Drag Race cast responds to anti-drag legislation GLAAD 2026-09-20 | Drag Race cast responds to anti-drag legislation
Matt Rogers on Have You Heard of Christmas? Special, Being I Dont Know Herd By Mariah Carey GLAAD 2022-12-16 | People who have followed Matt Rogers's career, know that he is all about the music of it all -- and he puts it on full display on his new special "Matt Rogers: Have You Heard of Christmas?" which out now on Showtime."Have You Heard of Christmas? is dubbed as "the yuletide musical extravaganza you’ve been waiting for." We're not going to argue. In it, Rogers will share stories, perform holiday songs and serve performances and comedy sketches with special guest stars. That said, could Rogers be the "Prince of Christmas?" The Queen, "All I Want For Christmas Is You's" Mariah Carey was asked coronate him during his special."It's true," Rogers told GLAAD's Anthony Allen Ramos. "We even tried to get her to come on stage and actually crown me the 'Prince of Christmas'. I sent her a letter and everything. She did not respond which actually is fun because I feel like if she wasn't going to be there... The next best thing is for her to, 'I don't know her' me -- you know what I mean? You really can't ask for more than that. That's a gay dream in its own right."Even though Mariah Carey indirectly "I don't know her'd" Rogers, this was not the end of his journey to make a connection with the iconic songstress. Rogers, along with his BFF and "Las Culturistas" podcast co-host Bowen Yang recently appeared on LOL Cody and guess who showed up?"There had been rumors that she was going to appear on this episode that Bowen and I did," said Rogers. "Bowen was Cody's guest and I was the special guest and lo and behold [Mariah Carey] sort of appeared in a cloud of smoke... and of course she was wearing like 40,000 inch heels so she looked at me and [asked] 'can you help me down?'"He continued, "I snapped out of that bike so fast, I almost broke my legs doing it but I went over there and I got to touch her glorious diva hand with my sweaty little gay Peloton hand. It was one of the most incredible moments of my life. It's something I'll never forget."In addition to Mariah Carey, as we have seen on his recent appearance on "The Kelly Clarkson Show," he is a huge fan of the very first "American Idol" icon. When he was asked to make a Sophie's Choice on who he would rather go out drinking with, he was very strategic about it."I think I'd rather go out drinking with Kelly Clarkson just because I really get the sense that she's a tank," he admits. "Mariah gives lightweight vibes and I know Kelly likes to not come back. That's just the vibe I get."Rogers is having quite a year. In addition to his holiday special and his wildly successful podcast with Yang, he also stars in the Showtime series "I Love That For You" and was in the Andrew Ahn-directed "Fire Island" which was recently honored by the Gotham Awards. The film written by and starring Joel Kim Booster was a benchmark for queer cinema as it featured Asian queer leads played by Asians who identified as queer. In addition to having a queer director, the film also featured a cast of up and coming LGBTQ talent. With its success, there have been sequel talks loosely roaming about – specifically one idea that involved Marisa Tomei joining the cast as Margaret Cho’s character’s love interest.“I think a few things have to happen in order for that to happen,” Rogers explained. “We have to have Joel think of an idea for a sequel that's worthy to the first one because I don't think any of us would really want to do it or should do it unless it said something that was just as poignant and funny and meaningful as the first one.”He goes on to say that if Booster and Ahn are on the same page and they could pay the cast to make a bigger version of the first film, then they could start talking about bringing Tomei on board. “I don't think we would ever want to do it unless we could all come back,” he admitted. “We really found a way to make that happen because it was such an amazing shared experience together.”"Matt Rogers: Have You Heard of Christmas" is available now on Showtime.
Alexandra Billings Talks Inclusive Brilliance Of Sci-Fi Series The Peripheral GLAAD 2022-12-15 | From Madame Horrible in Wicked to Davina in "Transparent," we've seen Alexandra Billings play many characters -- but not quite like the one she plays in "The Peripheral." Based on the sci-fi novel of the same name by William Gibson, Billings stars as Ainsley Lowbeer in the Prime Video sci-fi series joining Chloe Grace Moretz, who plays Flynne Fisher. Set in the rural American South, Flynne works at the local 3D printing shop, while making extra money playing VR games for rich people. One night she puts on a headset to be transported 70 years in the future in London. However, she realizes that it isn’t virtual reality… it’s actually real. Flynne searches to discover who has connected their worlds.Billings' character is considered an "Ancient Noble" who is practically omniscient. She loved taking on the role."I loved that that description begins with the word, 'ancient'... that's brilliant," Billings told GLAAD's Anthony Allen Ramos. "Yes I am 110 years old so that is the great thing about this character... I'm a bit of a blithering idiot and a bit of a dreamer. Lowbeer is this cerebral analytical highly intelligent. I mean, she's flesh and blood, but she's a bit like a machine, I equated with "The Terminator" -- especially intellectually. She just focuses and it was great playing her because it rewired my brain. I think in the abstract and for about two months I was like super smart, figuring things out. It was so great."Billings considers herself a "sci-fi freak" so "The Peripheral" is right up her alley. She loves the action and the visual effects but for her, it goes beyond that. She loves how she, Moretz and T’Nia Miller play women who represent the world at large."None of us depend on any other human for our power, strength and intelligence," she explains. "We all rely on this and this other guiding force. That, for me, is how the world globally. How the world is changing and how these stories, especially through these three lenses are able to talk about familial love and also how to [change] stuff. It's not just a sci fi show... you get a lot of bang for your buck."She added, "Also, it is a true reflection on what we're experiencing socio-politically right now, especially with these three characters as the central figures.""The Peripheral" is available to stream now on Prime Video.
Something From Tiffanys Star Javicia Leslie Talks Queer Representation In Holiday Rom-Com GLAAD 2022-12-14 | We love an inclusive holiday rom-com and Prime Video's "Something From Tiffany's" from Reese Witherspoon and Lauren Neustadter's production banner Hello Sunshine is exactly that.Based on the novel by Melissa Hill adapted by Tamara Chestna and directed by Daryl Wein (streaming on Prime Video now), "Something From Tiffany's" features actress Javicia Leslie as Sophia, one-half of the married couple opposite Jojo T. Gibbs' Terri. They are surrounded by the holiday magic of New York City as well as several other romantic storylines that include Ethan and Vanessa (Kendrick Sampson, Shay Mitchell), a picture perfect couple who are just about to make it official. Meawhile Rachel and Gary (Zoey Deutch, Ray Nicholson) are happy enough, but not quite ready for that big commitment. When a simple mix-up of gifts causes all of their paths to cross, it sets off a series of twists and unexpected discoveries that lead them to where they’re truly meant to be. It's not often we see a solid, Black queer couple in a rom-com that seems (mostly) flawless. For Leslie, she thought it was beautiful to see this sort of representation in the rom-com genre because it's something we don't see often. "Something From Tiffany's" came to her when she was searching for a good film to be in while on hiatus from "Batwoman" -- and the fact it was produced by Hello Sunshine made it even better."My character’s queer, which most of my characters are, so that was already a plus," Leslie told GLAAD's Anthony Allen Ramos. "I hadn't worked with Jojo but I knew Jojo through friends and so our first time meeting was during the chemistry read and it was just really, really dope. We hit it off... It was just literally laughs and giggles the entire time. It was a really really fun experience."Leslie made history as the first Black and queer actor to play the iconic character of "Batwoman" in the CW series. Unfortunately, the series was canceled after three seasons -- but it just seemed like the beginning of the cancelation of inclusive programming under the WarnerMedia umbrella. The media conglomerate has since canceled many shows including "Legendary," "Minx," "Love Life," and "The Gordita Chronicles." The conglomerate also canceled the release of the multimillion dollar superhero pic Batgirl starring Leslie Grace as the titular character -- even though the film was completed. Directed by Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah and written by Christina Hodson the film also starred trans Filipina actress Ivory Aquino. Leslie said that the cancelation of LGBTQ-focused and inclusive programming is unfortunate and it is a never ending journey to achieve equity. She insists that we need to push and move forward despite the major obstacles that are in the way when it comes to inclusivity. "It's not just about hiring the actors that represent our queer community," stated Leslie. "It's about hiring queer storytellers." She goes on to say that inclusivity comes from the stories being told by the community they come from. "I feel like that's gonna help create and help push it forward," she added.We will see Leslie don the cowl as "Batwoman" in the final season of "The Flash" on the CW, and she is excited to step into action again because she loves doing stunts. But for Leslie, playing "Batwoman" was not just about being a superhero but how to navigate her future roles. "I'm leading the show, so there's so much responsibility on my shoulders than to come onto something like "Something From Tiffany's" where I'm not," she said. "It was like, 'oh I get to just come in here and have fun and get out'. I like both, but I like the balance of being able to do something like that woman where I can give every single piece of me but then also come over and do something as fun and as unique as "Something from Tiffany's.""Something From Tiffany's" is available now on Prime Video
Jessie Pocock, Executive Director of Inside Out Youth Services, US House Oversight Committee Hearing GLAAD 2022-12-14 | "We want young people to feel loved & included. We want them to survive...it is not okay that we expect more maturity & compassion from our youth than the public servants entrusted with their care."
