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Nico Tortorella: Gender, Sobriety, Tattoos, Marriage & Career

William Ethan Brown Taylor • 2026-06-08 • Reviewed by Ethan Collins

Most people know Nico Tortorella as Josh from TV Land’s Younger — a charming love interest with a complicated heart. Born in 1988, Tortorella has spent the last decade building a public identity that’s even more layered: nonbinary, queer, sober, polyamorous, and covered in real tattoos.

Birth date: July 30, 1988 (age 36) · Known for: Role of Josh in TV Land’s Younger · Spouse: Bethany C. Meyers (married 2018) · Children: 2 · Identifies as: Gender nonbinary, queer, using they/them pronouns

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
  • Exact number of tattoos not publicly verified
  • Specific boundaries of polyamorous relationship not detailed
  • Scientific consensus on kratom’s role in sobriety not established
  • Whether Tortorella uses any other substances besides kratom not confirmed
  • Frequency of Tortorella’s polyamorous relationships not specified
  • Exact timeline of Tortorella’s gender realization not publicly broken down
3Timeline signal
4What’s next
  • Continued acting and podcast projects
  • Further public commentary on gender and relationship norms
  • Potential expansion of writing or memoir-adjacent work

Here are key biographical details about Nico Tortorella.

Attribute Value
Full name Nico Tortorella
Born July 30, 1988, Wilmette, Illinois, USA
Height 6 ft (1.83 m)
Spouse Bethany C. Meyers (m. 2018)
Children 2
Pronouns they/them
Notable role Josh in Younger

What is Nico Tortorella’s gender?

Nico Tortorella has publicly identified as gender nonbinary since at least 2020, using they/them pronouns consistently in contemporary coverage and interviews. In conversation with Audible (interview platform), Tortorella said, “I am gender nonbinary. I have always felt that way.” They have described their understanding of gender as shifting away from binary thinking, telling EUPHORIA. magazine that their identity exploration is tied to transformation through art.

How does Nico Tortorella describe their gender identity?

  • They have said gender is fluid for them, not fixed (iHeart podcast).
  • Tortorella has linked their queerness to addiction and sobriety in the same Audible interview, describing the “space between” as a theme.
  • In a Young Hollywood on-camera interview, they discussed gender identity openly, explaining why binary labels don’t fit.
The upshot

Tortorella’s gender identity is central to their public persona—they frame it not as a statement but as an evolving, lived experience. For fans of Younger who first knew them as a straight male character, this shift has been a deliberate, public redefinition.

The implication: Tortorella’s gender narrative is built on personal testimony, not external validation.

Is Nico Tortorella in a polyamorous relationship?

Yes. Tortorella and their spouse, Bethany C. Meyers, practice ethical non-monogamy and have spoken openly about their nontraditional marriage. In the same Audible interview, Tortorella said: “Our relationship is not traditional. It’s open, it’s honest.” They have described their union as “polyamorous” in multiple public statements.

What does Nico Tortorella say about their marriage style?

  • Tortorella has said the couple practices “ethical non-monogamy” and that honesty is the foundation.
  • The exact boundaries of their arrangement remain private—Tortorella has not detailed rules or partners.
  • Both have emphasized that their relationship is a mutual choice, not a dysfunction (iHeart podcast).
What to watch

The lack of specific boundary details means that public curiosity about “who else” is involved remains unanswered. Tortorella and Meyers control the narrative, sharing only what they choose—a common pattern in celebrity polyamory.

The pattern: Tortorella uses selective disclosure to maintain privacy while championing openness.

Why does Nico Tortorella wear dresses?

Tortorella frequently wears dresses, skirts, and gender-fluid clothing as a deliberate expression of their nonbinary identity. In interviews, they have said that clothes are a tool for challenging gendered norms. Speaking to EUPHORIA. magazine, Tortorella noted that fashion is part of their artistic transformation and self-discovery.

What is the meaning behind Nico Tortorella’s fashion choices?

  • They have stated that wearing dresses is not about shock value but about authenticity.
  • Tortorella’s wardrobe mixes masculine and feminine pieces, often seen in public and on red carpets.
  • Their style has been covered as a form of activism—normalizing gender nonconformity in mainstream entertainment.

The catch: Fashion is one of the most visible ways Tortorella enacts nonbinary identity outside of language.

Is Nico Tortorella sober?

Yes, Tortorella has been sober from alcohol since 2014. In the Audible interview, they described alcohol as their “poison” and credited the plant kratom as part of their 11-year sobriety maintenance: “Kratom is a plant that has helped me stay sober for 11 years.” They frame sobriety as “fluid”—meaning they exclude alcohol but do not make absolute claims about all substances.

What substance does Nico Tortorella credit for sobriety?

  • Kratom, a plant-based compound, is cited by Tortorella as a tool in their ongoing sobriety.
  • They have linked addiction to their queerness, viewing both as part of a continuum rather than fixed states.
  • Medical consensus on kratom’s efficacy for addiction recovery remains unsettled (iHeart podcast context).
The catch

Tortorella’s endorsement of kratom is personal, not medical. For readers considering the plant for sobriety, the lack of scientific consensus is a critical caveat—what works for one individual may not be widely replicable.

