14 Most Memorable Gay Characters Played By Non-Gay Actors | Essence

Contents:

• BLACK ACTORS WHO PLAYED GAY MALE CHARACTERS
• STRAIGHT ACTORS WHO HAVE PLAYED GAY CHARACTERS
• 14 MOST MEMORABLE GAY CHARACTERS PLAYED BY NON-GAY ACTORS
• 23 CELEBS WHO WEREN'T AAID TO PLAY LGBT {MARG:12PX TO 0;}@MEDIA (M-WIDTH:980PX){{MAX-WIDTH:50%;}}{FONT:NORMAL 400 1.4REM/1.5 "SOEHNE",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;MARG:12PX TO 0;}@MEDIA (M-WIDTH:980PX){{MAX-WIDTH:50%;}}A LOOK AT SOME OF THE BT QUEER CHARACTERS ON FILM AND {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG-BOTTOM:54PX;OVERFLOW-X:HIDN;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;BACKGROUND:#FFFFFF;-WEBK-FLEX-DIRECTN:LUMN;-MS-FLEX-DIRECTN:LUMN;FLEX-DIRECTN:LUMN;BOX-SHADOW:0 4PX 8PX 0 RGBA(0,0,0,0.08);MARG-BOTTOM:54PX;}{WIDTH:100%;HEIGHT:TO;} IMG{HEIGHT:100%;WIDTH:100%;OBJECT-F:NTA;}{WIDTH:1600PX;HEIGHT:800PX;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:18PX 24PX;DISPLAY:GRID;GRID-GAP:18PX;TEXT-ALIGN:CENTER;}{LOR:#0A0A0A;}{FONT:NORMAL 700 2.0REM/1.25 "SOEHNE",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;LOR:#0A0A0A;}1 / {LOR:#0A0A0A;} A{FONT:HER;LOR:HER;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} STRONG, B{FONT-WEIGHT:BOLR;}{FONT:NORMAL 400 1.4REM/1.5 "SOEHNE",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;LOR:#0A0A0A;} A{FONT:HER;LOR:HER;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} STRONG, B{FONT-WEIGHT:BOLR;}AND SCENE - ONCE UPON A TIME, PLAYG AN LGBT CHARACTER ON SCREEN WAS REER SUICI. TODAY, PORTRAYG AN LGBT CHARACTER N LEAD TO AN OSR W. FEATURG A-LISTERS LIKE QUEEN LATIFAH, WILL SMH AND TAYE DIGGS, HERE IS A LOOK BACK AT SOME OF THE MOST FAMO LGBT ROL ON THE BIG AND SMALL SCREEN.(PHOTOS OM LEFT: FRAZER HARRISON/GETTY IMAG, PL ARCHULETA/FILMMAGIC, TONY BARSON/FILMMAGIC) {LOR:#818181;FONT-WEIGHT:400;}{FONT:NORMAL 600 1.4REM/1.2 "SOEHNE",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;LOR:#818181;FONT-WEIGHT:400;}PHOTO BY {LOR:HER;FONT:HER;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;}{LOR:HER;FONT:HER;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;}PHOTO BY FRAZER HARRISON/GETTY {WIDTH:4216PX;HEIGHT:2873PX;}2 / 24WILL SMH - IN 1993, WILL SMH PLAYED THE ROLE OF PL SIX DEGRE OF SEPARATN, BASED ON THE TE-LIFE STORY OF DAVID HAMPTON, AN OPENLY GAY N MAN WHO MANAGED TO NVCE MANY PEOPLE HE WAS THE SON OF SIDNEY POIER.(PHOTO: JASON MERRT/GETTY IMAG){WIDTH:2581PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}3 / 24FORT WHAKER - AMY AWARD-WNER FORT WHAKER, ALWAYS A WILLG PARTICIPANT TO PH THE ENVELOPE, PLAYED A FLAMBOYANT GAY FASHN SIGNER ROBERT ALTMAN'S PRêT-à-PORTER (1994). HE ALSO PLAYED A GAY CHARACTER THE CRYG GAME (1993).