James Slaugh, Club Q mass shooting survivor, shares his story with the US House Oversight Committee GLAAD 2022-12-14 | "Club Q was a second home and safe space to all of us. Outside of these spaces we are continually being dehumanized, marginalized, and targeted. The fear-based and hateful rhetoric surrounding the LGBTQ community, especially around trans individuals and drag performers leads to violence. We shouldn't have to fear being shot when we go to our safe spaces or anywhere for that matter." glaad.org/blog/club-q-survivors-testify-congress
Matthew Haynes, founding owner of Club Q, speaks to the US House Oversight Committee GLAAD 2022-12-14 | "Now is a critical time for national, state, local elected officials community, and religious leaders to drop the politics and work with LGBTQ leaders and small business owners like me to support and affirm LGBTQ events, venues, communities, and most importantly people. We need safe spaces like Club Q more than ever. And we need you, as our leaders, to support and protect us."glaad.org/blog/club-q-survivors-testify-congress
Michael Anderson, Club Q survivor, speaks at US House Oversight Committee GLAAD 2022-12-14 | It was places like gay bars and clubs that helped me embrace who I was, and formed me into the man I am today. Club Q was and will once again be a safe place for not just the LGBTQ community, but everyone else too."glaad.org/blog/club-q-survivors-testify-congress
Sarah Kate Ellis addresses the US House Oversight Committee GLAAD 2022-12-14 | Thank you Chairwoman Maloney and thank you leaders from Colorado Springs. GLAAD tracks and reports dangerous conditions for LGBTQ Americans. I want to be clear: we currently live in an unsafe America for LGBTQ people. The horrific attack at Club Q is yet one more avoidable symptom of a larger epidemic plaguing our nation: a culture of anti-LGBTQ rhetoric and violence from politicians and political extremists.Consider these facts that GLAAD tracked this year:-Over 300 anti-LGBTQ state and local bills proposed-Bomb threats to twenty children’s hospitals that offer medically safe healthcare to transgender youth.-Nearly 150 attacks on LGBTQ events And a new GLAAD poll found 48% of all LGBTQ respondents and 72% of transgender respondents fear for their safety in the current environment. Why is this happening? It starts with candidates and politicians who deliberately spread disinformation and anti-LGBTQ inflammatory political messaging. It continues with media. Fox News aired 170 anti-transgender segments in a three-week span. The New York Times is approaching trans healthcare as a debate as opposed to settled medicine according to every major medical association. This rhetoric gets amplified on social media, where hate gets organize hate into action. Facebook too often refuses to act on the content that spreads lies. On Twitter, new Media Matters data shows the maliciously defamatory slur ‘groomer' increased over 1200% from 9 accounts since Elon Musk took over.This behavior is all exasperated when bad actors have easy access to assault weapons. There is a direct line from dangerous words to violent behavior for the LGBTQ communityWe can stop the lies and violence only if we work together. We all deserve to be safe in America.glaad.org/blog/watch-live-10am-et-glaad-club-q-survivors-testify-congressional-hearing-rise-anti-lgbtq
Elegance Bratton on new film “The Inspection” starring Gabrielle Union and Jeremy Pope GLAAD 2022-12-13 | GLAAD’s Julian Walker chats with Filmmaker, Photographer, Author and TV Producer Elegance Bratton on the release of his film, “The Inspection” starring Gabrielle Union and Jeremy Pope.In Elegance Bratton's inspirational and deeply moving retelling of his own story, The Inspection follows a young, gay Black man, rejected by his mother and with few options for his future, decides to join the Marines, doing whatever it takes to succeed in a system that would cast him aside. But even as he battles deep-seated prejudice and the grueling routines of basic training, he finds unexpected camaraderie, strength, and support in this new community, giving him a hard-earned sense of belonging that will shape his identity and forever change his life.Elegance stated, “I hope that by the end of this viewing experience, if you’ve ever felt disregarded, abandoned, and alone; if someone has ever told you you’re not enough and you don’t have a future, I hope that by the end of The Inspection you’re certain that you ARE enough and you deserve good things in life. Dream big, dream practically. Always pick yourself.” "The Inspection" is in theaters now
Gabrielle Union on new film The Inspection GLAAD 2022-12-13 | GLAAD’s Julian Walker chats with Actress, Advocate, Author and Executive Producer Gabrielle Union on the release of “The Inspection” directed by Elegance Bratton."The Inspection" follows a young, gay Black man ( played by Jeremy Pope ), rejected by his mother ( played by Gabrielle Union ) and decides to join the Marines, doing whatever it takes to succeed in a system that would cast him aside. But even as he battles deep-seated prejudice and the grueling routines of basic training, he finds unexpected camaraderie, strength, and support in this new community, giving him a hard-earned sense of belonging that will shape his identity and forever change his life.Gabrielle Union stated, “If parents understood the level of pain, trauma, and heart ache their version of love is causing they should shift course. And to know you can change on a dime, you don’t have to stick with this line of behavior thinking just because that’s how you were raised, that’s what’s being taught in your faith or that’s all you know. There’s other ways. To deny someone’s identity, is to deny them their humanity and no parents love should be inhumane, think of it that way.”"The Inspection" is in theaters now.
Jeremy Pope on new film The Inspection GLAAD 2022-12-12 | GLAAD’s Julian Walker chats with Two-time Tony nominee and Singer Jeremy Pope on the release of “The Inspection” directed by Elegance Bratton.The Inspection follows a young, gay Black man French ( played by Jeremy Pope ), rejected by his mother ( played by Gabrielle Union ) and decides to join the Marines, doing whatever it takes to succeed in a system that would cast him aside. But even as he battles deep-seated prejudice and the grueling routines of basic training, he finds unexpected camaraderie, strength, and support in this new community, giving him a hard-earned sense of belonging that will shape his identity and forever change his life.Jeremy stated, “These are moments the he ( Elegance Bratton ) lived. Our film was met with an intention of service, protecting him, guiding him and honoring this story of complex relationships and understanding identity. I’m in a space that I’m grateful to Elegance Bratton and my scene partner Gabrielle Union for doing the work and creating a moment in time that I think will be necessary for someone who needs to see their story represented or their complexities represented. To know there’s a way out, that they’re not alone. All of those things are reminders within our film”."The Inspection" is in theaters now
Jonathan Bennett Talks LGBTQ Hallmark Film The Holiday Sitter, and Being King Of Gay Christmas GLAAD 2022-12-08 | It’s the most wonderful time of the year… and that means the joy of a gay holiday Hallmark Channel movie! In "The Holiday Sitter" (debuting December 11th), Jonathan Bennett stars as the workaholic bachelor Sam who recruits his handsome neighbor Jason (George Krissa) for help while he babysits his niece and nephew before the holidays. One thing leads to another and guess what? Jason finds himself in an unexpected romance.This is the third LGBTQ inclusive Hallmark movie – but it’s the first movie with a LGBTQ character in the lead. Bennett, who is officially the “King of Gay Christmas”, also serves as the executive producer and built this gay-led Hallmark Channel story from the ground up.“I feel so passionate about telling this story and I think this movie has so much heart in it,” Bennett told GLAAD’s Anthony Allen Ramos. “It has so much humor and I think you really root for [the characters] to be together.”He said that there was something special in the air on set while it was in production because not only was this a gay-centered story, but it also had a queer creative team working behind the scenes.“Now that we've seen the movie, it's even 10,000 times better than I even thought it was gonna be,” admitted Bennett. “There’s just something special about this one.”The story was inspired by classic comedies, which Bennett loves. In particular, he looked to the classic John Hughes pic "Uncle Buck" starring the legendary John Candy. Like "Uncle Buck," "The Holiday Sitter" tells the story of a man who is in over his head when he is asked to take care of some kids. When it comes to his own life, playing this character kind of gave him baby fever.“I love working with kids this age because it's just so fun to hang out,” he said. He also points out that in the movie, his love interest Jason wants to start a family on his own and adopt a baby. “It's based on the idea of chosen family – like gay, straight, whatever you are, there is a way to create the family that you want because chosen families are just as strong and powerful,” he said.Bennett hopes that people see that the movie is for everybody – not just the LGBTQ community. It has all the tropes of a Hallmark Christmas rom-com but they just made both leads male.Speaking of holiday rom-coms starring "Mean Girls" alums, Bennett said that he has watched Lindsay Lohan’s recent holiday pic "Falling for Christmas" and absolutely loved it. That said, he really wants to do a Christmas movie with Lohan.“I would want to do something that's different than what people have already seen us do because you're not gonna top Aaron and Katie falling in love,” he said. “We can't fall in love anymore because we've done it and it was amazing – so let's try to do something different.”"The Holiday Sitter" premieres Sunday, December 11 at 8pm on Hallmark Channel
