In an exclusive interview with BuzzFeed News, the former boy bander talks about playing a gay character on DirecTV’s Kingdom, why he leapt at the opportunity, and how far he’s willing to go for the role.

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All season long on DirecTV's MMA drama Kingdom, something has been eating away at up-and-coming fighter Nate Kulina (Nick Jonas), something that kept him at arm's length from nearly everyone in his life. Then, in the season finale, everything finally came to light: Nate is gay.

While it had been hinted in Kingdom's debut season, the Dec. 10 finale threw the doors to Nate's glass closet wide open after he was rejected from a gay bar and drunkenly found solace in the arms (well, mouth) of another man.

The reveal may have surprised viewers, but the actor has known about Nate's sexuality since Day 1. "Byron [Balasco, Kingdom creator] told me before shooting began," Jonas told BuzzFeed News exclusively during a recent phone interview. "Everyone at Kingdom was really transparent about the character and some of the things the character would go through. And in my prep work, I wanted to be aware so I could properly tell this story."

"For me, it was important to maintain the stakes for Nate," the 22-year-old actor and singer continued. "He lives in a world of fear — fear of disappointing his father, both in the cage and outside of the cage — and he carries that pressure with him in so many ways. I think it's something a lot of people can relate to."

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