Talaura Harms Mya Taylor poses with the award for best supporting female for Tangerine at the Film Independent Spirit Awards. Andrew Keenan-Bolger: One of the best things that last year brought us was Pride returning to its political roots. What it would do is it would block all those actors from acting outside of their lane and so, is that going to stop my transgender actors from playing nontransgender roles or gay roles? said Thomas, who is trans. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. He began modeling at age 15 and his first success came with an Abercrombie & Fitch campaign. He headed straight to New York to pursue acting after graduating from the theater program at Otterbein. He is known for starring in the films Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood (1988), as Nick, and The Hills Have Randy Harrison was born in Nashua, New Hampshire, USA and graduated high school in Atlanta, GA. Harrison began acting as a child eventually receiving a BFA from Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. Now I celebrate that, not just this month, but everyday. While not exactly Pride-related, it is still with a great sense of pride that I can share at least a small portion of what helped to shape my artistry. There are a record number of queer candidates running for office right now, and a lot of them are at the state or local level. Tell us what you think about this feature. He has been married to Wil Tabares since April 3, 2014. Thomas said there are plenty of ways major studios can be more inclusive of LGBTQ talent while still being fair to all actors. We wont be doing our usual Classic Whitney Pride show at Joes Pub (last years was canceled), but we will definitely be back in 2022. I will be celebrating life and giving thanks for all that the LGBTQ pioneers have done for us with my boyfriend of 11 yearsthe gorgeous and talented Patrick McCollum, who choreographed The Bands Visit on Broadway. Asia Kate Dillon, who is nonbinary, turned down consideration last Tony season for their role in a production of Macbeth and opted out of Emmy consideration in 2017 for their role in the Showtime series Billions. Peter Paige is an accomplished actor, director, and playwright who has worked on countless theatrical productions in New York and at regional theaters around the country, not to mention numerous television and film projects. Additionally, TV aims to attract younger, niche audiences who expect to see diversity in their content. Major studio films, however, aim to attract wider audiences, and casting directors tend to already know whom they want to cast in roles: Mainly, actors who are already well known. Please consider supporting us bywhitelisting playbill.com with your ad blocker.Thank you! | When he was about 23 years old, a longtime Alex Newell was born on August 20, 1992 in Lynn, Massachusetts, USA. He is an actor, known for Glee (2009), Geography Club (2013) and Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist (2020). Rodney Hicks: I will celebrate Pride this year with a full heart of love for myself and our LGBTQIA+ community, along with all sentient beings of our world. He started a professional career in radio, commercial and theatre in his teens. Its a special year as I celebrate a friends coming out to her familychampagne included, of course. In a recent interview with the Sunday Times, actress While queer and trans stars like Kristen Stewart and Elliot Page may be the face of a newer, more tolerant Hollywood, its more than believable that many cis men still consider it career suicide to come out of the closet. | From actress Jane Lynch to actor Zachary Quinto to talk show host Ellen DeGeneres, stars who serve as inspirations for Pride Month, Jodie Foster, Oscar-winning actress and director, Zachary Quinto, actor and producer ("Star Trek"), Neil Patrick Harris, former "How I Met Your Mother" actor, Robin Roberts, "Good Morning America" anchor, Jane Lynch, former "Glee" actress and "Hollywood Game Night" host, Jim Parsons, Emmy-winning actor in "The Big Bang Theory", Raven-Symon, former "That's So Raven" star, Ellen DeGeneres, former talk show host, actress and comedian, Ian McKellen, actor in "The Lord of the Rings" and "X-Men" franchises, Sarah Paulson, star of "American Horror Story", Matt Bomer, actor ("White Collar," "American Horror Story"), Cynthia Nixon, former "Sex and the City" actress, Kristen Stewart, actress ("Twilight" series), Holland Taylor, former "Two and a Half Men" actress, Sara Gilbert, actress and producer of "The Conners", Cheyenne Jackson, actor ("30 Rock," "American Horror Story"), Colton Haynes, actor ("Teen Wolf," "Arrow"), Adam Lambert, singer and "American Idol" alum, Wentworth Miller, former "Prison Break" star, Rosie O'Donnell, actress and former talk show host, Portia De Rossi, actress ("Scandal," "Arrested Development"), Lily Tomlin, comedian and actress ("Grace & Frankie"), Sam Smith, Oscar-winning singer and songwriter, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, "Modern Family" actor, Laverne Cox, "Orange Is the New Black" star, Amandla Stenberg, actress ("Everything Everything"), Daniela Vega, actress ("A Fantastic Woman"), Jillian Michaels, "The Biggest Loser" coach, Queen Latifah, hip-hop star and "The Equalizer" actress, Dan Levy, "Schitt's Creek" star and co-creator, Taylor Schilling, "Orange Is the