Keiynan Lonsdale Talks Step Up, Queer Representation, And Shares Details About Season 3 GLAAD 2022-12-06 | "Step Up" has returned for its third season on STARZ and there is a lot to expect from this season – specifically with Keiynan Lonsdale whose character Tal is back, and he has a lot on his plate.After a long hiatus, "Step Up "brings us back to the top-notch artistic incubator – which also includes lots of drama. The new season brings us back to High Water founder and megastar Sage Odom (Ne-Yo) as he is on a downward spiral of murder charges, financial ruin, among other things. His business and romantic (more or less) partner Collette Jones (Christina Milian) struggles to maintain their image as she balances a nationwide tour and stepping out of her role as the woman behind the empire all while carrying a secret that threatens to ruin it all.Lonsdale joins a cast that includes Terrence Green, Kendra Willis, Carlito Olivero, Jade Chynoweth, and Rebbi Rosie. For Lonsdale, who stepped into the role of Tal after Petrice Jones had to step down after two seasons, told GLAAD’s Anthony Allen Ramos that he is excited to join the new season and return to dancing.“Dancers are my favorite people and I think Tal is an amazing character,” said Lonsdale. “I really wanted to honor what was done in the first two seasons and embody this young man who’s still at a coming-of-age point in his life; in the transition of taking full ownership of his life and what he stands for in his voice, while also figuring out what he’s capable of by being constantly thrown in the deep end.He added, “I feel like my life has been a lot of that -- getting thrown in the deep end and trying to doggy paddle or swim a little bit… so that is how we find [Tal]: stressful but incredible.”The new season puts Tal in the position of lead dancer which means there is a lot at stake. Lonsdale also points out that he is wearing many different hats as we see in the first episode of the season where he is the stage manager. He’s also serving as the choreographer and has his hand in many roles of production.“He’s now dealing with all these different personalities, egos and drama that he can’t just think about the movement -- he’s got to think about the entire picture,” Lonsdale explains. “I think it’s all training him to [ask] ‘Who am I as a creative?’ I think this is really a season of empowerment for Tal -- true empowerment.”As a gay person of color playing a gay character of color in the series, Lonsdale has been representing the community in his previous work and he is also set to perform at World Pride 2023 in his home of Sydney, Australia. For "Step Up," he hopes that audiences will be able to see themselves represented by Tal but also hopes they see other sides of the character.“I want them to be able to see the nuances and the layers of him learning to speak up and take ownership,” said Lonsdale. “I think there's also a lot of bravado around him… that energy that he has to navigate and remain true to who he is and just cut through and figure out the life that he's gonna have.”Lonsdale said that what Tal wants may be different to everybody else, but he wants to find joy in and not be in his head as much. “I am excited for people to watch the journey of him [of] quite literally having to step up to the plate… but also to free himself [and] let go.”New episodes of "Step Up" are available Sundays on STARZ.
WATCH: Monarchs Beth Ditto & Kevin Cahoon Talk Season Finale and Plan to Make Nashville Gay! GLAAD 2022-12-05 | Are you watching Monarch on Fox? If not, you’re missing out on some Texas-sized drama. Monarch is a multi-generational musical series about the biggest country music family in America. The Roman family is led by the “Queen of Country Music” Dottie, played by Oscar Award winning actress Susan Sarandon and her husband the “Texas Truthteller” or Albie, who is played by Country Music Award Winner Trace Adkins. In addition to featuring some great country music and binge worthy drama, Monarch highlights the stories of LGBTQ people in the country music scene. Out actors Beth Ditto and Kevin Cahoon joined GLAAD’s Anthony Allen Ramos to talk about their characters and the importance of this representation.Queer actress and singer Beth Ditto, who’s character Gigi is a body positive lesbian, talks about some of the similarities and differences between her real-life persona and her character. “I tried to make Gigi as butch as I could possibly make her on Fox,” noting how important it is to have characters like these on network television. Cahoon speaks about how his character Earl Clark is based off of a real stylist for country music icons we all know and love. “Earl started as Dottie Roman’s personal stylist and then became her best friend in the process.”Ditto took a moment to discuss how Earl’s closeness to the Roman family is a perfect example of a chosen family. “They’ve adopted you into their family. It’s such a common theme for queer people,” she says. “Make Nashville gay!” Ditto jokes about increasing queer representation in the country music scene. “Well, Nashville is pretty gay,” Cahoon explains. Whether it’s on stage or behind the scenes, there have always been queer people in country music. “LGBTQ people in Nashville are writing the songs, they’re producing, they’re coming up with the looks. I always say they are the engine and the pick-up truck of country music. They are driving this.” As more and more people in country music come out as queer or as outspoken allies, the scene is becoming a more accepting place. “I think people can smell when things are not authentic. When things are authentic, they gravitate towards those things,” Cahoon says. The two actors are great friends off screen, Cahoon stating that he “first fell in love with Beth during their first table read.” They joke about going to the gay bar together and the DJ’s blasting Beth’s music.Fans can catch the season finale of Monarch December 6th on Fox.
GLAAD at the NYC Premiere of Spoiler Alert with Jim Parsons, Ben Aldridge, Sally Field and more! GLAAD 2022-12-02 | GLAAD caught up with the stars and filmmakers of the new film "Spoiler Alert" from Focus Features which is in select cities on December 2 and nationwide on December 9. Based on Michael Ausiello’s best-selling memoir, "Spoiler Alert" is a heartwarming, funny, and life-affirming story that follows the 14-year love affair between entertainment journalist Michael (Jim Parsons) and his photographer partner, Kit (Ben Aldridge). Through Kit, Michael discovers the family he was robbed of as a child, from Kit’s small town parents (Sally Field and Bill Irwin) to their extraordinary circle of Manhattan friends. And while Michael imagines his life unfolding like the plot of one of his favorite romantic comedies, even he can’t predict the twists and turns that will transform and deepen their relationship.In addition to speaking about the impact of making such an important film, Jim Parsons and Michael Ausiello expressed their excitement over the U.S. Senate passing the Respect for Marriage Act which will repeal the discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act and ensure that legally married same-sex and interracial couples are entitled to the same protections and recognition from the federal government as all other married couples.
Getty Images honors World AIDS Day in partnership with GLAAD GLAAD 2022-12-01 | World AIDS Day provides an opportunity to unite us all in the ongoing fight against HIV. Today, we commemorate those we’ve lost from AIDS-related illnesses since the start of the epidemic, and recognize that the fight is far from over. We acknowledge the trailblazers that have fought for better education to help end the stigma experienced by those living with HIV as well as those that continue to fight for increased awareness, understanding, and offer support to the estimated 38 million people globally affected by this disease. GLAAD is partnering with Getty Images and Ceros for The LGBTQ+ Guidebook, designed to inspire media to be more inclusive in their visual choices to ensure imagery that is powerful, reflective and authentic in its depictions of the LGBTQ community.
