The Queer Component
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Even though queer people are often known to be creative and ahead of the curve, they’ve been blocked from positions of power in Hollywood since the dawn of the film and television industries. Studio and network reticence — and even the public’s disdain — towards gay, bi, and trans actors, musicians, and executives can be blamed for the pink ceiling. While the closet remains a force in the entertainment industry, its power is waning. Not only are more openly LGBTQ+ celebrities and behind-the-camera talent creating content than ever before, many bring their experiences as part of a marginalized community to their work.
Dan Levy
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After a brief stint as a host at MTV Canada, Daniel Joseph Levy first achieved international attention and critical acclaim for his role as David Rose in the Emmy-winning sitcom Schitt’s Creek, which he co-created and co-starred in with his father and comedy icon in his own right, Eugene Levy. After the series concluded in 2020, he launched his own production company, ironically named Not A Real Production Company, landed roles in hit shows and films like Happiest Season, Sex Education, and Disney’s 2023 Haunted Mansion reboot — and has now written, directed, produced, and starred in his first feature film, Good Grief, now streaming on Netflix.
Victoria Monét
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Victoria Monét truly is the moment. The singer-songwriter, who released her debut album Jaguar II in 2023, ended up receiving a whopping seven Grammy nominations this year. She took home three awards, including Best New Artist. The out bisexual musician also admitted in a recent interview with Variety that she was initially hesitant about revealing her queer identity, fearing it would hinder her career. “I thought that conforming would make me go further. Being picturesque, straight,” said Monét. “It almost felt like you didn’t want to add any more weights to your ankles trying to win a race. It’s like, you’re already a woman, you’re already Black — you’d better pick a struggle.” Thank goddess she proved that wrong.
Ryan Murphy
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Does this man sleep? TV’s preeminent producer (he’s also a director, who’s helmed films like Running With Scissors, Eat, Pray, Love, and The Normal Heart) has not slowed down since his boundary-pushing show Nip/Tuck premiered more than 20 years ago. Since then, he’s created cultural touchstones like Glee, American Horror Story, American Crime Story, Pose, and Feud. The second season of Feud, which premiered earlier this year, explores the imploding friendship between Truman Capote and his beautiful coterie of friends, known as The Swans. Murphy doesn’t castigate anyone fully, instead showing these individuals as three-dimensional human beings. That’s why Murphy’s star continues to shine — he knows what viewers want and he deftly delivers the goods.
RuPaul Charles
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Born and raised in San Diego, California, a young RuPaul Charles ventured to the drag and club scenes of Atlanta and NYC in the 1980s and ’90s — and eventually became the most famous drag queen in the world. While Mother Ru’s career has had its ups and downs since his 1993 breakout hit single, “Supermodel (You Better Work),” his legacy has been officially cemented by the creation of the cultural phenomena that is RuPaul’s Drag Race. To date, the franchise has produced 16 regular seasons, eight All Star editions, 20 international versions, and introduced over 600 amazingly talented drag queens to the world. Oh, not to mention it’s won 29 Emmys. Read more in Ru’s new memoir, The House of Hidden Meanings (and in Out’s exclusive cover story).
David Furnish
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While business executive David Furnish does happen to be married to one of the most legendary and talented musicians in the world, he is so much more than “Sir Elton John’s husband.” In fact, the couple are a perfect example of what can be accomplished by working as a team. Furnish has been head of Rocket Entertainment Group since 2015, which manages husband Elton’s career as well as many other artists and projects. He was named Music Week’s Manager of the Year in 2022 and one of INvolve’s Outstanding Top 100 LGBTQ+ Executives in 2023. He’s also tirelessly served for years as chair of the Elton John AIDS Foundation. Last year, Furnish led the launch of a $125 million, three-year initiative to tackle the growing rates of HIV infections in vulnerable communities. To date, EJAF has raised over $565 million and funded more than 3,000 projects in over 90 countries.
Alano Mayo
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Born in NYC and raised in Chicago, film executive and producer Alana Mayo was exposed early to Black trailblazers in the industry. Her father, Barry Mayo, was the first Black general manager of RKO General and Emmis Communications, and after graduating from Columbia University she interned for Oscar-nominated director Lee Daniels. After working as a creative executive at Mad Chance Productions, 20th Century Fox, and Paramount Pictures, she was hired as head of production for Michael B. Jordan’s production company, Outlier Society, in 2018. In 2020, she was hired to head the newly relaunched Orion Pictures, where she’s since greenlit critically acclaimed films like Till. Today, at 39, Mayo is one of the youngest and most influential queer Black women in Hollywood.