(PHOTO: JEFEY UFBERG/WIREIMAGE){WIDTH:2134PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}4 / 24WLEY SNIP - WLEY SNIP LAMPOONED HIS MACHO IMAGE TO WONG FOO, THANKS FOR EVERYTHG! JULIE NEWMAR (1995), WHICH HE, ALONG WH PATRICK SWAYZE AND JOHN LEGUIZAMO, PLAYED A DRAG QUEEN. SNIP'S NOXEEMA JACKSON PLETE WH A BLOND WIG AND RED HIGH-HEELED SHO. NOXEEMA IS THE -WNER OF A DRAG QUEEN BETY PAGEANT AND IS NOT AAID OF WIGGLG HER HIPS.(PHOTO: JIM SPELLMAN/WIREIMAGE){WIDTH:2149PX;HEIGHT:3235PX;}5 / 24QUEEN LATIFAH - QUEEN LATIFAH WAS UNFETTABLE HER ROLE AS CLEO SIMS, A TOUGH, LBIAN BANK ROBBER THE 1996 BOX-OFFICE H SET IT OFF. THE CHARACTER EARNED HER AN NAACP IMAGE AWARD NOMATN.(PHOTO: JASON MERRT/GETTY IMAG){MARG-BOTTOM:54PX;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG-BOTTOM:54PX;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:NONE;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;} + .E1IATVX90{DISPLAY:NONE;}(:EMPTY){DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;}(:EMPTY) + .E1IATVX90{DISPLAY:BLOCK;}{BACKGROUND-LOR:#0A0A0A;LOR:#FAFAFA;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;-WEBK-LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;-MOZ-LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;-MS-LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;PADDG:2PX 5PX;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;PADDG:3PX 5PX 4PX 5PX;LOR:#C4FF2C;BACKGROUND-LOR:#000000;LOR:#FFFFFF;DISPLAY:BLOCK;TEXT-ALIGN:CENTER;}{FONT:NORMAL 600 1.4REM/1.2 "SOEHNE",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;BACKGROUND-LOR:#0A0A0A;LOR:#FAFAFA;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;-WEBK-LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;-MOZ-LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;-MS-LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;PADDG:2PX 5PX;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;PADDG:3PX 5PX 4PX 5PX;LOR:#C4FF2C;BACKGROUND-LOR:#000000;LOR:#FFFFFF;DISPLAY:BLOCK;TEXT-ALIGN:CENTER;}{WIDTH:2063PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}6 / 24ISAIAH WASHGTON - IN 1996, FORMER GREY'S ANATOMY STAR ISAIAH WASHGTON PLAYED HALF OF A GAY UPLE ON THEIR WAY TO THE 1995 MILLN MAN MARCH WASHGTON, D.C., SPIKE LEE'S GET ON THE B. PLAYED BY HARRY LENNIX AND WASHGTON, THE GAY LOVERS ARE ON THE VERGE OF SEPARATN.(PHOTO: MATHEW IMAGG/FILMMAGIC){WIDTH:2456PX;HEIGHT:3500PX;}7 / 24GIANRLO ESPOSO - GIANRLO ESPOSO PLAYED JOSEPH, GLORIA MATTHEW'S (LORETTA DEVE) EX-HBAND AND FATHER OF HER CHILD (DONALD FAISON) WAG TO EXHALE. HE DROPS A BOMB ON GLORIA THE FILM WHEN HE OUT OF THE CLOSET AS A GAY MAN.(PHOTO: JASON MERRT/GETTY IMAG){WIDTH:2167PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}8 / 24ROCKMOND DUNBAR - ROCKMOND DUNBAR, BT KNOWN FOR HIS LEADG ROLE AS KENNY CHADWAY ON THE CRILLY-ACCLAIMED TELEVISN SERI SOUL FOOD, PLAYED A GAY MAN PUNKS (2000) AND DIRTY LNDRY (2006), WHICH HIS CHARACTER WAS A MAGAZE EDOR.