In alphabetical order
This category recognises LGBT+ celebrities who have come out in the face of adversity or who support the LGBT+ community in a positive way.
Billy Porter
From his role as Lola in the famed Broadway show Kinky Boots in 2013, for which he received a Tony Award, to his work on the highly regarded show about the trans community during the AIDS crisis, Pose, Porter has become a household name both in the LGBT+ community and in the wider public eye. His outspokenness about his life as an HIV+ gay Black man, alongside his stunning red-carpet moments, are all reflections of his outlook on life: “For me, life is about being positive and hopeful, choosing to be joyful, choosing to be encouraging, choosing to be empowering.”
Emma Corrin
Golden Globe-winning and Primetime Emmy Award nominee Emma Corrin skyrocketed to fame through their portrayal of Diana in series four of The Crown in 2020. Since then, Corrin has come out as queer and opened up about their gender identity in 2021. Corrin has also received acclaim both for their outspokenness about their LGBT+ identity and for their success as an actor. In 2022, they became Vogue’s first non-binary cover star and received acclaim in films My Policeman and Lady Chatterley’s Lover.
Emma D’Arcy
Whether playing Romeo in Romeo and Juliet on stage in London or Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen in HBO’s House of the Dragon, Emma D’Arcy has had a wide-ranging career, all while being the non-binary representation we always wanted. Crediting their openness about their gender identity in part to HBO, who asked what their pronouns were, they’ve gone on to say, “The reason I decided to be honest in my presentation professionally is that I really hope that younger people who want to do this work know that there is absolutely space and that space is opening up.”
Golda Rosheuvel
Rosheuvel, an actress best known for her starring role in Netflix period drama Bridgerton, is also no stranger to the stage, having taken leading roles in epics like Othello and Jesus Christ Superstar. The LGBT+ icon was recently honoured with The Equality Award at the Human Rights Campaign Gala. She has been a leading figure in the campaign to depict sexuality, gender and race in the right way across all forms of media and entertainment, saying, “I would rather lose a job than not be true to who I am. I’d rather not work in an industry that doesn’t accept me.”
Kit Connor
Probably best known as playing bicon (yes, a bisexual icon!) Nick Nelson in Heartstopper, Kit Connor has also had a long career in television, from CBBC’s Rocket’s Island to embodying the voice of Pan in the BBC’s adaptation of His Dark Materials. In 2022 he was sadly forced into declaring his bisexuality in response to accusations of the show using queerbaiting. In his coming-out tweet, he addressed the criticisms, saying, “Congrats for forcing an 18-year-old to out himself. I think some of you missed the point of the show.”
Layton Williams
Williams is truly a triple threat – a gifted actor, singer and dancer, with his roles in both Billy Elliot and There’s Something About Jamie making him a West End legend at a young age. He credits the ease of his coming out to being surrounded by positive role models while working on Billy Elliot, saying, “Oh right, so that’s what I am!” showing us that representation is truly important! Most recently, we’ve seen Williams on the searing Billie Piper Sky show I Hate Suzie, Too playing Adam Jackson, a stylish, confident presenter of an exploitative reality show.
Luke Evans
This West End legend has starred on stage and screen in Les Misérables, Taboo, Rent and as the hunky, yet dim-witted, villain Gaston in Beauty and the Beast. Last year his album A Song For You hit number 4 in the UK charts. He’s recently spoken about wanting to become a dad with his partner, graphic designer Fran Tomas, saying, “I want to be an active dad, one that really gets involved and isn’t limited in what they can do.”
Rebel Wilson
From Bridesmaids to Pitch Perfect to hosting the Baftas in 2022, Rebel Wilson has been making us cry with laughter for over a decade. She’s been an outspoken body positivity advocate, calling out Hollywood for not allowing women to grow and change. Last year Wilson announced her relationship with Ramona Agruma, saying, “I thought I was searching for a Disney Prince… but maybe what I really needed all this time was a Disney Princess.”
Sara Ramirez
Hey! It’s Sara Ramirez! This non-binary, bisexual superstar won our hearts with their Tony Award winning portrayal of the Lady of the Lake in Monty Python’s Spamalot on Broadway in 2005. They then went on to Grey’s Anatomy, where they spent more than a decade playing Dr. Calliope ‘Calli’’ Torres. In 2021, Ramirez returned to television playing Che Diaz, a comedian who takes Miranda on a journey of sexual awakening in HBO’s SATC reboot And Just Like That. We can’t wait to see what’s in store for them next!
Yasmin Finney
Finney an actress best known for her portrayal of Elle Argent, Charlie’s trans friend in Heartstopper. Her honest portrayal has garnered her an Outstanding Supporting Performance nomination for the Children’s and Family Emmy Awards. She featured in GLAAD’s 20 Under 20 List in 2021 and, most recently, has announced her exciting arrival in the Doctor Who universe alongside Ncuti Gatwa’s 15th Doctor, premiering in December.
