21 Incredible LGBTQ Actors Who've Played LGBTQ Characters

"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

"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

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

—broadwayismymiddlename

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

"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

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

—savagesiri724

"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

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

—carlamfm44

"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

"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

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

—scottt190

"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

"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

"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

"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

"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

"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

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

—bethany0098

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

—fallon7

"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

"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