(PHOTOS: MRY PHILLIPS/WIREIMAGE){WIDTH:2001PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}9 / 24VG RHAM - VG RHAM PORTRAYED A DRAG QUEEN THE TELEVISN MOVIE HOLIDAY HEART (2000) AND A GAY MAN I NOW PRONOUNCE YOU CHUCK & LARRY (2007).(PHOTO: LEE CELANO/WIREIMAGE){WIDTH:2500PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}10 / 24ANTHONY MACKIE - IN 2004, ANTHONY MACKIE WAS AN UP-AND-G ACTOR AND ALREADY EXPERIENCED BIG SUCCS FOR PLAYG EMEM'S BFF 8 MILE. HOWEVER, HE SHOWED OFF HIS JULLIARD-TRAED ACTG CHOPS AS THE LEAD RODNEY EVANS'S BROTHER TO BROTHER. MACKIE TACKLED THE ROLE OF PERRY — AN ART STUNT WHO WAS ON THE SEARCH FOR LOVE WHILE SIMULTANEOLY LEARNG THE ROOTS OF THE HARLEM RENAISSANCE VIA AN OLR GAY MAN — WH GRACE. THE RISK PAID OFF, EARNG MACKIE AN INPENNT SPIR AWARD FOR BT DEBUT PERFORMANCE.(PHOTO: LARS NIKI/GETTY IMAG FOR RONALD MCDONALD HOE NEW YORK){WIDTH:2150PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}11 / 24TAYE DIGGS - IN EARLY 2006, TAYE DIGGS GUT-STARRED FOR SEVERAL EPISOS AS WILL TMAN'S LOVE TERT, JAM, ON THE FAL SEASON OF WILL & GRACE.(PHOTO: MICHAEL ZORN/FILMMAGIC){WIDTH:2382PX;HEIGHT:3177PX;}12 / 24GABRIELLE UNN - GABRIELLE UNN ADD PLAYG A LBIAN TO HER FILMOGRAPHY 2006 WH A STANDOUT ROLE AS ANTE BENNG’S LOVER THE FILM ADAPTATN OF AUGTEN BURROUGH'S BT-SELLG MEMOIR RUNNG WH SCISSORS.(PHOTO: JON KOPALOFF/FILMMAGIC){WIDTH:2921PX;HEIGHT:4389PX;}13 / 24TARAJI P. HENSON - IN 2006'S SMOK' AC, TARAJI P. HENSON WAS SHARICE WATERS, A HARD-RE LBIAN ASSASS WHO HAD A CSH ON HER PARTER--CRIME GEIA SYK (ALICIA KEYS).(PHOTO: KEV MAZUR/GETTY IMAG){WIDTH:2103PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}14 / 24JADA PKETT-SMH - IN 2008, JADA PKETT SMH PLAYED A LBIAN THE WOMEN, WHICH ALSO STARRED ANTE BENNG AND EVA MENS. SMH SAID ABOUT THE ROLE, "I ENJOYED PLAYG A LBIAN AND I WISH I ULD HAVE BEEN MORE OF A LBIAN THE MOVIE, BUT I WASN'T ALLOWED TO DO THAT."(PHOTO: MICHAEL LOCCISANO/GETTY IMAG){WIDTH:3194PX;HEIGHT:4200PX;}15 / 24KERRY WASHGTON - IN 2009, KERRY WASHGTON WOWED DIENC PLAYG A TRANSGENR WOMAN LIFE IS HOT CRACKTOWN.  SHE TOLD ABOUT THE ROLE, "ONE OF THE THGS I REALIZED APPROACHG THIS ROLE WAS THAT I ACTUALLY FIGURED OUT EARLY ON THAT I WAS GOG TO LEARN A LOT ABOUT BEG A WOMAN — PERD. BEE, REALLY, WHAT A TRANS WOMAN IS, IS SOMEBODY WHO IS A WOMAN BUT WHOSE BLOGY HAS BETRAYED THEM SOMEWAY."(PHOTO: AXELLE/BER-GRIFF/FILMMAGIC){WIDTH:2152PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}16 / 24GUN HILL ROAD AND PARIAH - THE TWO DIE FILMS DIDN'T HAVE MAJOR STAR POWER, BUT WERE CRIL DARLGS 2011. RASHAAD ERNTO GREEN'S GUN HILL ROAD STARRED HARMONY SANTANA AS A TRANSGENR TEEN LIVG THE BRONX. DEE RE'S PARIAH FEATURED APERO ODUYE AS A LBIAN TEENAGER OM BROOKLYN STGGLG WH INTY AND FAY. BOTH FILMS WERE HONORED WH VAR DIE AWARDS AND PROVED THAT LGBT STORI ARE NECCSARY.  (PHOTO: JOHN LAMPARSKI/WIREIMAGE){WIDTH:2000PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}17 / 24LENNY KRAVZ - THE WORLD-FAMO ROCKER LOOKED FOR A PROVOTIVE CHARACTER TO PLAY FOR HIS RETURN TO THE BIG SCREEN AND HE FOUND HUNGER GAM' CNA, WHO IS BISEXUAL. TO PORTRAY THE FLAMBOYANT STYLIST, KRAVZ SAYS HE CHANNELED "A IEND WHO IS A DANCER WHO IS BISEXUAL, AND HE WAS A LOT OF SPIRATN FOR MY SPEECH PATTERN AND MY RHYTHM, AND KD OF THE WAY I SNTERED AND OUT A LTLE B." (PHOTO: CHELSEA LREN/WIREIMAGE){WIDTH:1300PX;HEIGHT:900PX;}18 / 24JEFEY WRIGHT - WRIGHT WAS NOMATED FOR A GOLN GLOBE AND WON AN EMMY FOR HIS PORTRAYAL OF A DRAG QUEEN MIKE NICHOLS'S TELEVISN ADAPTATN OF PULZER PRIZE-WNG PLAY ANGELS AMERI, ABOUT A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHOSE RELATNSHIPS AND LIV ARE AFFECTED BY AIDS. THE SERI WENT ON TO BREAK THE RERD PREVLY HELD BY ROOTS FOR WNG THE MOST EMMYS.(PHOTOS: MICHAEL LOCCISANO/GETTY IMAG)19 / 24MICHAEL K. WILLIAMS - AS GUN-TOTG STICK-UP MAN OMAR LTLE ON THE WIRE, WILLIAMS GAVE ONE OF THE MOST SUBTLE, HONT AND SURPRISG PORTRAYALS OF A GAY MAN ON TELEVISN. THE CHARACTER'S PERSONAL LIFE, AND THE NER LIFE WILLIAMS BROUGHT TO , WAS SO NUANCED AND UNIQUE THAT PRINT OBAMA LLED HIM HIS FAVORE CHARACTER ON TELEVISN.(PHOTOS: JOHN RIRD/BET)20 / 24DWAYNE "THE ROCK" JOHNSON - JOHNSON PLAYED A GAY BODYGUARD WH DREAMS OF STARDOM THIS SEQUEL TO THE H HEIST EDY GET SHORTY. THOUGH THIS CHARACTER'S JOB WAS NOT A STRETCH FOR THE ROCK, HIS PERSONAL LIFE CERTALY WAS.  (PHOTOS: ALBERTO E. RODRIGUEZ/GETTY IMAG)ADVERTISEMENT21 / 24TONY BRAVADO - ON LET'S STAY TOGETHER, BRAVADO PLAYED DARKANIAN LE'JOHNSON, A CLOSETED PROFSNAL FOOTBALL PLAYER WHO OVERPENSAT FOR HIS SECRET RELATNSHIP WH A MAN BY LAYG ON THICK WH THE LADI.(PHOTOS: PERVIS PR){WIDTH:2274PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}22 / 24GAV HOTON - THIS ACTOR'S ACTG REER STARTED 1992 AN EPISO OF THE COSBY SHOW, BUT HIS BIG BREAK ME 2013 WHEN HE STARRED AS JEFEY HARRGTON, THE CLOSETED GAY SON OF A POLICIAN, TYLER PERRY'S THE HAV AND THE HAVE NOTS.(PHOTO: CHRIS MCKAY/WIREIMAGE)

BLACK ACTORS WHO PLAYED GAY MALE CHARACTERS

It’s no qutn that the Black muny has had to al wh plenty of homophobia, makg some feel unfortable about g out or showg their te selv.

STRAIGHT ACTORS WHO HAVE PLAYED GAY CHARACTERS

However, some Black men have shed the fear orr to portray gay characters eher movi or TV shows.

Jefey Wright – He played a gay AIDS patient on Angels In Ameri on Broadway and reprised the role oppose Al Paco for Showtime. Williams – As Omar on The Wire, he was the most bada$$ gay character of all time.

It was a bold move for a guy whose reputatn is beg tough to play a gay character. "Clive is a gay man who tri to supprs his homosexualy Edwardian-era England.

