The Advocate unveiled its list of 13 nonbinary icons people should know. They include actor Bella Ramsey, singer/actor Janelle Monae (who shared that they identify as nonbinary during an interview on Jada Pinkett Smith's Red Table Talk in April 2022), actor Amandla Stenberg, RuPaul's Drag Race winner Bob the Drag Queen, Oklahoma state Rep. Mauree Turner, singer Sam Smith, The Crown actor Emma Corrin, Queer Eye co-host Jonathan Van Ness, actor/playwright Liv Hewson, House of the Dragon actor Emma D'Arcy, Cartoon Network series Steven Universe creator Rebecca Sugar, and Tony winners Alex Newell and J. Harrison Ghee.
Country-music star Luke Combs' success with his remake of Tracy Chapman's "Fast Car" has started a discourse on race and music, The Washington Post noted. Although many are thrilled to see "Fast Car" back in the spotlight and a new generation discovering Chapman's work, it's clouded by the fact that, as a Black queer woman, Chapman would have almost zero chance of that achievement herself in country music. A recent study by data journalist Jan Diehm and musicologist Jada Watson reported that fewer than 0.5% of songs played on country radio in 2022 were by women of color and LGBTQ+ artists.
Brothers Osbourne—a duo that includes out gay member TJ Osbourne—announced the upcoming release of Brothers Osborne, their self-titled fourth studio album, available Sept 15 via EMI Records Nashville, per a press release. Brother John Osbourne said, "Since our last record, we've been very forthcoming with who we are. By acknowledging TJ's personal life and my mental-health struggles, we are more ourselves creatively and publicly than we've ever been." The brothers co-wrote every song on the album, including their current single "Nobody's Nobody."
On Aug. 8, Breaking Glass Pictures will release H.I.M., which will focus on Black queer college students, per Out. H.I.M. is the story of Damien (Brandon Karson) and cousin Kendall (Rahim Brazil) as they navigate love and learning. "After experiencing his first encounter with heartbreak, Damien dives into the chaotic world of college life," press notes stated. The series also stars Mimi Fletcher, Desmond Fletcher, Robert Sherrill Jr. and Darren Johnson. The trailer is at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-M4mkzT—Hs.
Netflix has released first-look images of Emmy-winning Euphoria star Colman Domingo in his starring role as gay civil-rights leader Bayard Rustin in the upcoming film Rustin, Out noted. Julian Breece and Dustin Lance Black wrote Rustin, which revolves around the gay civil right's leader and his help in organizing the 1963 March on Washington alongside Martin Luther King Jr. The movie, out Nov. 17, co-stars Chris Rock, Glynn Turman, Audra McDonald, Aml Ameen, CCH Pounder, Michael Potts, Bill Irwin and Da'Vine Joy Randolph.
The upcoming gay Sundance drama Passages, directed by Ira Sachs, has received an NC-17 rating by the Motion Picture Association but will be released unrated by distributor MUBI, according to NBC News, citing Variety. MUBI called the rating "unexpected" and said it was "deeply disappointed by the MPA's decision." Passages focuses on a love triangle in Paris between a movie director (Franz Rogowski), his artist husband (Ben Whishaw) and a grade-school teacher (Adèle Exarchopoulos). The film includes several sex scenes in which the actors are fully nude; however, they are not salacious or gratuitous.
Boys on Film 23: Dangerous to Know will be on DVD, Blu-Ray and On Demand on July 24, per a press release. Zachary Quinto is just one of the actors featured in this short-film collection about 10 encounters from across the globe. Some of the films include My Uncle's Friend (Brazil), Red Ants Bite (Georgia), Too Rough (UK), Chaperone (United States) and By His Will (Israel). The newest trailer is at https://youtu.be/SEtQfDv4iD4.
Speaking of Zachary Quinto, he recently delighted fans by returning to Instagram, Queerty noted. His last posting before this was in December 2020. Quinto said, "After a long (and enjoyable) hiatus — I am wading back into these choppy waters. As a wise man once said: 'Nowadays the world is lit by lightning.' No sense trying to find my way by candlelight. Here's to looking ahead with light and love. En avant [which is French for 'ahead']."
Queer rapper Chi Waller, a native Chicagoan, has released her second single—"Zone In,"featuring old-school indie rapper S-Lock, per a media release. This is Waller's first single of the year and the kickoff to her "6x6" run during which she will release a new single every month through the end of the year. To find out more about Waller, people can follow her @itschiwaller on Instagram or check out the 2022 Windy City Times interview with her at www.windycitytimes.com/lgbt/Queer-rapper-Chi-Waller-talks-about-her-journey-music-and-Chicago-connections/74169.html .
Melissa McCarthy and actor husband Ben Falcone cancelled plans to pick up an honor at Outfest, the Los Angeles LGBTQIA+ film festival, because of the actors strike, Deadline noted. The Hollywood couple were to have accepted the James Schamus Ally Award at Outfest's closing night on July 23 but cancelled because of the SAG-AFTRA walkout. "We understand that Melissa and Ben are unable to join us for our closing night due to the strike," Outfest Executive Director Damien Navarro said in a statement. "We will miss them, as our closing night will be a wonderful celebration of our community."