Jim Parsons, Ben Aldridge, Sally Field and More Share Emotional Stories On Making Spoiler Alert GLAAD 2022-12-01 | Michael Ausiello is known as prominent entertainment journalist in Hollywood, but with the new movie, "Spoiler Alert," the tables are turned and he is providing the entertainment to be reported on.Based on his best-selling memoir “Spoiler Alert: The Hero Dies,” the film directed by Michael Showalter ("The Big Sick") and adapted by David Marshall Grant is a beautifully told story of love and loss as it follows TV reporter Michael (Jim Parsons) and his partner Kit’s (Ben Aldridge) relationship after Kit is diagnosed with cancer.For Aldridge, it was incredible special to play Kit. He recognized the huge level of responsibility to play him but watching videos of him and getting to know him helped Aldridge a lot.“I just really loved him,” Aldridge old GLAAD’s Anthony Allen Ramos. A photographer, Aldridge fell in more and more in love with the process of getting to know Kit and there was one prop that really helped.“Using that camera that was actually his in those scenes was extremely powerful,” said Aldridge. “To think that I was looking at that screen that he had looked at and taken that photo that made that scene -- that was much more moving for me; just hold holding that and looking at his artwork as well. “I took real pleasure in just being able to see how he saw the world and what he found interesting. That was really revealing to me about his sense of humor… I loved getting to know him. I wish I was able to know him in person.”As LGBTQ representation becomes more and more front and center in film and TV, Parsons and Aldridge are excited that their romantic dramedy in the vein of "Terms of Endearment" is hitting the mainstream for all sorts of audiences to see.“I got to take part in telling the type of story that I grew up loving to watch and connecting to, but not about gay couples -- they were still powerful to me and I feel the same way about our movie,” Parsons said in the interview. “I don't think you need to be gay to have this powerfully affect you..that’s what's been so moving to me about this.”Aldridge chimed in, “I was so unfortunately shame-filled that I that I rejected a lot of things that were there when I was younger, but something like this I think would have just given me another option of a look at what it meant to be gay -- you know, a positive example of love. And I think this film really does give you all the spectrum of what love is and what being in a relationship is."Also starring in the film are Sally Field and Bill Irwin, who played Kit’s parents Marilyn and Bob. Both talked to Ramos about the importance of this film and how they personally connect to the story.“I hope people will come and sit in the movie theater again and take away what they will take away what they will and see this,” said Irwin. “Like Sally, I'm the proud parent of a proud gay young man.”“It's about loving anybody, how hard it is to love somebody in the world, whether you're gay or straight,” Field said about "Spoiler Alert." “It's a story about two parents that fight it out with their child and fight it out with each other and ultimately love each other. [It’s about] the partners that love each other and fight with each other. That's the story that I wanted to tell [and] I was glad to be there to tell.”Field had previously worked with Showalter on the indie film "Hello, My Name Is Doris" and he knows her son, Sam. Showalter invited them to watch a screening movie and Field said that Showalter wanted Sam to see the movie more.“[Sam is] a very tough critic,” Field pointed out. “I'm always frightened for him to see my work… he really, really loved the movie. He didn't cry – but that's all right. But I think he felt emotional, but he liked it so I'm glad.”For Ausiello, sharing such a personal story on screen to the masses is a big moment. He admitted to Ramos that he hadn’t really given any thought to what Kit would have thought of the movie. “He was very particular about his art and would always have strong surprising opinions and I couldn't even begin to think, what his reaction would be,” stated Ausiello. “I'm sure he would have notes -- absolutely, he would have notes.”He added, “I do know that he would be pleased that we cast Ben Aldridge as him mostly because he's so f*cking hot.”"Spoiler Alert" opens in theaters December 2.
Singer Sam Williams Talks Being Out in Country Music; His Famous Family, New Music and More GLAAD 2022-11-30 | Country singer-songwriter Sam Williams is having a moment as he recently released a deluxe version of his album "Glasshouse Children: Tilted Crown" along with an accompanying music video. On top of that, he has publicly come out as gay for the first time.Williams is part of a country music dynasty which includes his grandfather Hank Williams and his father Hank Williams Jr., but it is clear that he has paved his own path – which is explored in the music video for “Tilted Crown.”In it, Williams sits in a theater and watches the ups, downs, loves and losses in his life unfold in front of him as a play. When Williams first heard the premise of the music video, he admitted he was nervous.“I just didn't know if I was ready to do that,” Williams told GLAAD’s Anthony Allen Ramos. “I think that when you go through a lot of grief, you can start to feel like a victim and you don't want for that to become your identity in that victimhood… but at the same time I thought that so many people can relate to losing their loved ones and just going through hardship and struggle.”Despite his apprehensions, he thought it would be best to embrace it. “It doesn't have to be something that's descriptive of your entire being,” he said. “Everybody goes through the same things in life and I thought it was really impactful to share those.”This is also a big moment because Williams has come out as gay and is bolstering queer representation in an industry where it is not common.“It feels good,” he said. “Thankfully there's been some trailblazers before me and you kind of have it in your head [that] when you reach a certain level of success or if you're more exposed, what's the right time to?”“I just thought that there's no reason to not just be myself and it's 2022, for goodness sake… I think it's time that everyone should be allowed to be themselves and if you want to represent for people and be an ally, that's what I'd like to be.”Williams said that he admired fellow country artist T.J. Osborne from Brothers Osborne when he came out. There was a struggle and it took years for him to feel comfortable and build a supportive base so that it wouldn’t influence his career.For Williams, he doesn’t want people to make it more about his coming out rather than his music. He hopes that he has established himself enough that being gay isn’t his entire being.“It's me being who I am,” he said. “I just hope that it just speaks to myself and being comfortable in my own skin.”"Glasshouse Children: Tilted Crown" is available now.
FIRST LOOK: Murray Bartlett’s Nick De Noia shares a kiss with his lover in “Welcome to Chippendales” GLAAD 2022-11-29 | New episodes of "Welcome to Chippendales" are available Tuesdays on @Hulu
WATCH: Bob the Drag Queen, Shangela, and Eureka on “the most impactful season” of “We’re Here” GLAAD 2022-11-25 | The HBO series "We’re Here" is back and more timely than ever. In a year where drag events have faced at least 124 protests and threats, the importance and power of having drag queens represented in the media living their best life and helping make communities better cannot be understated. Starting November 25th, drag superstars Eureka O’Hara, Bob the Drag Queen, and Shangela are recruiting diverse groups of local residents from throughout the country to share their stories, increase awareness, and promote acceptance through one-night-only drag shows in this Emmy and GLAAD Media Award winning reality series. GLAAD’s Anthony Allen Ramos sat down with the queens to talk about the new season of We’re Here.Eureka kicks off the discussion talking about how filming the show felt a little different this time around. “We were really lucky to have some really important conversations that need to be had in the spaces where a lot of these issues are very relevant right now.” She explains how being a part of the show has helped get her through this difficult time.DJ "Shangela" Pierce spoke about his motivation for remaining strong despite all of the protests and hate. “You have to remind yourself of what your purpose is,” DJ says. “I think all about purpose in creating this show, "We’re Here." Going to these small conservative towns and partnering with people, amplifying their voices and their stories, our purpose is to be there for them. They walk these roads every day.” What keeps Bob the Drag Queen going in these tough times? “I love what I do,” Bob says simply. Eureka explains how the increase in backlash towards the community is due to the increase in visibility. “We’re queer trailblazers,” she says. “People are feeling more and more empowered to be vocal in their discrimination and being more open and active in their anti-acceptance. Drag just happens to be at the forefront of that.” Bob chimes in stating, “People used to be ashamed of being a bigot… those days are long gone.” On the impact of the show, Bob says that when their drag children perform in their hometown, “Their own community members are cheering for them. The people you thought would want to tear you down, are actually standing up and saying you matter, you’re significant, your life has value.” "We’re Here" season 3 premieres on HBO and HBO Max on November 25th.
Exclusive: Shangelas Mother Talks Love & Support for Her Son at DWTS Finale GLAAD 2022-11-22 | At the big "Dancing with the Stars" on finale airing on Disney+, Shangela''s mother, Debra speaks with GLAAD's Anthony Allen Ramos about how proud she is of her son and her hopes for more parents to be accepting of their LGBTQ children."He is my son so you always love your child no matter what! I am still his mom at the end of the day, and I still love him. I don’t think any mom should not like their son just because of who he wants to be," she said.
