Young gay actors under 25
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He most recently appeared in ‘Napoleon’ and the queer romance drama ‘My Policeman.’
David Dawson
British actor David Dawson attracted notice in 2022 when he starred alongside Harry Styles in gay romance drama ‘My Policeman.’ He has been married to author Josh Silver since 2023.
Kit Connor
Kit Connor got his start as a child actor in films like ‘Get Santa’ and ‘Rocketman’ before breaking out at 18 with his role as a bisexual teenager in Netflix rom-com series ‘Heartstopper.’ Connor himself came out as bi in 2022 following harassment from fans accusing him of queerbaiting and intrusive speculation over his sexuality, and was supported by his ‘Heartstopper’ castmates.
"But I came to a place where I felt really proud of my sexuality, and I decided I wanted to share that pride."
Nicole Maines, 22, plays the first trans superhero on television on The CW's "Supergirl."
In 2018, Maines made history by playing Nia Nal, TV's first trans superhero, on The CW's "Supergirl." The actress went on to play the character in a crossover episode of "DC's Legends of Tomorrow."
"I think that cis gender actors don't take roles out of malice, it's just a failure to realize the context of having cis gender people play trans gender characters," she told Variety while discussing trans representation in Hollywood.
We have Gaten Matarazzo, who brought compassion and comic relief to Stranger Things, making Dustin one of the most beloved characters of the series. —WC
Alia Shawkat
Everyone’s favorite “Arrested Development” star played Ilana’s lover on “Broad City” before publicly coming out as bisexual, ushering in queer roles from “Transparent” to “Duck Butter,” for which she also wrote the script. “Now I consider myself bisexual, and I think balancing my male and female energies has been a big part of me growing as an actor,” she told Out in 2017.
"We're so much more complex than just one identity."
Schafer has also discussed what playing Jules on "Euphoria has meant to her.
"The fact that we begin to see her move into some form of queerness as an alternative to straightness was another thing I was excited for as a queer trans person," she told Them. ‘I’ve experienced so much safety, respect, and love in the queer community, as an ally all of my life, that, as I came into myself, I already felt it was my home.
It could never and will never be complete, but we hope it reflects the changing face of Hollywood as we bid hello to Pride 2024.
With LGBTQ stories in filmand on TV more popular than ever before, it’s important to celebrate out-and-proud acting talents — particularly those without the non-binary awards’ categories they deserve.
In 2024, the state of Hollywood is unsure to say the least.
the Machines,” “BoJack Horseman,” and “Disenchantment,” she wrote, created, and produced Amazon’s “A League of Their Own” series. So, raise your voice and let's celebrate the best young male actors under 25 together.
119 Out LGBTQ Performers Changing the Face of Hollywood in the 21st Century
Editor’s note: This list was originally published in June 2018, and has been updated multiple times since to reflect new comings outs and groundbreaking LGBTQ castings.
—JD
Alan Cumming
Scottish Emmy winner, Tony winner, and “The Traitors” reality show host Alan Cumming has been openly bisexual his entire career, and married his husband in 2012. ‘Here’s a picture of Margot Robbie, are you wet? "I've only just recently come out as bisexual to my family and friends.
She has been out as bisexual since 2010, and is a vocal advocate for bisexual visibility. ‘I told my family in Christmas that year and I slept for like 10 hours at night. And that feels pretty great.’
Taylor Tomlinson
Comedian and ‘After Midnight’ host Taylor Tomlinson came out as bisexual in her February 2024 Netflix stand-up special ‘Have It All,’ joking that ‘I’ve been trying to figure out if I’m bisexual, or if I just binged ‘Euphoria’ too fast.
"I don't feel like people really are there yet for understanding it, which I don't mind, but I also acknowledge the way people see me as a woman."
Queer trans actress Hunter Schafer, 20, shot to stardom playing Jules in "Euphoria."
Schafer made waves for playing dreamy, enigmatic new girl Jules (who, like her, is trans) on HBO's "Euphoria." Prior to making her acting debut on the series, the actress had already modeled for prestigious fashion brands like Dior and Marc Jacobs and joined the ACLU and Lambda Legal's lawsuit against North Carolina's anti-trans "bathroom bill" while still in high school.
"There need to be more roles where trans people aren't just dealing with being trans; they're being trans while dealing with other issues," Schafer said in an interview with Variety.
So it wasn’t that I was, like, repressing anything. Since then, the actor has starred in other prominent young adult films, like "The Hate U Give" and "Everything, Everything." More recently, Stenberg can be seen in "The Eddy," "La La Land" director Damien Chazelle's new Netflix series.
The actor first came out as non-binary with a Tumblr post in 2016 and also identifies as pansexual.
"Gender and sexuality are so fluid.
With trans folks we have a lot of people accusing us of just playing dress up for whatever reasons and that's just not true. —JD
Aubrey Plaza
Your favorite deadpan “Parks and Recreation” star knows she has an avid gay following, and she’s down. Among those questions: should queer roles be played exclusively by queer actors?
It’s an evolving conversation, getting at the very core of what makes the art of acting, well, acting.
We’re beyond that now, and I don’t think people would accept the inauthenticity of a straight guy playing a gay guy.”
“It’s not a crime, it’s not boohoo, that someone would say we are going to demand more of a movie in the modern realm of authenticity,” he said.
Dozens of dazzling LGBTQ performers appear in casting rooms and on our screens every year; ready to take on the authentic queer stories we know plenty of audiences crave.
—JD
Amandla Stenberg
You may remember Amandla Stenberg as Katniss’ sidekick Rue in “The Hunger Games,” or as the fiery recluse Maddy from “Everything, Everything.” But she’s best known for the A24 horror joint “Bodies Bodies Bodies” from Halina Reijn.