A riveting and heartwarming memoir by the actor of White Lotus and Euphoria that details his upbringing in the west coast—including a broken family, struggles with addiction, sex, borderline personality disorder—and his commitment to being the center of attention at all times, even as he actually becomes a star.
Lukas Gage was having one of the shittiest weeks of his life. His beloved grandmother was dying. And Lukas was sitting next to his father, a man who had been mostly absent in his son’s childhood—except when talking to Lukas about tits because he loved nothing more than tits, and listening to Howard Stern on the radio. They were across the street from a building in Century City, where months prior, Lukas had to grapple with the dissolution of his marriage. This week had it all: death, divorce, and daddy issues.
In that room, Lukas did the smartest thing anyone can do in a crisis: doom scroll to see what random people on the internet were saying about him. People were calling him an attention whore—and they were absolutely right. Lukas Gage was no stranger to going viral. He loved attention. As a toddler, he set his room on fire. As a child, he hugged and flirted with women at Hooters to his father’s delight. As a teen, he stole handles of alcohol and cherry cough syrup. He had sex at a restroom in Chili’s, and fell hopelessly in love with a girl who wore an ankle monitor. He became an actor and filmed that scene in White Lotus (if you know, you know). Lukas was scared of attention and yet he craved it more than anything in the world.
I Wrote This for Attention is a riveting, exquisite memoir full of heart that chronicles Lukas’s coming of age in the haunting underbelly of San Diego and clawing his way to stardom. Lukas captures the universal anxieties of transitioning from innocence to adulthood, of feeling too much and nothing at all. Sex and death, fame and familial strife, drug abuse and Raya, I Wrote This for Attention is a remarkable achievement of healing, of vaping through therapy sessions, and of having the courage to forgive the family that hurt you and set yourself free.
Lukas Gage is an American actor born on May 28, 1995, in San Diego, California, known for his roles in HBO's Euphoria and The White Lotus. His career includes appearances in You, Fargo, and films like Smile 2, and he also co-wrote and starred in Down Low. In 2023, Gage married and then divorced hairstylist Chris Appleton. In late 2025, he released a memoir, I Wrote This for Attention, in which he discusses his life and his recent diagnosis of borderline personality disorder.
In October 2025, he released I Wrote This for Attention, which details his life, family, and career, and his experiences with his mental health diagnosis and sexuality.
Should it take reading a celebrity’s memoir before you realize that they’re just a regular person who has the same every day problems as you or me? Absolutely not. But it helps to be reminded from time to time.
Picking this up, I wasn’t sure where the story would take me. I know Lukas Gage as the Cat King in Dead Boy Detectives, Dillon in The White Lotus, Sammy in Overcompensating, Cameron in Down Low, Patrick in Companion and from so many more shows and movies that my husband and I have binge watched. But I also remember his coming out story that was plastered across every headline when he married Chris Appleton (shortly thereafter divorcing him as well). So to say that I wanted to know more is an understatement.
I Wrote This For Attention is the conversation you have with your best friend over drinks after work one night because you need to get it off your chest. At times, I felt like I wanted to just give him a hug and a shoulder to cry on, but it’s stories like this that you can look back on and realize that you learned from it and it helped you grow. It’s full of raw emotions, an open dialogue about his mental health, and the journey he took to who he is today.
Thank you to Lukas, as well as Simon & Schuster for a copy of the book.
I Wrote This for Attention is the deeply personal and brutally honest memoir of actor Lukas Gage, best known for his roles in The White Lotus, You, and Euphoria. It isn’t your typical Hollywood memoir—there’s no glamorizing fame, sensationalism, or attempting to curate a perfect image of himself. Instead, he writes the truth of his failures, insecurities, mental health struggles, and a whole lot more—and it feels deeply intimate and relatable—like a close friend opening up to you about their life. The title “I Wrote This For Attention” has strong significance as Gage admits to his addiction to attention and where he thinks it all stems from.
The book traces Gage’s journey from his tumultuous childhood in San Diego to his rise in Hollywood. He delves into many experiences with family dysfunction, including his father’s neglect and absence, his brother’s struggles with addiction, and his mother’s gambling issues. Gage also goes into detail about his own battles with substance use, mental health challenges, and coming to a realization (and terms) with his queer identity. He also goes into detail about his early attempts at acting, the disappointments and rejections, and the spiral of addiction and impulsive choices that followed. There’s therapy, heartbreak, humor, and a lot of exploration of what it means to crave validation in an age where everyone is watching!
Unlike other similar memoirs, this story isn’t a straight line from a broken to healed person—it’s more like a rollercoaster of realizations that are painful and liberating—and in the end he’s come very far but still has much to work on. It’s very refreshing to hear this level of honesty, and readers will better relate and appreciate his story because of it. It also leaves readers with the sense that this Lukas is a person who will experience the equivalent of multiple lifetimes in one lifetime (and the tremendous growth that comes with it)—so don’t be surprised if Lukas releases an updated memoir down the road that’s just as compelling and even more insightful!