14 MOST MEMORABLE GAY CHARACTERS PLAYED BY NON-GAY ACTORS

"Roger Ebert wrote: "He plays the role not as a man pretendg to be a woman, and not as a woman trapped a man's body, and not as a parody of a woman, and not as a gay man, but as a drag queen, perd: Lola, a tall, athletic performer thigh-high red boots who l the stage of a drag club as if she were born there, and is a pretty good sger, too.

Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal, both straight, were both Osr-nomated for their performanc (Ledger lead, Gyllenhaal supportg) this film about two men fallg love and ntug their affair for film sred 87% on Rotten Tomato, wh the se's cril nsens readg: "A betifully epic Wtern, 'Brokeback Mounta''s gay love story is imbued wh heartbreakg universaly, helped by the movg performanc of Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal. Harvey Milk is one of the most important gay activists history, and straight actor Sean Penn won an Osr for playg him.

23 CELEBS WHO WEREN'T AAID TO PLAY LGBT {MARG:12PX TO 0;}@MEDIA (M-WIDTH:980PX){{MAX-WIDTH:50%;}}{FONT:NORMAL 400 1.4REM/1.5 "SOEHNE",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;MARG:12PX TO 0;}@MEDIA (M-WIDTH:980PX){{MAX-WIDTH:50%;}}A LOOK AT SOME OF THE BT QUEER CHARACTERS ON FILM AND {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG-BOTTOM:54PX;OVERFLOW-X:HIDN;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;BACKGROUND:#FFFFFF;-WEBK-FLEX-DIRECTN:LUMN;-MS-FLEX-DIRECTN:LUMN;FLEX-DIRECTN:LUMN;BOX-SHADOW:0 4PX 8PX 0 RGBA(0,0,0,0.08);MARG-BOTTOM:54PX;}{WIDTH:100%;HEIGHT:TO;} IMG{HEIGHT:100%;WIDTH:100%;OBJECT-F:NTA;}{WIDTH:1600PX;HEIGHT:800PX;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:18PX 24PX;DISPLAY:GRID;GRID-GAP:18PX;TEXT-ALIGN:CENTER;}{LOR:#0A0A0A;}{FONT:NORMAL 700 2.0REM/1.25 "SOEHNE",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;LOR:#0A0A0A;}1 / {LOR:#0A0A0A;} A{FONT:HER;LOR:HER;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} STRONG, B{FONT-WEIGHT:BOLR;}{FONT:NORMAL 400 1.4REM/1.5 "SOEHNE",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;LOR:#0A0A0A;} A{FONT:HER;LOR:HER;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} STRONG, B{FONT-WEIGHT:BOLR;}AND SCENE - ONCE UPON A TIME, PLAYG AN LGBT CHARACTER ON SCREEN WAS REER SUICI. TODAY, PORTRAYG AN LGBT CHARACTER N LEAD TO AN OSR W. FEATURG A-LISTERS LIKE QUEEN LATIFAH, WILL SMH AND TAYE DIGGS, HERE IS A LOOK BACK AT SOME OF THE MOST FAMO LGBT ROL ON THE BIG AND SMALL SCREEN.(PHOTOS OM LEFT: FRAZER HARRISON/GETTY IMAG, PL ARCHULETA/FILMMAGIC, TONY BARSON/FILMMAGIC) {LOR:#818181;FONT-WEIGHT:400;}{FONT:NORMAL 600 1.4REM/1.2 "SOEHNE",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;LOR:#818181;FONT-WEIGHT:400;}PHOTO BY {LOR:HER;FONT:HER;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;}{LOR:HER;FONT:HER;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;}PHOTO BY FRAZER HARRISON/GETTY {WIDTH:4216PX;HEIGHT:2873PX;}2 / 24WILL SMH - IN 1993, WILL SMH PLAYED THE ROLE OF PL SIX DEGRE OF SEPARATN, BASED ON THE TE-LIFE STORY OF DAVID HAMPTON, AN OPENLY GAY N MAN WHO MANAGED TO NVCE MANY PEOPLE HE WAS THE SON OF SIDNEY POIER.