WATCH: Shangela Says Bringing Drag to the Ballroom in ‘DWTS’ Finale was “a Gift” GLAAD 2022-11-22 | It was an emotional and highly entertaining night at the “Dancing with the Stars” finale for drag superstar Shangela who not only felt the pressure to deliver a moment that was both entertaining and impactful alongside her pro dance partner Gleb Savchenko, but she also felt the sadness from the tragic November 20th shooting at LGBTQ nightclub Club Q in Colorado Springs, Colorado. After her first performance of the night, Shangela took the moment to address the recent tragedy and speak directly to those affected. “The emotions have been heavy, there is a lot going on in our world, in our country. There was a mass shooting, a horrible tragedy that happened in Colorado Springs. An attack on the LGBTQ community cannot be supported. This moment right here is about sharing more love and less hate. Hopefully we can start celebrating each other’s differences and not be divided. My heart and condolences go out to everyone whose lives were lost and were affected,” she said. GLAAD’s Anthony Allen Ramos spoke with Shangela and Savchenko moments after the finale wrapped, and although they didn’t end up taking home the mirrorball trophy, the two feel very proud of what they did in the end, which included having important conversations about the LGBTQ community all season and culminated with Shangela giving her pro dance partner an all out fabulous drag makeover.“We wanted to deliver ‘a moment’ and I feel confident that we did that tonight. We pulled out all of the bells and whistles that are known in the drag world that are for entertainment and it was a gift to me to be here in this ballroom to have so many people behind us! I don’t want people to be sad in this moment, I want them to celebrate, because they will never forget Shangela and Natasha” she said after coming in 4th place.Savchenko, who teased a possible drag makeover with Ramos in weeks leading into the finale, kept good on his promise and debuted his drag alter ego “Natasha,” in an epic freestyle routine to a mashup of Destiny’s Child’s “Survivor” and RuPaul’s “Call Me Mother.” He says this season, competing as the first men to dance together on the series was especially meaningful. “I want to thank Shangela for bringing me into her world and showing me that nothing is impossible. We’re trying to show the world that it’s all about love and unfortunately, we live in a really hard time right now,” he told Ramos after the finale.In an emotional moment during training for the final freestyle routine, Shangela opened up about not being sure how her partner would initially react to being paired with a drag queen when the season began.“I didn’t know how my partner was going to take it, but we had an immediate connection,” Shangela told her partner. Savchenko, who has been a pro dancer on “Dancing with the Stars” since 2015 said that working with Shangela was a career highlight on the series. “To me it was probably my favorite season, because I have never worked with someone so special, and so amazing, and it actually touched my heart,” he said.After the finale Shangela told Ramos that she hopes the bond and acceptance that the two showed on “Dancing with the Stars” is a breakthrough for other people who might be less familiar with the LGBTQ community.“I hope more people are inspired by Gleb’s openness to other people who are different than himself and the way he leads with love,” she said. Shangela told Ramos that she felt empowered to speak out on the Colorado Springs LGBTQ nightclub tragedy during the finale and that she felt that her presence on the series was all that more necessary for moments like this. “It was amazing to be able to be here to speak on what happened in Colorado Springs because if (I wasn’t) here it might not have been spoken about. That’s why a platform and a space like this is so important. I just want to applaud everyone who has pushed us, it gives me hope so that we don’t live in fear or think about hate in the world,” she said.Next up, Shangela can be seen in an all-new season of the Emmy and GLAAD Media Award winning reality docuseries “We’re Here” on November 25th on HBO.#DWTS #DWTSfinale #Shangela #Drag #dragqueen
Jill Sobules Queer Musical F*ck7thGrade Helps Everyone Embrace Those Awkward Adolescent Years GLAAD 2022-11-18 | Since opening in October at New York’s The Wild Project in the East Village, musician Jill Sobule’s rock concert musical "F*ck7thGrade" has been garnering attention – so much so that it will be back for an encore limited winter engagement from January 23- February, 11, 2023. Weekdays 7pm, Friday & Saturday 8pm.As the title suggests, the musical spotlights those formative adolescent years – in all of its awkward glory. With Lisa Peterson directing a book by Liza Birkenmeier and music & lyrics by Sobule, "F*ck7thGrade" brings us back to the 70s. Witha middle school band, the musical tells an autobiographical story about how Sobule survived those middle years to become the first pop music artist to pen the first openly- queer song that landed on the Billboard Top 20.Yup, Sobule wrote some iconic hits from the 90s including “Supermodel” and the original “I Kissed a Girl.”In a recent interview with GLAAD’s Anthony Allen Ramos, Sobule mentioned how the musical is set at a very pivotal time in all of our lives: middle school. It is a time that everyone could relate.“I think it's when peers become more important,” Sobule said about middle school. “Hormonally we're changing.. and our bodies have grown more than our brains… and kids are f*cking mean.”The concert musical sets the scene at a time when it was not the ideal time to be queer. As Sobule points out, when she was in the 7th grade, there were no mainstream LGBTQ clubs or straight alliances. Imagine adding that on top of a time in your life that is already a struggle.The musical may be autobiographical, but for Sobule, it’s important that other people see themselves in her story. She wants it to be a musical to where people aren’t necessarily coming for her life story, but to see their life too. people aren't coming to see my life, it's they're coming to see their life too.“It’s pretty universal,” explained Sobule. “There's one part of the show I [ask the audience]: ‘How many people wanted to die when they were in 7th grade?’ and you know that hands shoot up?”.As for when Sobule remembers seeing herself represented in film or TV, she remembers seeing Tim Curry in "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." “I remember going to it and it blew my mind,” she said. “[I thought}, ‘There's a place for me that I'll be able to go to some time… it might not be Transylvania, but there's place for weirdos’.”She said that there weren’t many role models for her growing up but when David Bowie, Lou Reed, Mick Jagger and more musicians began to be more androgynous presenting, she saw things started to open up. This led to the ‘90s where more men started to be openly queer, but it wasn’t until Melissa Etheridge started to gain popularity that queer woman started to come out.Sobule appreciates how things are a lot different now than they were when she was coming up.“What a great time to be a queer artist… what a great time you can do whatever you want,” she said, naming artists like Frank Ocean and Lil Nas X who are breaking ground for the LGBTQ community in different genres.After "F*ck7thGrade" ends it run, Sobule has another musical waiting in the wings with a comedic, young adult, queer adaptation of "The Scarlet Letter." “I went through a stage of [reading] queer YA books and some of them are so good -- just think if I had that when I was a kid. That would have been amazing.”Tickets for "F*ck7thGrade" are available at TheWildProject.org.
Jeopardy! Champ Amy Schneider On Tournament Of Champions Recent Wedding, Trans Activism and more GLAAD 2022-11-16 | Amy Schneider has returned to Jeopardy! and ready to slay some Daily Doubles and add to her winnings at Tournament of Champions.With her return to the quiz show, she doesn’t necessarily have a “grand plan”. As she said, if something’s broke, why fix it? However, she still does approach the competition from a different angle.“There are some slight differences being the Tournament of Champions,” Schneider told GLAAD’s Anthony Allen Ramos. “Previously I was only going up against people who were playing their first game ever and now in the tournament, everybody won a few games. I think the one thing is that I want to be more conscious of looking for the Daily Doubles and remembering where they were and where they might be and when the right time is to really like go for that.”"Jeopardy" airs weekdays, check your local listings.
WATCH: Shangela’s Emotional Interview After Making it to “DWTS” Finale GLAAD 2022-11-15 | Drag Superstar Shangela is making us proud! She and her pro dance partner Gleb Savchenko advanced into the finals of “Dancing with the Stars,” after a dramatic and emotional semi-finals competition, making them 1 of 4 couples who will compete for the coveted mirrorball trophy on Monday, November 21st. GLAAD has been working to amplify Shangela’s participation in the competition, as this is the first time two men have competed together in the US version of the show, but also because of the recent drag performer protests, specifically against drag queen story hours that have been popping up all over the country. GLAAD’s Anthony Allen Ramos spoke with Shangela and Gleb in the ballroom moments after they learned they were heading to next week’s finale, and the drag superstar was still very emotional over the moment.“I felt like I had been in this moment before on “RuPaul’s Drag Race” when its people voting for you…I was crying because we worked so hard and I knew how many people were rooting for this moment, honestly I was just overcome…”Shangela’s partner Gleb, who has been in the finals twice before, said this specific time it felt really meaningful. “It is so special because we worked so hard every week, and it’s been 9 weeks and…we just created that awesome friendship. We’ve worked together as a team, as one,” he said.As Shangela gets ready to head into the big “Dancing with the Stars” finale, she is feeling the immense impact of being both the first drag performer to compete on the series and to be the first man to dance with another man in the competition.“The visibility is so important and I hope that me being in this ballroom and making it to the finale shows any person out there who has ever struggled with identity or people who have embraced themselves, but are not embraced by others…Baby, you belong! You have value and if you just continue to show up as who you are, as all of the parts of who you are, proudly, then there will be a moment for you.”The finale of “Dancing with the Stars” airs Monday, November 21 at 8pm ET on Disney+.
