Liam Payne was a supporter of same-sex marriage. (Getty)

One Direction star Liam Payne didn’t “understand” why some countries were taking “so long” to legalise gay marriage.

The musician died on Wednesday (16 October) after falling from a third-floor balcony – possibly as high as 130ft (40m) – at a hotel in the Argentinian capital Buenos Aires. He was 31.

He was there with partner Kate Cassidy to watch a performance by former band-mate Niall Horan.

As news of his death spread, celebrities and fellow music stars, including Charlie Puth, Zedd, Paris Hilton and Ty Dolla $ign shared poignant tributes online. Fans of Payne, who shot to fame as part of The X Factor boyband One Direction in 2010, also flocked to social media to share their disbelief at the news.

The group was the biggest boyband of the 21st century until they went on indefinite hiatus in 2016, with all five members, Payne, Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Horan and Zayn Malik going on to achieve solo success.

In and out of the band, each of them had a sizeable LGBTQ+ following.
One Direction members, clockwise from top left: Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne, Liam Tomlinson.
A year before the band announced their split, Payne spoke to Attitude magazine about his views on same-sex marriage, months after it became legal in all US states.

He recalled being in America with the band at the time the law was passed, and seeing “loads of great parties and flags flying everywhere” in celebration.

“It’s strange to me that countries are still refusing to pass the law. I just don’t understand why it’s taking them so long,” he said. “We live in a time where everything is a lot more acceptable, but certain countries won’t move on. It’s made into a bigger issue than it should have been by people who are holding on to history.

“You can’t live in the past, you have to move with the times.”

The likes of Australia, Ireland, Northern Ireland and Switzerland had not recognised marriage equality at that time.

“All the issues people think are issues I don’t see as issues at all,” Payne continued. “I don’t pay any attention to whether people are gay or not, I am just into people. Loads of people are into all sorts, but if they are my mate and I get on with them, that’s all that counts.”
Liam Payne fell to his death from a hotel balcony in Argentina. (Mike Marsland/Mike Marsland/WireImage)
The “Strip That Down” singer went on to say that he had “a lot” of gay friends, who had been in his life for a long time.

“I actually find it funny that being gay is still something that’s talked about as though it’s not natural. I don’t go around saying: ‘Oh, this guy is gay’. I don’t make a big deal about it. I will just say, ‘This is my mate’. My mates are my mates, regardless of their sexuality.”

Payne is survived by his seven-year-old son Bear, whom he had with his then partner, Girls Aloud star Cheryl.

Earlier this week, the Daily Mail reported that Payne’s ex-fiancée, model Maya Henry, had issued a cease and desist against the former One Direction star, alleging that he had repeatedly tried to contact her, her friends, and family.