(PHOTO: JASON MERRT/GETTY IMAG){WIDTH:2581PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}3 / 24FORT WHAKER - AMY AWARD-WNER FORT WHAKER, ALWAYS A WILLG PARTICIPANT TO PH THE ENVELOPE, PLAYED A FLAMBOYANT GAY FASHN SIGNER ROBERT ALTMAN'S PRêT-à-PORTER (1994). HE ALSO PLAYED A GAY CHARACTER THE CRYG GAME (1993).(PHOTO: JEFEY UFBERG/WIREIMAGE){WIDTH:2134PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}4 / 24WLEY SNIP - WLEY SNIP LAMPOONED HIS MACHO IMAGE TO WONG FOO, THANKS FOR EVERYTHG! JULIE NEWMAR (1995), WHICH HE, ALONG WH PATRICK SWAYZE AND JOHN LEGUIZAMO, PLAYED A DRAG QUEEN. SNIP'S NOXEEMA JACKSON PLETE WH A BLOND WIG AND RED HIGH-HEELED SHO. NOXEEMA IS THE -WNER OF A DRAG QUEEN BETY PAGEANT AND IS NOT AAID OF WIGGLG HER HIPS.(PHOTO: JIM SPELLMAN/WIREIMAGE){WIDTH:2149PX;HEIGHT:3235PX;}5 / 24QUEEN LATIFAH - QUEEN LATIFAH WAS UNFETTABLE HER ROLE AS CLEO SIMS, A TOUGH, LBIAN BANK ROBBER THE 1996 BOX-OFFICE H SET IT OFF. THE CHARACTER EARNED HER AN NAACP IMAGE AWARD NOMATN.(PHOTO: JASON MERRT/GETTY IMAG){MARG-BOTTOM:54PX;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG-BOTTOM:54PX;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:NONE;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;} + .E1IATVX90{DISPLAY:NONE;}(:EMPTY){DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;}(:EMPTY) + .E1IATVX90{DISPLAY:BLOCK;}{BACKGROUND-LOR:#0A0A0A;LOR:#FAFAFA;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;-WEBK-LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;-MOZ-LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;-MS-LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;PADDG:2PX 5PX;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;PADDG:3PX 5PX 4PX 5PX;LOR:#C4FF2C;BACKGROUND-LOR:#000000;LOR:#FFFFFF;DISPLAY:BLOCK;TEXT-ALIGN:CENTER;}{FONT:NORMAL 600 1.4REM/1.2 "SOEHNE",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;BACKGROUND-LOR:#0A0A0A;LOR:#FAFAFA;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;-WEBK-LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;-MOZ-LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;-MS-LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;PADDG:2PX 5PX;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;PADDG:3PX 5PX 4PX 5PX;LOR:#C4FF2C;BACKGROUND-LOR:#000000;LOR:#FFFFFF;DISPLAY:BLOCK;TEXT-ALIGN:CENTER;}{WIDTH:2063PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}6 / 24ISAIAH WASHGTON - IN 1996, FORMER GREY'S ANATOMY STAR ISAIAH WASHGTON PLAYED HALF OF A GAY UPLE ON THEIR WAY TO THE 1995 MILLN MAN MARCH WASHGTON, D.C., SPIKE LEE'S GET ON THE B. PLAYED BY HARRY LENNIX AND WASHGTON, THE GAY LOVERS ARE ON THE VERGE OF SEPARATN.