21 Incredible LGBTQ Actors Who've Played LGBTQ Characters

BRB, bingeing all these shows for Pride Month.

We asked the BuzzFeed Community to share LGBTQ characters they love who are also played by LGBTQ actors, and they did not disappoint! Here are some of their favorites:

1. Stephanie Beatriz as Rosa Diaz on Brooklyn Nine-Nine

NBC / Getty Images

"Both Stephanie Beatriz and Rosa Diaz are bisexual. In an interview with Variety, Beatriz talked about working on her coming out episode with the show's producers and writers, bringing her personal experience as a queer Latinx woman into the story. I found that part super interesting, and it made the process of watching Rosa come out all the more personal."

—tigresssss13

2. Dan Levy as David Rose on Schitt's Creek

CBC / Getty Images

"I love how authentic David feels, and how him being pan wasn’t the central point of his character. He was a full person. You could tell Dan — who is gay — wanted his sexuality to be a part of the character and not the whole character. Also, the iconic wine metaphor! My mum and I had been watching together from Episode 1, and I used the wine metaphor to come out to her."

—kellyjeanj98

3. Lachlan Watson as Theo on The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina

Netflix / Getty Images

Watson identifies as non-binary, and their character Theo came out as transgender in Season 2 of The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.

—broadwayismymiddlename

4. Tessa Thompson as Valkyrie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe

Marvel Studios / Getty

Tessa Thompson is bisexual and plays the bisexual hero Valkyrie in Thor: Rangarok and Avengers: Endgame. While the scene that made her character explicitly bi was cut from Ragnarok, Marvel President Kevin Feige has confirmed that Thompson's upcoming movie, Thor: Love and Thunder, will have an LGBTQ storyline.

—lightheart16

5. Jamie Clayton as Nomi in Sense8

Netflix / Getty Images

"Jamie is a proud trans woman playing another trans woman who knows her worth, is brave, and is strong. Easily one of the best performances I’ve seen on TV!"

—emariasheldon

6. Ruby Rose as Kate Kane on Batwoman

The CW / Getty Images

"I'm sad she won't return, but to have an openly lesbian, genderfluid actor play a lesbian superhero is an inspiration."

—savagesiri724

7. Chris Colfer as Kurt Hummel on Glee

Fox / Getty Images

"His audition was so amazing, the showrunners created a role for him. Watching him grow on Glee as a person and a character was wonderful. Both Colfer and his character Kurt are gay."

—browncoatjeni

8. Nicole Maines as Nia Nal on Supergirl

The CW / Getty Images

"She was the first trans superhero in TV history and both she and her character advocate for trans rights."

—carlamfm44

9. Sarah Paulson as Lana Winters on American Horror Story: Asylum

FX / Getty Images

"Paulson identifies as sexually fluid and doesn't want to be entirely defined by her sexuality. She and Holland Taylor are couple goals, though!"

—monikap6

10. Sherry Cola as Alice Kwan on Good Trouble

Freeform / Getty Images

"Sherry Cola, who is bisexual, as Alice Kwan! Her character first struggles as a lesbian Asian-American, but it really comes together at the end of Season 1."

—benoit1001

11. Tyler Blackburn as Alex Manes on Roswell, NM

The CW / Getty Images

"Tyler came out as bisexual during Season 1 of the show and it made Alex — a gay character — that much more important."

—scottt190

12. Laverne Cox as Sophia Burset on Orange Is the New Black

Netflix / Getty Images

"Her twin brother played her pre-transition, and the show used comedy throughout the series to bring light to her journey. Both Cox and her character are transgender."

—s447e02ea8

13. Kate McKinnon as Jess Carr in Bombshell

Annapurna Pictures / Getty Images

"McKinnon plays a closeted-lesbian who works at Fox News in Bombshell and is a lesbian IRL, too. She gave a very important speech about queer representation to honor Ellen at the 2020 Golden Globes."

—evelinamedina

14. Sara Ramirez as Callie Torres on Grey's Anatomy

ABC / Getty Images

"Her character's arc and journey of self-discovery as bisexual were done very well, I think. Ramirez, like her character, identifies as bisexual."

—leticia933

15. Jake Borelli as Levi Schmidt on Grey's Anatomy

ABC / Getty Images

"He's such a genuine character and not only did Levi coming out allow the character to really blossom and grow, but it allowed Jake Borelli himself to come out as gay, too."

—squish37

16. Bex Taylor-Klaus as Deputy Bishop on Deputy

Fox / Getty Images

"They’re a phenomenal non-binary, queer actor who played an awesome non-binary, queer character ON A NETWORK FRIGGIN TV SHOW! Their coming out arc was so important and resonated with me and many others."

—pipermackenzie

17. Brigette Lundy-Paine as Casey on Atypical

Netflix / Getty Images

"They came out as queer and then non-binary recently. In the show, they play a girl who is figuring out her sexuality and it is amazing!"

—farleydani

18. Natasha Negovanlis as Carmilla on Carmilla

KindaTV / Getty Images

"I absolutely fell in love with her as Carmilla, and finding out she was queer just like her character made it even better!"

—bethany0098

19. Dominique Provost-Chalkley as Waverly Earp on Wynonna Earp

SyFy / Getty Images

"Dominique Provost-Chalkley, who is queer IRL, plays Waverly Earp, who is bisexual on the show."

—fallon7

20. Katherine Barrell as Nicole Haught on Wynonna Earp

SyFy / Getty Images

"Katherine Barrell, who is bisexual, plays Nicole Haught, who identifies as a lesbian! Both she and Dominique Provost-Chalkley are in the LGBTQ community and they're the show's main romantic relationship."

—fallon7

21. And finally, Colton Haynes as Jackson Whitmore on Teen Wolf

MTV / Getty Images

"Haynes was required to portray Jackson as a straight jerk, but he left the show and came back in a power couple with Charlie Carver, who played one of the openly gay alpha twins, Ethan. Haynes identifies as gay IRL."

—samp444aa0c28

Did we miss your favorite LGBTQ characters and actors? Let us know in the comments below!

NOTE: Submissions have been edited for length and/or clarity.

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