The implication: Tortorella’s sobriety narrative is deliberately individual and non‑prescriptive.

Does Nico Tortorella really have all those tattoos?

Yes, the tattoos are real. Tortorella has multiple visible tattoos on their hands, arms, and neck. In a Young Hollywood interview, they showed off the ink and talked about the meaning behind some pieces. The exact number has not been publicly counted, but the tattoos are genuine and not temporary.

How many tattoos does Nico Tortorella have?

  • No official count exists in public records.
  • They have discussed specific designs, including symbolic references to their identity and family.
  • The tattoos are frequently visible in social media posts and public appearances.

The pattern: The tattoos are a visual record of Tortorella’s identity, but the full catalog remains private.

What is Nico Tortorella’s age and background?

Nico Tortorella was born on July 30, 1988, in Wilmette, Illinois, USA (Wikipedia biography database). They began acting in the late 2000s and broke through with a role in Scream 4 (2011). Their most famous role is Josh in TV Land’s Younger, which ran from 2015 to 2021.

What are Nico Tortorella’s key movies and TV shows?

  • Younger (TV Land, 2015–2021) – as Josh
  • Scream 4 (2011) – as Trevor
  • The Following (2014) – recurring role
  • Dirty John: The Betty Broderick Story (2020) – as Larry

The takeaway: Tortorella’s career trajectory shows an actor who has moved from supporting roles to a defining TV lead.

Who is Nico Tortorella married to?

Tortorella married Bethany C. Meyers in March 2018 (Wikipedia biography database). Meyers is a fitness entrepreneur and the founder of the be.come project. The couple has two children, the second born in 2023. They have been open about their nontraditional relationship structure.

When did Nico Tortorella get married?

  • March 2018 – wedding date confirmed by multiple sources.
  • First child born in 2020; second in 2023.
  • The couple has stated they do not want to conform to traditional marriage expectations (iHeart podcast).

The pattern: Tortorella and Meyers have built a high‑profile marriage that defies conventional norms while protecting key details.

Timeline of key events

  • 1988 – Born in Wilmette, Illinois (Wikipedia)
  • 2011 – Appeared in Scream 4
  • 2014 – Became sober from alcohol
  • 2015–2021 – Starred as Josh in Younger
  • 2018 – Married Bethany C. Meyers
  • 2020 – Came out as nonbinary and queer publicly
  • 2023 – Welcomed second child

The timeline shows that Tortorella’s personal milestones have often coincided with career peaks.

Clarity check

Confirmed facts

  • Nico Tortorella is an American actor and model born July 30, 1988 (Wikipedia).
  • They identify as nonbinary and use they/them pronouns (Audible).
  • They have been sober since 2014 (iHeart).
  • Their tattoos are real (Young Hollywood).
  • They married Bethany C. Meyers in 2018 and have two children (Wikipedia).
  • They have credited kratom in their sobriety journey (Audible).

What’s unclear

  • The exact number of tattoos is not publicly verified.
  • The specifics of their polyamorous relationship boundaries are not publicly detailed.
  • The scientific consensus on kratom’s efficacy for sobriety maintenance is not established.
  • Whether Tortorella uses any other substances besides kratom not confirmed.
  • Frequency of Tortorella’s polyamorous relationships not specified.
  • Exact timeline of Tortorella’s gender realization not publicly broken down.

In their own words

“I am gender nonbinary. I have always felt that way.”

— Nico Tortorella, Audible interview

“Our relationship is not traditional. It’s open, it’s honest.”

— Nico Tortorella, Audible interview

The thread through each quote: Tortorella uses first-person testimony to claim space between binaries—gender, relationship norms, sobriety definitions. The implication for readers is that celebrity identity is often more layered than a label can capture.

Summary

Nico Tortorella’s public life is a case study in how one person can occupy multiple identities without contradiction: nonbinary actor, sober public figure, polyamorous spouse, tattoo collector. For fans and followers, the lesson is that authenticity often means living in the “space between” categories. For journalists covering public figures, the takeaway is clear: always verify personal claims against primary interviews and be wary of assuming a single label defines a whole person. For the broader audience navigating similar questions about gender, sobriety, and relationships, Tortorella’s example offers a template—but not a prescription.

Frequently asked questions

How did Nico Tortorella come out as nonbinary?

Nico Tortorella publicly came out as nonbinary and queer in 2020, consistently using they/them pronouns since then.

Is Nico Tortorella married?

Yes, to Bethany C. Meyers since 2018.

Does Nico Tortorella have children?

Yes, two children.

What is Nico Tortorella’s most famous role?

Playing Josh in TV Land’s Younger.

What substances does Nico Tortorella avoid?

They avoid alcohol and have been sober from it since 2014; they credit kratom as part of their maintenance.

Has Nico Tortorella always worn gender-fluid clothing?

They have increasingly worn dresses and skirts as a deliberate expression of their nonbinary identity, especially since coming out.

Are Nico Tortorella’s tattoos real?

Yes, they are real and visible on their hands, arms, and neck.



William Ethan Brown Taylor

About the author

William Ethan Brown Taylor

Coverage is updated through the day with transparent source checks.