(PHOTO: MATHEW IMAGG/FILMMAGIC){WIDTH:2456PX;HEIGHT:3500PX;}7 / 24GIANRLO ESPOSO - GIANRLO ESPOSO PLAYED JOSEPH, GLORIA MATTHEW'S (LORETTA DEVE) EX-HBAND AND FATHER OF HER CHILD (DONALD FAISON) WAG TO EXHALE. HE DROPS A BOMB ON GLORIA THE FILM WHEN HE OUT OF THE CLOSET AS A GAY MAN.(PHOTO: JASON MERRT/GETTY IMAG){WIDTH:2167PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}8 / 24ROCKMOND DUNBAR - ROCKMOND DUNBAR, BT KNOWN FOR HIS LEADG ROLE AS KENNY CHADWAY ON THE CRILLY-ACCLAIMED TELEVISN SERI SOUL FOOD, PLAYED A GAY MAN PUNKS (2000) AND DIRTY LNDRY (2006), WHICH HIS CHARACTER WAS A MAGAZE EDOR.(PHOTOS: MRY PHILLIPS/WIREIMAGE){WIDTH:2001PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}9 / 24VG RHAM - VG RHAM PORTRAYED A DRAG QUEEN THE TELEVISN MOVIE HOLIDAY HEART (2000) AND A GAY MAN I NOW PRONOUNCE YOU CHUCK & LARRY (2007).(PHOTO: LEE CELANO/WIREIMAGE){WIDTH:2500PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}10 / 24ANTHONY MACKIE - IN 2004, ANTHONY MACKIE WAS AN UP-AND-G ACTOR AND ALREADY EXPERIENCED BIG SUCCS FOR PLAYG EMEM'S BFF 8 MILE. HOWEVER, HE SHOWED OFF HIS JULLIARD-TRAED ACTG CHOPS AS THE LEAD RODNEY EVANS'S BROTHER TO BROTHER. MACKIE TACKLED THE ROLE OF PERRY — AN ART STUNT WHO WAS ON THE SEARCH FOR LOVE WHILE SIMULTANEOLY LEARNG THE ROOTS OF THE HARLEM RENAISSANCE VIA AN OLR GAY MAN — WH GRACE. THE RISK PAID OFF, EARNG MACKIE AN INPENNT SPIR AWARD FOR BT DEBUT PERFORMANCE.(PHOTO: LARS NIKI/GETTY IMAG FOR RONALD MCDONALD HOE NEW YORK){WIDTH:2150PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}11 / 24TAYE DIGGS - IN EARLY 2006, TAYE DIGGS GUT-STARRED FOR SEVERAL EPISOS AS WILL TMAN'S LOVE TERT, JAM, ON THE FAL SEASON OF WILL & GRACE.(PHOTO: MICHAEL ZORN/FILMMAGIC){WIDTH:2382PX;HEIGHT:3177PX;}12 / 24GABRIELLE UNN - GABRIELLE UNN ADD PLAYG A LBIAN TO HER FILMOGRAPHY 2006 WH A STANDOUT ROLE AS ANTE BENNG’S LOVER THE FILM ADAPTATN OF AUGTEN BURROUGH'S BT-SELLG MEMOIR RUNNG WH SCISSORS.(PHOTO: JON KOPALOFF/FILMMAGIC){WIDTH:2921PX;HEIGHT:4389PX;}13 / 24TARAJI P. HENSON - IN 2006'S SMOK' AC, TARAJI P. HENSON WAS SHARICE WATERS, A HARD-RE LBIAN ASSASS WHO HAD A CSH ON HER PARTER--CRIME GEIA SYK (ALICIA KEYS).(PHOTO: KEV MAZUR/GETTY IMAG){WIDTH:2103PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}14 / 24JADA PKETT-SMH - IN 2008, JADA PKETT SMH PLAYED A LBIAN THE WOMEN, WHICH ALSO STARRED ANTE BENNG AND EVA MENS. SMH SAID ABOUT THE ROLE, "I ENJOYED PLAYG A LBIAN AND I WISH I ULD HAVE BEEN MORE OF A LBIAN THE MOVIE, BUT I WASN'T ALLOWED TO DO THAT."(PHOTO: MICHAEL LOCCISANO/GETTY IMAG){WIDTH:3194PX;HEIGHT:4200PX;}15 / 24KERRY WASHGTON - IN 2009, KERRY WASHGTON WOWED DIENC PLAYG A TRANSGENR WOMAN LIFE IS HOT CRACKTOWN.  SHE TOLD ABOUT THE ROLE, "ONE OF THE THGS I REALIZED APPROACHG THIS ROLE WAS THAT I ACTUALLY FIGURED OUT EARLY ON THAT I WAS GOG TO LEARN A LOT ABOUT BEG A WOMAN — PERD. BEE, REALLY, WHAT A TRANS WOMAN IS, IS SOMEBODY WHO IS A WOMAN BUT WHOSE BLOGY HAS BETRAYED THEM SOMEWAY."