Gay teen actors
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Whishaw continues to blend artistry with advocacy in his career choices.
Jim Nabors
Jim Nabors was a TV icon best known for playing Gomer Pyle on ‘The Andy Griffith Show’ and its spin-off. He has collaborated with Shania Twain, Tanya Tucker and drag superstar Trixie Mattel, covered Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way” in 2021, and released his second LP, “Bronco,” earlier this year.
Melissa King
After winning the highly competitive “Top Chef: All Stars Los Angeles,” King has become one of the industry’s most in-demand gastronomic experts.
His performance was a milestone for representation.
He has continued to act, notably on ‘Star Trek: Discovery’, while also working as an activist for LGBTQ+ youth and people of color. From Hannah Einbinder and Carl Clemons-Hopkins’ deadpan to Johnny Sibilly’s sympathetic smile and Mark Indelicato’s focused mania to Meg Stalter and Poppy Liu’s controlled chaos, each of these performers brings something new and wonderfully different to the HBO Max hit.
Michael R.
Jackson
After Jackson won a Pulitzer for “A Strange Loop,” his meta musical about a Black gay man who is writing a musical about a Black gay man who is writing a musical, the show landed 11 Tony nominations. Knight
T.R. His courage and outspokenness have paved the way for younger generations of queer actors.
Jodie Foster
An Oscar-winning actress and acclaimed director, Jodie Foster has been a fixture in Hollywood for decades with iconic roles in films like ‘The Silence of the Lambs’ and ‘Taxi Driver’.
His tall stature and commanding presence make him an unforgettable actor.
Pace came out in 2018 and married his longtime partner in 2022. She then was tapped to direct an episode of “Under the Banner of Heaven,” gay Oscar winner Dustin Lance Black’s FX true-crime limited series.
Anitta
One of Latin music’s preeminent divas, Anitta made big strides in crossing over to the U.S.
market this spring with her trilingual Warner Records debut, “Versions of Me” — heralded by an electrifying Coachella performance. She came out as bisexual years ago in Brazil, a country with a strong far-right contingent where universal support wasn’t guaranteed.
Darren Star
The openly gay TV vet (“Sex and the City,” “Melrose Place”) is one of the most successful minds in female storylines.
His legacy spans theater, television, and activism.
George Takei
Famous for his role as Sulu in ‘Star Trek’, George Takei is also a powerful voice for LGBTQ+ and Asian-American rights. Between Che and Callie Torres — the bisexual character Ramírez played on “Grey’s Anatomy” for 10 seasons — Variety’s Power of Pride cover subject has portrayed two of the most significant queer characters in pop culture history.
Jonathan Bailey
After establishing his rakish bona fides as Anthony in the first season of “Bridgerton” — Netflix’s romantic-drama juggernaut — Bailey turned up the heat as the focus of Season 2 to become the year’s most irresistible bachelor.