LOL Cody: Peloton Series Is Talk Show On Wheels; Cody Rigsby On Secret Boy Band-Centric Guest GLAAD 2022-11-15 | Peloton has taken the talk show concept to another level.With the success of "XOXO, Cody," the popular workout platform launched "LOL Cody" hosted by Peloton’s King of Pop Culture Cody Rigsby. The first-of-its-kind series has already welcomed special guests RuPaul’s Drag Race all-stars queen Trixie Mattel as well as singer/songwriter Carly Rae Jepsen.The new series includes a workout but also, Rigsby breaks down pop culture’s buzziest moments with special guests. And like the title suggests, you will probably LOL.“I really love the guests that we've had in the conversations we had and honestly, it's not that deep -- we're having fun, we're playing fun games and it's just been incredible,” Rigsby told GLAAD’s Anthony Allen Ramos. “It was like the dream situation on episode one [with Trixie Mattel] and Carly was fantastic as well.”When the show was announced, Rigsby said that people probably had a different kind of show in mind and they went against that. When he was coming up with the idea, he thought that workouts at the gym can be really passive and this makes viewers engaged. There aren’t many huge intervals or pushes but there is a focus on the entertainment which, will have people coming back to the bike like appointment TV – but with a good workout.Rigsby said this is a brand new thing and that he didn't know if all the work that was put into the show was going to pan out -- but it has and audeinces are responding. "It's been really good so far and I've been so proud of each and every episode," he said. "In the morning before the taping, I'm like anxious and I'm like 'What if it doesn't hit, what's going to happen?' and then once you get there and the lights are there and the crowd is there and you've got these amazing guests, it just all comes together. It's just so so much fun. It's been great to have this platform that allows me the freedom to kind of be myself, live authentically, share my stories and also kind of like sharpen these newer skills that I want to lean into more and more."There have already been the two aforementioned episodes of "LOL Cody" with Trixie Mattel and Carly Rae Jepsen. With two episodes left, Rigsby teases that the November 17 includes a very exciting guest that he is keeping a secret.“I think episode three can be defined as very boy band centric,” Rigsby reveals. “So we're gonna have some gags and some surprises, maybe some choreography or dance.”Rigsby is also thrilled to be supporting his friend Shangela as she heads to the finals of "Dancing with the Stars." "Shangela is the moment... she's got some stiff competition but I'm rooting for her," Rigsby said. "Shangela's dressing up like a woman but this is the first male and male partnership at "Dancing with the Stars" so I feel like we need to just even celebrate that." Ahead of this week's semi-finals, Rigsby sent a special surprise message to Shangela at rehearsal. Fans can catch Shangela in the finals of Dancing with the Stars on Monday, November 21st on Disney+.The final two episodes of "LOL Cody" will stream on November 17 and December 1 at 7:30 pm EST.
Shangela To Pay Tribute to Lady Gaga in “DWTS” Semi-Finals; Cody Rigsby Sends Her A Special Message GLAAD 2022-11-14 | WATCH: Shangela Talks Paying Tribute to Lady Gaga in “DWTS” Semi-Finals; Plus Cody Rigsby Sends a Special Message to Shangela and her partner Gleb SavchenkoShangela is making good on her promise to “bring out all of the divas” for tonight’s “Dancing with the Stars” semi-finals. GLAAD’s Anthony Allen Ramos caught up with DJ “Shangela” Pierce and her pro dance partner Gleb Savchenko as they did their final rehearsals for tonight’s competition and the drag superstar opened up about the impact of getting to dance to “The Edge of Glory” by Shangela’s “A Star Is Born” co-star, Lady Gaga.“The fact that we are able to perform to a Lady Gaga song is so special because she has always been supportive, kind and so generous with her love for me and I am so grateful for it. This is a full-on honor!”Shangela and Gleb will dance the Paso Doble for the Lady Gaga routine, and then they will continue with the divas theme and channel their inner Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner from “The Bodyguard” dancing the Vienese Waltz to “I Have Nothing.”“We are delivering the divas tonight! Lady Gaga, Whitney Houston! These are people that I love, and have looked up to and tonight we get to bring them to the ballroom!”The duo became the first men to dance and compete together in the series in the US and it’s clear that they’ve got strong performance chemistry together, but they say they’ve also developed a bond that is going to be long-lasting.“I think we have an amazing relationship, it’s kind of flawless! We don’t have fights, we’re not angry with each other…but we have moments,” said Gleb who has been competing on the series as a pro dancer since 2013 and has yet to win the coveted mirrorball trophy. Shangela says that one thing they definitely have in common with each other is their desire to win. “Going through this journey together, we spend so much time together, we’ve just gotten in a rhythm with each other, and I am so grateful to Gleb, not only for his patience, but both of us are so invested in this. I want to win!After the duo scored four perfect 10s for their Halloween themed dance, Shangela told us that she was determined to give her partner a taste of what it’s like to be a drag superstar. It sounds like if they make it to next week’s finale, we might just see that happen!“My dream is to see Gleb in full drag! If we make it (to the finals) I want to always bring stunts, shows, creativity, drama and surprises and one of the best surprises for me at least would be to see Gleb in full glamor,” Shangela said.Ramos also surprised the duo with a special video message from Peloton instructor Cody Rigsby who danced his way into the “Dancing with the Stars” finale, competing against fellow out LGBTQ star JoJo Siwa. In the video message, Rigsby is showing the duo some love and positivity heading into tonight’s semi-finals! Shangela I just want to tell you I am so proud of you, you have been slaying it every week in that ballroom! I cannot wait to see you go to the finale and snatch up that mirrorball trophy! Go get it girl!”Don’t forget you can vote for Shangela and GLEB starting at 8pm ET on Monday, November 14 by texting SHANGELA to 21523.“Dancing with the Stars” airs live Mondays at 8pm ET on Disney+
PROTECT OUR FAMILIES: RESPECT FOR MARRIAGE GLAAD 2022-11-14 | The Respect for Marriage Act is a critical piece of federal legislation that would improve the lives of millions of families around the country. The bill previously passed the U.S. House with bipartisan support and now awaits action in the U.S. Senate.The Respect for Marriage Act would:Repeal the discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), the statute that previously defined marriage as “one man and one woman” for federal purposes; as well as codify the landmark Supreme Court decisions U.S. v. Windsor and Obergefell v. Hodges.Enshrine marriage equality for the purposes of federal law and ensure that legal marriages will be respected in all states, regardless of where the marriage took place.Provide additional legal protections for marriage equality, ensuring fair recourse for anyone harmed by a violation of the above provisions.Contact Your U.S. Senators now and urge them to vote for the Respect for Marriage Act by visiting glaad.org/respect
Ben Platt Talks Queer Inclusion in Raunchy Comedies like The People We Hate At The Wedding GLAAD 2022-11-10 | Based on the book by Grant Ginder and adapted by Lizzie Molyneux-Logelin and Wendy Molyneux of Bob’s Burgers fame, "The People We Hate at the Wedding" follows Paul (Platt), his sister Alice (Kristen Bell) and their over-optimistic mom (Allison Janney) as they attend the British wedding of their estranged half-sister Eloise (Cynthia Addai-Robinson) and attempt to reconnect and learn to love one another as they once did. The movies also stars Dustin Milligan, Isaach De Bankolé, Karan Soni, Tony Goldwyn, Jorma Taccone, Julian Ovenden, and John McMillan.It sounds like a sweet family comedy but don’t get it twisted – it’s raunchy. For Platt, it was wonderful to play a queer character in the genre. “I think I took for granted -- at least up until this point -- how few opportunities I've had thus far in my career to play queer characters,” Platt told GLAAD’s Anthony Allen Ramos.Platt did play Payton in Ryan Murphy’s "The Politician" who he described as “pseudo queer” in where they don’t really talk about the character’s sexuality. With Paul in "The People We Hate at the Wedding," it was the first time that Platt played someone openly gay on screen. In fact, he said Paul was a lot like him.“It was just really relieving …there was this weight off in a way that I think you don't necessarily always realize as a queer actor playing roles that aren't queer a lot of the time,” said Platt. “There's such a relief and there's a whole box of tools, that you get to use when you're playing somebody queer as a queer person that you kind of have mastered keeping a lid on in a lot of the parts of your life and career, so it felt so freeing to let it wide open and enjoy that sense of humor in that tone.”He said that the queer narrative had no traumatic, oppressive, or depressing element. The movie was a modern career person dealing with a relationship. “It was so fun and it felt very forward moving , and positive,” added Platt. “I think the way the sexuality is handled in terms of being able to like laugh with it and at it in a way that you do with all sexuality and raunchy comedy but not make a joke of it …was written very well, I really appreciate it.”"The People We Hate at the Wedding" joins recently released comedy films "Fire Island" and "Bros" which feature queer actors and queer roles created by queer people. To add to that, these stories aren’t centered on their queer identity. Instead, it focuses on character and story. Platt said this kind of representation is important.“I think seeing queer people play queer roles is a really, really important thing and I think is something that hasn't been very common and in a really wonderful way is becoming more and more common,” said Platt. “I just saw "Bros" and it was so wonderful to see in a way that I didn't necessarily expect. It was really moving just to see people playing themselves and telling their own stories, which again, isn't to say that in the right scenario where there's a gay creator or a gay director or a gay writer that there can't be a wonderful actor who isn't necessarily queer playing a queer role. But I do think to balance out the opportunities, it's been wonderful to see more queer people playing the part.”He added, “I'm really honored to be in that zone now playing my own experiences.”"The People We Hate at the Wedding" premieres November 18 on Prime Video.