(PHOTO: AXELLE/BER-GRIFF/FILMMAGIC){WIDTH:2152PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}16 / 24GUN HILL ROAD AND PARIAH - THE TWO DIE FILMS DIDN'T HAVE MAJOR STAR POWER, BUT WERE CRIL DARLGS 2011. RASHAAD ERNTO GREEN'S GUN HILL ROAD STARRED HARMONY SANTANA AS A TRANSGENR TEEN LIVG THE BRONX. DEE RE'S PARIAH FEATURED APERO ODUYE AS A LBIAN TEENAGER OM BROOKLYN STGGLG WH INTY AND FAY. BOTH FILMS WERE HONORED WH VAR DIE AWARDS AND PROVED THAT LGBT STORI ARE NECCSARY.  (PHOTO: JOHN LAMPARSKI/WIREIMAGE){WIDTH:2000PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}17 / 24LENNY KRAVZ - THE WORLD-FAMO ROCKER LOOKED FOR A PROVOTIVE CHARACTER TO PLAY FOR HIS RETURN TO THE BIG SCREEN AND HE FOUND HUNGER GAM' CNA, WHO IS BISEXUAL. TO PORTRAY THE FLAMBOYANT STYLIST, KRAVZ SAYS HE CHANNELED "A IEND WHO IS A DANCER WHO IS BISEXUAL, AND HE WAS A LOT OF SPIRATN FOR MY SPEECH PATTERN AND MY RHYTHM, AND KD OF THE WAY I SNTERED AND OUT A LTLE B." (PHOTO: CHELSEA LREN/WIREIMAGE){WIDTH:1300PX;HEIGHT:900PX;}18 / 24JEFEY WRIGHT - WRIGHT WAS NOMATED FOR A GOLN GLOBE AND WON AN EMMY FOR HIS PORTRAYAL OF A DRAG QUEEN MIKE NICHOLS'S TELEVISN ADAPTATN OF PULZER PRIZE-WNG PLAY ANGELS AMERI, ABOUT A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHOSE RELATNSHIPS AND LIV ARE AFFECTED BY AIDS. THE SERI WENT ON TO BREAK THE RERD PREVLY HELD BY ROOTS FOR WNG THE MOST EMMYS.(PHOTOS: MICHAEL LOCCISANO/GETTY IMAG)19 / 24MICHAEL K. WILLIAMS - AS GUN-TOTG STICK-UP MAN OMAR LTLE ON THE WIRE, WILLIAMS GAVE ONE OF THE MOST SUBTLE, HONT AND SURPRISG PORTRAYALS OF A GAY MAN ON TELEVISN. THE CHARACTER'S PERSONAL LIFE, AND THE NER LIFE WILLIAMS BROUGHT TO , WAS SO NUANCED AND UNIQUE THAT PRINT OBAMA LLED HIM HIS FAVORE CHARACTER ON TELEVISN.(PHOTOS: JOHN RIRD/BET)20 / 24DWAYNE "THE ROCK" JOHNSON - JOHNSON PLAYED A GAY BODYGUARD WH DREAMS OF STARDOM THIS SEQUEL TO THE H HEIST EDY GET SHORTY. THOUGH THIS CHARACTER'S JOB WAS NOT A STRETCH FOR THE ROCK, HIS PERSONAL LIFE CERTALY WAS.  (PHOTOS: ALBERTO E. RODRIGUEZ/GETTY IMAG)ADVERTISEMENT21 / 24TONY BRAVADO - ON LET'S STAY TOGETHER, BRAVADO PLAYED DARKANIAN LE'JOHNSON, A CLOSETED PROFSNAL FOOTBALL PLAYER WHO OVERPENSAT FOR HIS SECRET RELATNSHIP WH A MAN BY LAYG ON THICK WH THE LADI.(PHOTOS: PERVIS PR){WIDTH:2274PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}22 / 24GAV HOTON - THIS ACTOR'S ACTG REER STARTED 1992 AN EPISO OF THE COSBY SHOW, BUT HIS BIG BREAK ME 2013 WHEN HE STARRED AS JEFEY HARRGTON, THE CLOSETED GAY SON OF A POLICIAN, TYLER PERRY'S THE HAV AND THE HAVE NOTS.(PHOTO: CHRIS MCKAY/WIREIMAGE)

Ruggiero, who is gay, played Mar Del Rossi on Degrassi: The Next Generatn, the first ma gay character the anchise. Borelli, who plays Levi Schmt on Grey's Anatomy, me out as gay right before his character did on the show. Borelli opened up about his sexualy and the importance of reprentatn a 2018 Instagram post: "As a gay guy myself, tonight's episo was so special to me.