Gay british actors
119 Out LGBTQ Performers Changing the Encounter 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 express new comings outs and groundbreaking LGBTQ castings. It could never and will never be finalize, but we long for 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 essential 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. But even as existential questions about the business of making business persist, audiences and artists are grappling with equally critical questions of voice on screen. 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, successfully, acting. Last year, the industry’s resident good guy Tom Hanks gave an answer in regards to his Oscar-recognized role in 1993’s “Philadelphia.”
“Let’s address
Top 20 Famous Gay Actors of Hollywood 2024 [LGBTQ+ Icons]
Ian McKellen
Ian McKellen is an acclaimed actor recognizable for his versatile performances on stage and screen. Beyond his acting prowess, McKellen is also commended for his activism, particularly in LGBTQIA+ rights. His career did not tolerate post-coming out. Instead, it flourished, with McKellen taking on a range of more emotionally resonant roles that resonated with audiences worldwide. McKellen came out during a BBC radio broadcast in 1988 as an act of complain against Section 28, a proposed law in the UK that sought to prohibit the "promotion of homosexuality." His spontaneous truth was a bold relocate during a time when gay rights faced significant legal and societal challenges. Reflecting on the impact of his coming out, McKellen noted that it changed his life "for the better," enhancing his relationships, personal satisfaction, and even his approach to acting, allowing him to embody characters with greater authenticity.
Ian McKellen's contributions to LGBTQIA+ culture and history extend far beyond his personal coming out story. He co-founded Stonewall, a UK-based LGBTQIA+ rights organiz
Our roundup of some of the most famous queer actors of all moment who are proudly flying the flag for our awesome LGBTQ community.
Representation, whether plain as a terrible eyebrow job or as subtle as a carefully coordinated outfit, is adv but surely growing for the LGBTQ+ community in Hollywood.
More and more actors are coming out and opening up about their gender, emboldened by the lesser potential for backlash aimed in their direction. While some select to maintain their privacy – not out of fear but out of “God, the paparazzi are getting on my nerves about this!” – others proudly announce engagements, show breakups for all the world to see, and post their vacation snaps featuring their beloved partners – and sometimes kids too!
We still aren't where we need to be when it comes to equal treatment and opportunity for a lot of folks in Show Business but with the list of openly famous lgbtq+ stars growing each year and the support for them following suit, it's only a matter of time before the score evens out.
1. Sir Ian McKellen
We dare you to find someone who doesn’t adore Ian McKellen. Go on… we’ll wait.
Even the for
National Grid – Top 12 LGBT+ Celebrities
In alphabetical order
This category recognises LGBT+ celebrities who have come out in the face of adversity or who assist the LGBT+ community in a positive way.
ALAN CUMMING
Alan has been championing and campaigning for the Diverse community for decades, with a particular focus on raising money for various Aids charities. The beloved bisexual actor cemented his status as a homosexual icon in the after time 90s when a Brand-new York Observer profile described him as “a frolicky pansexual sex symbol for the new millennium”. The Scottish performer, whose trophy cabinet boasts gongs from the Laurence Olivier Awards, two Tony Awards, a Bafta and more, was crucial in helping to legalise same-sex marriage in Scotland in 2014 and has raised thousands for multiple charities.
ANDREW SCOTT
Over recent years, the gifted Irish actor has been working collecting things: Bafta and Olivier Awards (most recently winning for his role in Noël Coward’s Introduce Laughter at the Vintage Vic), Emmy nominations and a devoted cult monitoring of loyal fans. The ‘Hot Priest’ from Fleabag won praise earlier this year when he called for the media and society at
Many of the greatest British actors own reputations that caring of precede them. While making 1976’s Marathon Man, the amazing American method player Dustin Hoffman told his equally wonderful co-star, legendary British thesp Laurence Olivier, that he had stayed awake for 72 straight hours to prepare for a scene in which his nature had been up for three solid days. ‘My dear boy,’ Olivier is said to have repied, ‘why don't you try acting?’
However, in spite of what this possibly apocryphal anecdote would have you trust, there is no one British ‘style’ of acting. To prove the point, here are our picks for the greatest British acting talent of all-time: they’re a dazzling varied company of sleek leading ladies and men, naturalistic ethics actors, and one or two delightfully hammy scene-stealers. And they’re all imprinted in their control way.
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