What We Know About Luke Macfarlane's Partner Hig Roberts

Love is in the air for Luke Macfarlane! The Hallmark star recently welcomed his first child with partner Hig Roberts. Macfarlane took to Instagram to share the heartwarming news. He posted a series of photos and videos of the couple gently holding and caring for the newborn. The actor wrote, "Tess Eleanor Macfarlane — Born June 4th 2023. We started life with some hectic days and received world class care. On Father's Day we got to take her home. Her Dads can't wait to introduce her to all the remarkable people and the beautiful world we live in."

Macfarlane doesn't share much about his personal life, leaving his past relationships largely a mystery. Rumors flew that he once dated T.R. Knight from "Grey's Anatomy," as well as actors Charlie David and Wentworth Miller, per Distractify. Yet, while Macfarlane has typically kept his romantic life under wraps, he hasn't hidden his latest love, Roberts. Since Roberts is not a big Hollywood star, the name may not quite ring a bell. However, he does have his own claim to fame. Here's what we know about Macfarlane's partner.

Hig Roberts became widely recognized for his successes as an Alpine skier. According to The New York Times, he had 31 World Cup starts under his belt. He was also a part of the U.S. Ski Team and earned two national titles. He eventually decided to stop skiing, and his final race occurred in March 2019. That month, he took to Instagram to share some key details about his skiing journey. 

Roberts described how he found his passion at a young age. To stop skiing would be a tremendous change, as the sport was such an integral part of his life. He wrote, in part, "Last week, I rode the poma at Howelsen Hill and it all came full circle. That little kid came home to his roots and it all clicked again. It was time to move on from ski racing. And so that is what I am doing, and I am happy with it."

Roberts also made history as the first elite men's Alpine skier to come out as gay. In a 2020 interview with The New York Times, Roberts revealed, "Not being able to be who I am and not be able to be openly gay as a professional athlete was truly hindering my performance." He hoped that his announcement would encourage young skiers to feel confident in their sport and happy with their authentic selves, regardless of their sexual orientation.

In 2016, Hig Roberts experienced a major tragedy. His brother Murphy suddenly died at the age of 22, per The New York Times. During a hike, he had a diabetic seizure, fell, and suffered a head injury. Murphy's unexpected death deeply affected Roberts, and he almost quit skiing as a result. Roberts described his late brother as the "most special person" in his life. Following a hiatus, Roberts began skiing again. 

As a tribute to Murphy, he wore a helmet that said "Send it for Murph." In an interview with Movember, Roberts added that he would yell his name during races. He explained, "I would ask him 'to come for a ride with me' each time I kicked out of the starting gate and that was truly what kept me going as I dealt with this immense tragedy."

Grieving his brother and keeping his sexuality a secret took a huge toll on Roberts' mental health. He told Movember, "Being closeted already put me on the outside of the world I lived in. And now, being the kid who was mourning pushed me further to the outside." In the macho world of skiing, he felt pressure to keep his painful feelings and experiences to himself. Yet, once he came out, he received tremendous support from teammates, coaches, competitors, and loved ones.