed by one new episode weekly every Wednesday through 14 January 2026.
About Palm Royale
Palm Royale is an underdog story that follows Maxine Dellacorte (Wiig) as she endeavours to find her footing in the cutthroat world of Palm Beach high society. As Maxine attempts to cross that impermeable line between the haves and the have-nots, Palm Royale asks the same question that still baffles us today: “How much of yourself are you willing to sacrifice to get what someone else has?”