‘Half Man’: A Deep Dive Into Niall & Ruben’s Complicated Relationship

Half Man fan edits have arrived. The HBO drama, which follows the complex relationship between Ruben (Richard Gadd) and Niall (Jamie Bell), has already taken off on TikTok since it premiered in late April. The most viral video so far features vaguely homoerotic, spliced-together clips of Ruben and Niall set to Lana Del Rey’s “Ultraviolence” — leading to many users in the comments wondering just how romantic (if at all) the relationship between the two characters really is. Could Half Man be a gay love story?

Flashing between the present and the ’80s, Ruben’s unexpected arrival at Niall’s wedding sparks not only a violent confrontation but a reflection on their past together.

Let’s break down what we know about Niall and Ruben so far.