This memoir is also very much a character study of Lukas himself—he examines his flaws and invites readers to look closely at them with him. In a memorable scene, Gage is scrolling online and sees people calling him an “attention seeker,” and instead of denying it, he decides to unpack what that really means. His journey proves that seeking attention isn’t always about ego—sometimes it’s just longing to be understood! His relationship with his parents, particularly his father, is one of the most compelling and heartbreaking parts of the book—and there’s so much love tangled up with resentment, confusion, attachment, and dysfunction. Lukas’s romantic relationships, including his short-lived marriage and its unraveling, are portrayed with incredible honesty and show how his understanding of love (and relationships) evolves over time.
The pacing of this memoir really mirrors Gage’s personality—fast, frenetic, and unpredictable—which makes it compelling and completely unputdownable! The first chapters are vivid, funny, and packed with childhood memories/confessions that will hook readers right away. The midsection is more introspective and digs deeper into his addiction, identity issues, therapy, navigating relationships, and the realities of fame—there are a lot of emotions here, so be sure to have your tissues ready! The final chapters are quicker paced and feel more redemptive, but Gage doesn’t sugarcoat anything or make an attempt to tie everything up neatly—instead it feels more like he’s acknowledging that healing is an ongoing process—and it’s very inspiring, thought-provoking, and suits the tone of the book beautifully!
Overall, I Wrote This for Attention is a moving and incredibly authentic memoir. You can hear Lukas’s thoughts and feelings shine through in every line, and it feels like listening in on a close friend opening up to reveal their flaws, feelings, and self-discovery—all while managing to make you laugh and giving you moments of heartbreak. It’s a perfect memoir for readers who appreciate brutal honesty, humor that comes from pain and heartache, and stories that make you feel a little less alone in your own messy chaos!
Relatable, hilarious, and bleeding with emotion - maybe you know Lukas from getting beat up on season 1 of Euphoria or getting peed on in season 4 of You 😤 but what you’ll find here is a messy, poignant self portrait of someone who is very much still figuring it out & at no point trying to make himself look good while doing it (complimentary). The opening chapter, I Killed a Kid, sets the stage for a what this autobiography is: a dramatic, honest, totally wild ride.
Y’all better give Lukas with a K your attention right now!! This book is so raw and honest it truly feels like you are on FaceTime at 3am (the witching hour when suddenly your entire life story NEEDS to be shared). I Wrote This for Attention is a beautiful reminder that no one has it figured out and none of us are ever done growing (not to imply that Lukas isn’t obviously perfect… wait no we can’t give him a complex … or maybe we should?!).
I won’t lie, before reading this, I didn’t know a lot about Lukas Cage, and mostly read this one because he’s hot. I do love his character on “Overcompensating,” but sadly he wrote this book before he landed that role. Some critics say Lukas wrote this book before he has enough to say and that may be true as far as what will happen in Hollywood career, but his childhood, teens, and 20’s are full of life lessons that readers can benefit from- mostly many, many, many, mistakes that he made. I found his storytelling a little difficult to follow at times, when he would leave out details, or assume his readers knew how he moved from A to B without actually telling us. More than once I flipped back a few pages to see if I had missed something. I also found his narration to be a bit whiny at times, and his self-destructive ways tedious, but in the end there are medical explanations. Low Key Recommendation with 3 and ½ stars out of 5.
Šiaip tikrai skeptiškai žiūriu į tai, kai labai, labai jauni žmonės rašo autobiografijas. Tokiu atveju atrodo, kad turi būti išgyventa kažkas baisingai išskirtinio, kad būtų verta rašyti, o ne luktelėti iki, pavyzdžiui, pensijos. Skeptiškai žiūrėjau ir į Gage knygą, bet LGBTQ+ balsam teikiu pirmenybę, o ir jaunų žmonių autobiografijos (McCurdy, Haynes) jau yra nustebinusios gerąja prasme. Tačiau šį kartą lieku prie pirminės nuomonės: aišku, kad knyga turi teisę egzistuoti ir tikiu, kad kažkam padės susigaudyti jausmuose, padėti rasti kelią link terapijos ar iš priklausomybių. Bet vertinant kritiškai, o ir kitų autobiografijų kontekste, ji nėra pakankamai gerai parašyta, kad suteiktų literatūrinį pasitenkinimą, nėra pakankamai gyva, kad būtų gera pramoga ir nėra pakankamai išskirtinė, kad pasirodytų įsimintina.
Padėjo, žinoma, tai, kad klausyti audio knygos, įgarsintos paties autoriaus, visada autobiografijai prideda papildomų balų. Padėjo ir tai, kad knyga neilga. Bet istorijos universalumas yra ir jos pliusas, ir didžiausias minusas, o papildomi 30-40 gyvenimo metų pridėtų patirčių ir konteksto, įdomybių ir išvadų, kurių dabar Gage tiesiog negali skaitytojui pasiūlyti. Ir rodos, kad pats tą supranta, kaip sako tiek knygos pavadinimas, tiek jis pats knygoje. Todėl tikrai nesigailiu, kad pagyvino man kasdienybės buities darbus, bet nei galiu labai rekomenduoti, nei labai prisiminsiu praėjus kokiai savaitei.
