Culture

Billie Eilish’s boyfriend Matthew Tyler Vorce issues apology for racist and homophobic past

By Sam Damshenas

18th June 2021

Matthew Tyler Vorce has issued an apology for his “irresponsible” and “offensive” past behaviour.

The 29-year-old actor and writer, who has reportedly been dating Billie Eilish since April, came under fire earlier this week for his racist and homophobic social media posts, in which he used anti-gay slurs and the n-word.

He also shamed women with sexist language, wrote fat-phobic comments and wrote inappropriate comments about celebrities such as Kim Kardashian, Adele and Lady Gaga.

After the posts resurfaced and gained traction online, Vorce posted an Instagram Story on his private account and apologised for the posts.

“I want to apologise for the things that I wrote on social media in the past,” he wrote.

“The language I used was hurtful and irresponsible and I understand how offensive those words are. Whether it was a lyric, a quote or just me being dumb, it does not matter. I am ashamed and deeply sorry that I used them in any context.

“It is not how I was raised and it is not what I stand for. I shouldn’t have used this language in the first place and I won’t use it again. I am so sorry for the hurt I have caused. I take full responsibility and continue to hold myself accountable for my actions.”

Last week, Eilish – who releases her sophomore album Happier Than Ever on 30 July – also faced public scrutiny for her Lost Cause music video, with some social media users calling her out for “queer-baiting” due to its Sapphic themes.

The Grammy winner seemingly addressed the backlash with an Instagram post containing behind-the-scenes photos, alongside the caption: “I love girls.”