Abbott Elementary Writer Brittani Nichols Talks Value Of Black Queer Representation In Hollywood GLAAD 2022-11-09 | Since its premiere, the ABC sitcom "Abbott Elementary" has quickly found success and brought hope back to network TV, a space that has been an afterthought in a landscape of streamers and habitual binge-watchers. Queer Writer Brittani Nichols has helped build the universe of the Emmy-award winning comedy created Quinta Brunson that follows a group of educators at a local elementary school in Philadelphia.“I just sort of moved away from [network television],” Nichols told GLAAD’s Anthony Allen Ramos in a recent interview. “['Abbott Elementary'] felt like a welcoming me back -- and it's nice that it's welcoming back via a job, but also just welcoming me back as a viewer. Abbott is a show that I would have loved growing up… and it's a joy for me to watch along with other folks as well.”Nichols said that if she saw someone like herself working on a show like "Abbott Elementary" when she was younger, the idea of being a television writer would have come to her sooner. She added that it would have made her more invested in a show, its cast and everyone involved in it. “Growing up as a kid it never crossed my mind to do stand up or do improv, even though I was watching those things all the time, it just was a dearth of Black women in those spaces,” explained Nichols.Nichols worked with Brunson prior to "Abbott Elementary" on the HBO series "A Black Lady Sketch Show" and has written for other TV series such as "Take My Wife" and "Strangers." She also wrote, produced, and starred in "Suicide Kale," which nabbed the Audience Award for Best U.S. Dramatic Feature at Outfest in 2016.Being a staff writer on "Abbott Elementary" is almost a full circle moment for Nichols as she said she got into television writing because of shows that were on the network TV. However, she admitted that she was one of those people who strayed away from network TV because they weren’t keeping up in terms of diversity."Abbott Elementary" does representation and inclusive stories in a way that does not beat you over the head with it. Instead, it is organically folded in – including queer narratives and nuances. In season one we learned that overeager and thoughtfully “woke” teacher Jacob (Chris Perfetti) is gay and has a partner named Zach (Larry Owens) but it was just casually mentioned in the show without an “on this special episode” lens.She continued, “I think to the LGBTQ community and to the black queer community things like community care, chosen family -- those are the things that I think are finding their way into the show and you wouldn't necessarily look at that and go like, ‘oh that's what you get when you diversify rooms’.” Nichols said that she hopes people value the viewpoint as well as the visual signifiers.For those who are vying for a spot in a writers room like "Abbott Elementary" or otherwise, Nichols said finding your voice is paramount. “[Don’t] let anyone else dictate to you what your voice is or should be,” she encouraged.Nichols said that there are people who want to lean into “the trauma of our identities” and that it’s important to push back and say “I have a voice outside of that. That is not the entirety of my experience.” She said it’s about figuring out what that is and also being fans of the people that you're coming up with.“It's about finding community, no matter where you go in the entertainment,” said Nichols."Abbott Elementary" airs Wednesdays at 9 on ABC.
Shangela Promises to “Bring Out All of the Divas” Heading into DWTS Semi-Finals GLAAD 2022-11-08 | Drag superstar Shangela and her dance pro partner Gleb Savchenko are heading to the semi-finals on “Dancing with the Stars.” The duo took the stage for ‘90s night, doing an impressive samba routine to “Spice Up Your Life” by the Spice Girls and earned an impressive score from the judges, including another perfect 10 from Carrie Ann Inaba, thus surviving the night’s double elimination. GLAAD’s Anthony Allen Ramos caught up with Shangela and Gleb right after the show and their excitement and gratitude for making into next week’s semi-finals was palpable!“I feel like on "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" when they opened up the chocolate bar and had a golden ticket, we got a golden ticket going to the semifinals,” Shangela said. “I just won the lottery! I'm living my best life because one week I'm dancing with a Spice Girl, the other week I'm dancing with J Lo, the next week I'm dancing with Marilyn Monroe, I'm dancing with all the divas!” gushed Gleb. So what can we expect for the two, who are the first men to dance together in the US version of the series, for the semi-finals? “We're going to bring all the divas out! We're just trying to give you something that people will enjoy at home as well as the judges will enjoy. We are in this because people are voting for us and I'm so grateful that they are, that they're showing up for us in that way,” Shangela previewed. In Monday night’s ‘90s themed episode DJ/Shangela also opened up about coming out as gay to his mom and then eventually going off to college, moving to Dallas and going to their first gay club! “I really started to love who I was as a person,” DJ said in the video package. Ramos spoke with Shangela about why it was important to open up about that this week.“I will always show up in every room as all of the parts of who I am and a big part of who I am is a member of our LGBTQ plus community. We all have our own unique coming out story, so it was just really heartfelt for me to be able to share mine tonight in this space and to show up here as Shangela and just turn it the way that I know all the drag divas who have inspired me have turned it,” Shangela said. “Dancing with the Stars” streams Mondays at 8pm ET on Disney+#DWTS #dancingwiththestars #shangela
Quantum Leap star Mason Alexander Park on Shows Exciting Twists and Turns GLAAD 2022-11-07 | After almost 30 years, '90s sci-fi series "Quantum Leap" is back with a brand-new reboot airing Mondays at 10pm on NBC. GLAAD’s Anthony Allen Ramos spoke with actor Mason Alexander Park to talk about their role of Dr. Ian Wright. Park talks about how grateful they are to be a part of this new wave of LGBTQ inclusion in the media, specifically in sci-fi. “I think it's cool because I grew up loving this genre in particular. I think part of the reason I became an actor was because I fell in love with Spielberg films and fell in love with world building and the chaos.”Park, like their character Ian, is non-binary. They go on to explain how important it is to have queer characters whose storyline doesn’t solely revolve around them being queer. “I feel really grateful to be a part of this new generation of queer characters that exist in the story but don't exist because they are trans or because they're non-binary. I think it is unbelievably rare still to this day.” Park says that there are so many “exciting twists and turns” that fans will get to see this season. New episodes air weekly Monday nights at 10pm on NBC and are available the next day on Peacock. #QuantumLeap #Sandman #LGBTQ #nonbinary
Vote For Your Life: First Time Voters Surge with GLAAD and #20Under20 honorees GLAAD 2022-11-07 | "If you have not made your plan to vote yet, hearing this right now is your call to do so." GLAAD sits down with civic engagement experts from our 2022 #20Under20 class to discuss why getting to the booth as a young voter this midterm election could mean saving LGBTQ lives. Watch "Vote For Your Life: First Time Voters Surge!" 🏳️⚧️🏳️🌈🇺🇸http://www.glaad.org - For more information about GLAAD's work, please visit http://www.glaad.org, http://facebook.com/glaad, and http://twitter.com/glaad.
Family Karma’s Amrit Kapai and Husband Nicolas on Magical Wedding and New Season of Bravo Series GLAAD 2022-11-03 | With the third season of Bravo’s Family Karma debuting on November 6, fans of the show are exciting to see how things unfold -- specifically Amrit Kapai’s wedding to his fiancé, Nicholas Kouchoukos.The two are married now, but this season we get to see the all the drama leading up to the big day. Even though they had a lot of obstacles and challenges leading to the wedding, Kapai is happy that his story gets to be told.“Representation absolutely matters,” Kapai told GLAAD’s Anthony Allen Ramos in a recent interview. “When I was growing up, I wish I would have seen someone that looked like me; who was Indian; who was gay; [who] was able to come out and was able to get married. Marriage equality just passed in 2015, but it sometimes feels like we're taking steps backwards, so we are so grateful that we have the opportunity to show people that you can get married. You can have that dream wedding if you really want to and hopefully that's what we do.”"Family Karma" airs Sundays at 9pm on BravoTV.
GLAADs Sarah Kate Ellis and Planned Parenthood Action Funds Alexis McGill Johnson talk midterms GLAAD 2022-11-02 | GLAAD's Sarah Kate Ellis and Planned Parenthood Action Fund's Alexis McGill Johnson sit down together to talk about what's at stake this election day for LGBTQ people, women, and all marginalized people: Our rights to love freely, seek healthcare, start families, and get married are all on the line this Election Day. To learn more visit http://glaad.org/vote and http://takecontrol2022.org
GLAADs Sarah Kate Ellis and Family Equality’s Stacey Stevenson on the power of voting GLAAD 2022-11-01 | GLAAD's Sarah Kate Ellis and Family Equality’s Stacey Stevenson sit down together to talk about the power of the LGBTQ vote and what's at stake in the midterms. To learn more visit http://glaad.org/voteLGBTQ voters provided the winning edge for pro-equality candidates in the 2020 election. As voters are again casting ballots in early voting and mail-in voting, GLAAD is releasing conversations between LGBTQ artists and advocates across the diverse spectrum of the LGBTQ community and with LGBTQ leaders about the issues at stake: marriage equality, abortion access, healthcare, economic equality, the freedom to read amid efforts to ban LGBTQ-inclusive books, and the freedom to vote.Go to http://glaad.org/vote to check candidate records in key states, find your polling place and to make a plan to vote.