It’s been a while since I last got lost in a book as deeply as I did with I Wrote This for Attention. I did not expect much from Lukas, in all fairness, mainly due to my lack of knowing his story. Oh I was gratefully surprised when I delved into his twisted head and hilarious style that feels current, relatable, messy, but at the same time profound and raw. I loved every word of it.
Pretty rarely do I give a celebrity memoir a full five stars (last time I did was Julia Fox’s memoir), but this was so raw, hilarious, provocative, and introspective that I just have to. All I knew of Lukas Gage before this was his roles on Euphoria, White Lotus, You, etc. - but he has truly lived so much life in his 30 years and I am in awe of how much he weaved together in this memoir. Side note I died when he called himself a “yassified Keith Urban.” No notes.
"I’ve come to realize the version of yourself in the spotlight isn’t some newer, shinier, infallible one. It’s the same old you—with the same old charms and flaws—but now offered up for the world to dissect."
4.5!!! i couldn’t put this down, i didn’t know much about lukas other than seeing him in white lotus and euphoria but holy shit the story telling of his childhood, rise into holly wood was fucking insane !!! if u liked julia fox / paris hilton etc memoirs u will also love lukas’
I LOVED this book. It was real and raw and honest. The stories shared are so thought provoking in the best way possible. You can feel every struggle and every moment as if you’re watching it unfold right then and there. As a fan of Lukas for a while I was eagerly awaiting the release and it was 100% worth the waiting. The brutal honesty (from the self proclaimed liar) and the ability to tell the whole story flaws and all, so unapologetically and so openly was truly a beautiful reminder of how powerful vulnerability can be.
This was SUCH a good memoir. Lukas really has a talent for writing. There were so many times I laughed out loud. His satire and humor to deflect the crazy and chaos of his life was entertaining however I am glad that he acknowledged that. I love that he went to therapy—chose to be admitted to hep himself. I loved him in white lotus and can’t wait to watch Euphoria now with him. I cried also multiple times. I could really feel his pain when he was describing it.
What an underrated memoir honestly. This should be NYT best seller instantly.
I’ve never read a book that made me want to mother the author, but that’s how I felt reading this book. Lukas Gage wrote a memoir not about making it in Hollywood, because yes, he is still very early in his career, but living a tumultuous life. His father really let him down, and Lukas went on to seek romantic partners who would do the same. He’s so vulnerable here, and if you are in a blended family, you can definitely related to his feelings of frustration and abandonment. I think he’s impossible not to like. Lukas thank you.
Have really appreciated Lukas Gage's acting abilities since he stormed on the scene a few years ago but now I feel like I can truly appreciate the person he is beyond the talent as well. Really great read!
I loved this a lot. Lukas is so funny such a good story teller and has been through some shit. I was so pissed when my Spotify listening hours ran out and I had to wait 3 weeks to be able to listen again.
I enjoyed listening to this and the openness it took to share difficult topics. There’s lots of living to come as a sign of what’s already happened. All the best, Lukas 🙌🏼
My baby Lukas with a K!! 😭😭🥺🤍🫰🏼 wow I actually loved this. I really commend him for being so honest about his borderline personality disorder, a mental health diagnosis that isn’t so well understood! I can fix you Lukas and you’re so hot, let’s have a lavender marriage
I’ve loved Lukas Gage since he first stepped on the scene and while reading this- I began realizing I knew nothing about him at all. This memoir feels fresh and I’m glad he got a chance to tell his story!
i'm kind of new to celebrity memoir audiobooks but i felt fairly disappointed by this. i was excited at the beginning of the book, I really enjoyed the voice he crafted through his childhood stories. but I then found nothing truly novel or gripping in the middle, and then the post-adolescence hollywood years felt rushed and underdiscussed.
he is too much in the mist of his own career to give much of what I was actually curious about but it left me wondering, 'why'. like the joke button he concluded the viral audition video moment on was fun and cute but we were given truly none of the fallout of this huge, unique moment. similarly with the marriage, it all feels too raw and recent for retrospection or introspection which definitely comes into light as he decides to instead explore doomscrolling and reading internet comments about himself. i'd hate to add to that pile of comments for him to read but here i am but i am full of love and light.
I like Lukas Gage, and I was hyped for this one! I was a little disappointed. This read wasn't life-changing, but it wasn't completely devoid of substance either.
I liked the Rock of Love references. He is very funny and vulnerable, and he did not have an easy life, but he has a lot of forgiveness for (but also some valid grudges against) people who have hurt him, which I appreciate and admire. Also, he loves his mom a whole lot, which I always love to see. I think it was the writing style that threw me off on this one.