Todd Haynes
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A progenitor of New Queer Cinema since his 1991 film Poison became a Sundance Film Festival breakout, Haynes’s films have long investigated social norms through the lens of women and/or queerness. From Superstar: The Karen Carpenter Story, his 1988 film that artfully relayed Carpenter’s fatal struggle with anorexia nervosa, to 2015’s Carol, a lesbian love story told with intensely beautiful restraint, and now with his most recent work, May December, Haynes continues to center women steeped in the expectations placed on them. “Gracie did not invent [the pressure for women to look a certain way],” Haynes says of a scene in May December in which the character is criticizing her daughter’s weight and appearance. “She is carrying it on.”
Cynthia Erivo
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Since winning a Tony in 2016 for her starring role in the Broadway revival of The Color Purple, British-born actress and singer Cynthia Erivo continues to knock it out of the park. Erivo’s transition to film star was nothing less than seamless, winning acclaim for roles in Widows, Bad Times at the El Royale, and Harriet; the latter film saw her nominated for an Academy Award for best actress as well as the award for best song for “Stand Up,” which she performed and co-wrote. The bisexual actress — who portrayed Aretha Franklin in the NatGeo series Genius — also heads up a production company and, in November, will star in one of the year’s biggest films, the celluloid adaptation of Wicked, with Ariana Grande.
Leslye Headland
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Leslye Headland not only survived her time as an assistant to Harvey Weinstein — an experience she turned into the play, Assistance — she came out the other side a success, and has spent her career creating rich projects that center women. Headland has cooked up numerous movies and TV shows of the past 15 years, including the hilarious Bachelorette movie, which she directed, and the Emmy-winning Russian Doll series, which she co-created. Married since 2016 to actress Rebecca Henderson, Headland will see her most anticipated project soon reach audiences — the new Star Wars series, The Acolyte, which she created and serves as showrunner on. The Acolyte is expected on Disney+ this year and stars out actress Amandla Stenberg.
Bowen Yang
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Bowen Yang must have felt the pressure when he was promoted fromSaturday Night Live’s writing staff to its on-air cast in 2018; not just because he would soon feel the hot light of the cameras, but also because he became the first openly gay Asian castmember on the nearly 50-year-old series. If he felt stressed though, it didn’t show; he became a standout for his off-kilter characters (remember the iceberg that felled the Titanic?) and was nominated for an Emmy in 2021. The following year, Yang showed off a more sensitive side when he co-starred in Joel Kim Booster’s delightful film Fire Island. Yang also starred in the Comedy Central sitcom Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens, as well as the films Bros and Dicks: The Musical. Aside from SNL, Yang will star in the queer-centric Wicked adaptation out later this year. On top of all his projects, Yang also uses his celebrity to speak out against homophobia, racism, and his own mental health struggles.
Lilly Wachowski
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This half of the trans filmmaking duo known as the Wachowski sisters is set to direct her first ever solo project, Trash Mountain. The queer coming-of-age story stars comedian and actor Caleb Hearon, who co-wrote the script; it centers on a gay Chicago man returning to his Missouri hometown following his dad’s death. Lilly — best known, along with sister Lana, for the original Matrix trilogy and the lesbian classic Bound — has worked mostly in TV in the past decade, helping helm Netflix’s adored Sense 8. It was Trash Mountain’s story that lured her back to the director’s seat, telling Collider, “Queer representation and stories are vital at this time as we are being shoved further into the margins. Our amazing writers, Caleb and Ruby (Caster), are a shining light in all this dang darkness.”
Adrian Molina
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Excuse us for falling in love with Adrian Molina after discovering he co-wrote and co-directed one of Pixar’s sweetest and most enjoyable films, Coco. Molina has been a Pixar mainstay for more than 15 years, working as an animator, storyboard artist, and writer. Now part of Pixar’s senior creative team, Molina puts his distinct stamp as a gay, Mexican-American artist on beloved projects like Toy Story 4, Turning Red, and Elemental. Next up is his solo directorial project, Elio, which Molina also wrote. Focusing on an 11-year-old who makes contact with aliens, Pixar’s Elio will be in theaters in June.
