Ansel Elgort denies he is gay on Twitter

NEW YORK, Dec. 18 (UPI) -- Ansel Elgort denied he is gay Wednesday on Twitter.

The 20-year-old actor made the declaration in response to lingering rumors about his sexuality. Elgort made it clear he is straight in an initial tweet, and followed up with a message of self-acceptance.

"Just in case it isn't clear... I like girls. A lot," he wrote. "Also let me say if I was gay I wouldn't hide it. Being gay or straight isn't bad or good it just IS. U are who you are. Be true to yourself."

Elgort's tweets were favorited over 37,000 and 24,000 times, respectively, on Twitter. The actor was most recently linked to ballerina Violetta Komyshan, who he reportedly met while attending LaGuardia High School.

Elgort made his film debut as Tommy Ross in Carrie, and came to fame as Caleb Prior in Divergent. He starred alongside Shailene Woodley in The Fault in Our Stars, and is scheduled for Men, Women & Children with Jennifer Garner and Divergent sequel Insurgent.