New Black" actress, Sean Hayes, former "Will and Grace" actor, Meredith Baxter, former "Family Ties" actress, Ruby Rose, former "Orange Is the New Black" and "Batwoman" actress. I also know that had a trans person played that role, they would have brought their own innate authenticity to it and infused it with more truth than I could have better understood at that time, or now, he said. Darius de Haas: I am primarily here in my new-ish home in New Jersey, and as far as Pride, Im happy and honored to venture out to sing the music of legendary composer Billy Strayhorn on June 24 at 7 PM for the Flushing Town Hall Pride Trilogy. I think I will write that episode and have that 81-year-old woman teach the young whippersnapper a thing or three about Pride. WebOff-Broadway Play Comedy Revival. Lea Salonga is returning to Broadway! Cue the laughter! He is only 35, so it's just second nature for him. She spent most of her early years in New York and Maine, before settling in Manhattan to attend the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and the High School for Performing Arts. He is an actor and producer, known for A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas (2011), Neil's Puppet Dreams (2012) and CSI: NY (2004). Lesbians and gay men became fixtures in the theater. You would not believe how widespread it is., But when it comes to actors who choose to remain closeted, Winslet agrees that its nobodys business but their own. As Pride Month approached, Playbill reached out to a host of LGBTQIA + theatre artists to see how they planned to celebrate Pride during this unique year. And, since I got legally married nearly three years ago, I've been dropping the word "husband" as often as I can! We were both in the closet, terrified about coming out to family members and employers. In a recent interview with Variety, queer actor Kristen Stewart also expressed concern that limiting who can play LGBTQ roles could result in limiting opportunities for queer actors. He also modeled for J.C. Penney, Kira Plastinina, and Ralph Lauren. ", From left, James Corden, Nicole Kidman, Meryl Streep and Keegan-Michael Key in "The Prom. In 2010, English actor Rupert Everett told U.K.s Radio 4 that he was very lucky at the beginning of his career, but that after he came out, his opportunities dried up. In some cases, [actors] are choosing not to come out for personal reasons, she explained. Web200 LGBTQ+ Actors & Actresses. Most notably, perhaps, Tom Hanks, who won an Academy Award for his portrayal of a gay man dying of AIDS in the 1993 film Philadelphia, and Hilary Swank, who won the Oscar for her performance as transgender man Brandon Teena in the 1999 film Boys Dont Cry. The academy also nominated actors Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal for their roles in the 2005 gay cowboy film Brokeback Mountain, Jared Leto for his portrayal of a trans woman in the 2013 film Dallas Buyers Club, actor Cate Blanchett for her role in the 2015 lesbian romantic drama Carol and Eddie Redmayne for his portrayal of a trans woman in the 2015 film The Danish Girl., While many straight and cisgender actors are capable of playing these roles, Cruz argued that LGBTQ actors should be prioritized when it comes to telling our own stories.. Before actor Wilson Cruz starred as the openly gay Dr. Hugh Culber on CBS All Access' Star Trek: Discovery, he made history playing gay high school student Ricky in the 90s show My So Called Life. It was the first time an openly gay actor played a gay character in a leading role in a TV series. I guess celebrating Pride is celebrating them, my family, my friends, and their Guncle! Compassion!" I can think of at least four actors absolutely hiding their sexuality, Winslet said. According to Playbill, Here Lies Love is a disco musical about the rise and fall of former Philippines First Lady Imelda Marcos family. Smith was born in California. The trans experience is beyond anything we can imagine, she said, when describing why she thinks transgender roles should be reserved for trans actors. He is best John Wesley Shipp was born on January 22, 1955 in Norfolk, Virginia, USA. There's infinite ways. Actor/Writer Sophie Sagan-Gutherz (They/Them), Queer joy is singing, dancing, laughing, wearing what you want, and kissing who you want. Music Director/Composer/Arranger/Pianist Dionne McClain-Freeney (She/Her), Queer joy to me is queer community coming together and uplifting each other. While trans actors have been given greater opportunities in television over the past several years, they are still scarcely seen in major studio films, and this lack of visibility can have real-world consequences. I have gotten "Happy Pride Month" well wishes form all sorts of straight allies, friends, family, co-workers, and former students. He is an actor and producer, known for Untitled Figure Skating NBC Project, Will & Grace (1998) and What Would You Do? Nyle DiMarco Actor | Station 19 Model, actor, and activist Nyle DiMarco, born in Queens, New York City, USA, has been 2. Little Island on Pier 55 just opened, so that is high on the list. Lee Daniels gave his parents an early Christmas present when he entered the world on December 24, 1959; unfortunately, the Philadelphia native was to have a difficult relationship with his police officer father who later reacted violently to his son's sexuality.