Shangela Teases “Working her Drag Magic” on “DWTS” Partner Gleb Coming Up in the Competition GLAAD 2022-11-01 | Shangela is feeling the love on “Dancing with the Stars!” After being the only star to receive a perfect score of 40 on Monday’s Halloween themed night, the drag superstar and her pro dance partner Gleb Savchenko spoke with GLAAD’s Anthony Allen Ramos backstage about the importance of representation on the show, Shangela doing a drag makeover on Gleb in the coming weeks, not letting the pressure get to them, their plans for '90s week and more!“Representation matters but it's not just a coin phrase. If I was a little kid growing up right now in Paris, Texas seeing not only Shangela competing on this show in drag and seeing the love and the partnership (from) Gleb, it would mean that it’s just two people dancing and having fun…but it’s also seeing the representation,” said Shangela“Dancing with the Stars” streams Mondays at 8pm ET on Disney+.#dwts #dancingwiththestars #shangela #lgbtq
Pamela Stewart Says VOTE! GLAAD 2022-11-01 | Former GLAAD Board Chair Pamela Stewart encourages you to visit http://www.glaad.org/vote to make a plan to vote.
One of Us Is Lying star Jess McLeod on the Queer Parallels Between Themself and Character Janae GLAAD 2022-10-31 | GLAAD's Anthony Allen Ramos chats with "One of Us Is Lying" star Jess McLeod about the new season of their Peacock mystery series and how their own personal queer journey is similar, yet still very different to that of their character's. McLeod talks about working with GLAAD both on Janae's storyline, and also on their own experience and how impactful it was to be given this opportunity. Plus, McLeod shares what they hope happens for the series should they be given another season!The second season of "One of Us is Lying" is available to stream now on Peacock#oneofusislying #Peacock
My Policeman cast and director about the conversations they hope to inspire GLAAD 2022-10-27 | GLAAD's Anthony Allen Ramos chats with Emma Corrin, David Dawson, Gina McKee and director Michael Grandage about their new LGBTQ period film "My Policeman." “I hope that it inspires conversations about...how fragile our world is now that we live in. A lot of the stuff that’s going down now in the United States -- all that shit with queer literature and the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bills, the gay ban -- these are very real things that people are living through... so I hope that it inspires those conversations,” Corrin told Ramos about the film's impact. #MyPoliceman is in theatres now and will be available on @Prime Video on November 4.To learn more about GLAAD's work, visit http://glaad.org
Wilson Cruz on the power of voting with Voto Latino’s President and CEO Maria Teresa Kumar GLAAD 2022-10-26 | Out actor, activist and producer Wilson Cruz is in conversation with Voto Latino’s President and CEO Maria Teresa Kumar about the power of the LGBTQ and Latine vote. Wilson Cruz: Are we reaching everyone we need to in order to exercise that power right now? Maria Teresa Kumar: Young Latinos have so much power and agency within their families, because oftentimes they are the ones translating cultural norms. We need to make sure they are emboldened and recognize that power. I call it innate leadership. I do not have to convince a young person that LGBTQ issues are important, or convince them about a woman’s right to choose, that we’re in a climate crisis. I need them to connect the dots and vote for leadership that will change their lives. 68% of Latinos believe abortion is a private issue and not the government’s business - that’s including men in ruby red states; if you talk to young people it’s closer to 80-90%, just to Latina women, it’s 75%. Why? Latinas are often breadwinners. They’re the ones who have to make these tough decisions: do I expand my family? Do I drop out of school or do I pursue my career? You should be exercising your power because they see your power.”LGBTQ voters provided the winning edge for pro-equality candidates in the 2020 election. As voters are again casting ballots in early voting and mail-in voting, GLAAD is releasing conversations between LGBTQ artists and advocates across the diverse spectrum of the LGBTQ community and with LGBTQ leaders about the issues at stake: marriage equality, abortion access, healthcare, economic equality, the freedom to read amid efforts to ban LGBTQ-inclusive books, and the freedom to vote.Go to http://glaad.org/vote to check candidate records in key states, find your polling place and to make a plan to vote.
Angelica Ross is hosting a special Chicago performance to give more trans people access to the show GLAAD 2022-10-26 | Angelica Ross is currently starring as Roxie Hart in "Chicago" on Broadway, and in a new interview with GLAAD's Anthony Allen Ramos, she is joined by TransTech Executive Director E.C. Pizarro III to talk about a special matinee performance, networking event and exclusive Q&A on Saturday, October 29 that they're hosting all in with the intention to give more trans people access to see the show and to have important conversations. For discounted tickets, use code CHTRT29 at transtech.me/chicagotickets or at the box office.
Bob The Drag Queen talks A Strange Loop, Were Here, Shangela on Dancing with the Stars and more GLAAD 2022-10-24 | WATCH: Bob The Drag Queen chats with GLAAD's Anthony Allen Ramos about hosting the "Big, Black, Queer" special evening of "A Strange Loop" on Broadway on October 27. Bob shares what the musical means to him and why it is important that black queer people see it before it closes in January. Bob also talks about the upcoming season of HBO's "We're Here" and how he's been voting for his co-star Shangela (and someone else!) on #DWTS. Tickets for "A Strange Loop" are available now!
Fortune Feimster on her comedy special Good Fortune GLAAD 2022-10-24 | Comedian Fortune Feimster chats with GLAAD's Anthony Allen Ramos about her new comedy special "Good Fortune" which is available on Netflix on October 25. "It very much picks up from the adult part of my life...and how I get it wrong, and sometimes get it right," she says.
Dustin Lance Black on his new documentary Mamas Boy, and his debilitating head injury GLAAD 2022-10-19 | WATCH: Dustin Lance Black chats with GLAAD's Anthony Allen Ramos about his "debilitating" head injury. He says new doc “Mama’s Boy” should remind queer people “to share space with people you disagree with.” The film directed by Laurent Bouzereau is available now on HBO and HBO Max.
Karamo is ready to have real conversations on his talk show GLAAD 2022-10-18 | WATCH: Karamo tells GLAAD's Anthony Allen Ramos that he is ready to tackle "real conversations" on new talk show, shares importance of anti-LGBTQ bullying day #SpiritDay on October 20 and talks about loving and voting for Shangela on Dancing With the Stars! Karamo airs weekdays, check your local listings!
GLAAD at #BravoCon: The #RHOBH on why Bravo resonates with the LGBTQ community and more! GLAAD 2022-10-16 | “It’s Dynasty meets Saturday Night Live.” The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills reflect on why Bravo resonates with the LGBTQ community and why they support the LGBTQ community.http://www.glaad.org - For more information about GLAAD's work, please visit http://www.glaad.org, http://facebook.com/glaad, and http://twitter.com/glaad.
PROTECT OUR FAMILIES: MARRIAGE THREAT GLAAD 2022-10-12 | Election Day is November 8, 2022, and it’s critical that LGBTQ and ally voters turn out to make their voices heard. Produced by GLAAD, “Marriage Threat” spotlights the fear and uncertainty families with same-sex parents face in the wake of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade and some politicians indicating they’d like to go further by rolling back marriage and other rights hard fought and won by LGBTQ Americans. To protect LGBTQ families, visit http://www.glaad.org/vote and make a plan to vote.
PROTECT OUR FAMILIES: TRANS FAMILY GLAAD 2022-10-12 | Election Day is November 8, 2022, and it’s critical that LGBTQ and ally voters turn out to make their voices heard. Produced by GLAAD, “Trans Family” features the Briggle Family from Texas reminding us that families with transgender kids are just like any other family: they love their kids unconditionally and simply want the best for them. But some politicians are trying to tear these families apart. To protect LGBTQ families, visit http://www.glaad.org/vote and make a plan to vote.
Antoni Porowski on Easy-Bake Battle, supporting LGBTQ youth for Spirit Day and more GLAAD 2022-10-11 | "Queer Eye's" Antoni Porowski dishes on new "Easy-Bake Battle" show and tells us why it's so important to keep supporting queer youth for #SpiritDay, with GLAAD's Anthony Allen Ramos