Grammy-winning rock band Greta Van Fleet's third studio album, Starcatcher, is out now on Lava/Republic Records, per a press release. Starcatcher is written and recorded by the band—lead singer Josh Kiszka, guitarist Jake Kiszka, bassist/keyboardist Sam Kiszka and drummer Danny Wagner—alongside Grammy-winning producer Dave Cobb (who's worked with Chris Stapleton and Brandi Carlile). Josh Kiszka recently made news for publicly coming out as gay.
Out figure skater and Olympic medalist Adam Rippon criticized disgraced cyclist (and Stars on Mars co-competitor) Lance Armstrong for his recent comments on trans athletes, The Advocate noted. Armstrong told Stars on Mars castmate Ronda Rousey, "I said, 'Listen, this is real simple: You want to transition, let's do it. You have your own category. We're gonna have a whole new division. We'll celebrate you just like we celebrate everybody else. Let's go.' What's unfair about that?" Rippon, who listened in on the conversation, told castmate Ariel Winter (Modern Family), "That is so disheartening," adding later, "Those comments here, in this experiment, have completely shifted the energy and completely shifted the focus. I will not ever forget them."
LGBTQ+ track-and-field star Sha'Carri Richardson took to social media and revealed that she was not invited to the ESPY Awards this year, per the Jasmine Brand. The outspoken athlete posted, "The ESPYS invited me when my life was in shambles as if I was a charity case. The disrespect that track & field receives in the USA alone is nasty. Half of the athletes there now could not do what we do on our WORST day. #espys." She also stated, "Track&Field is not like other sports especially in America.The NBA, NFL have organizations to HELP their athletes, not exploit them."
While playing in a celebrity golf tournament in Lake Tahoe, Pro Basketball Hall of Famer Charles Barkley, as always, kept it real—this time, making a strong stand for the LGBTQ+ community while urging onlookers to drink some Bud Light, Queerty noted. He said, "Drink this. I want ya'll to drink this f**ing beer. I got three cases of Bud Light and, hey, I want to say this If you're gay, bless you. If you're transgender, bless you. If you have a problem with that — f*** you!"
The Advocate's parent company, equalpride, and Voss Management are sponsoring legendary entertainer Kevin Aviance's tour, The Advocate noted. Aviance is a renowned queer drag artist and nightlife icon who was featured on Beyonce's latest album, Renaissance. His CVNTY Ball will be the go-to destination for the unofficial after-parties of the U.S. portion of Queen B's Renaissance Tour, showcasing the musical inspiration behind Renaissance and the music scene Aviance has influenced. Locally, it will take place Saturday, July 22 at Chicago nightspot Roscoe's.
Best known for starring in the new Spider-Man trilogy, Tom Holland is currently facing scrutiny from homophobes for playing the lead character of Billy Milligan in the new Apple TV+ limited series The Crowded Room, Out noted. In 1975, Milligan was arrested for armed robbery and raping three people on the campus of Ohio State University. After being incarcerated, Milligan reportedly engaged in sexual activities with other men—which is depicted in The Crowded Room. Interestingly, former Spider-Man actors Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield have also played queer characters over the years.
Imagine Dragons have declared their shows "safe spaces" for LGBTQ+ people, according to PinkNews. During one scene in the band's new documentary, Imagine Dragons Live in Vegas, lead singer Dan Reynolds spots a fan in the audience holding a Progress Pride flag; he grabs the flag and marches across the stage, holding it above his head, while singing the lyric "I'm never changing who I am," from their debut single "It's Time." In 2017, Reynolds founded the annual LoveLoud festival in the US, in a bid to raise awareness of "the realities of what LGBTQ+ teens face daily" and to raise funds for queer charities across the country.
A decade after Orange Is the New Black first premiered, several cast members are speaking out about perceived unfair compensation on the hit Netflix drama, according to Yahoo! Entertainment. Kimiko Glenn, who played idealistic activist Brook Soso, originally went viral in 2020 after posting a TikTok of her royalty check statement—panning down the titles of all 45 episodes that she appeared in only to eventually arrive at a sum total of only $27.30. She recently reposted it and got support from castmates. "Exaccctttlllyyy," Matt McGorry, who played a corrections officer, replied in May. "I kept my day job the entire time I was on the show because it paid better than the mega-hit TV show we were on."
Real Housewives of Orange County alum Braunwyn Windham-Burke and girlfriend Jennifer Spinner are officially engaged, Page Six noted. "I've never been happier," Windham-Burke told People. Windham-Burke—whose divorce with Sean Burke has yet to be finalized after being filed last October—popped the question at 14th Street Park in New York City while re-creating the couple's first date throughout the city.
Taylor Swift currently has four albums in the top 10 of Billboard's album charts, Variety noted. According to Billboard, that's the first time a woman has done that in the entire six-decade history of the Billboard album charts—and she's one of only three artists to ever accomplish the feat, joining Herb Alpert and Prince. "Speak Now (Taylor's Version)" bowed on top of the Billboard 200 with 716,000 album-equivalent units, joining 2022's Midnights, at No. 5; 2019's Lover, at No. 7; and 2020's Folklore, at No. 10.
Ricky Martin was taken aback halfway through his set at the Piazza Grande in Locarno, Switzerland, on July 17 when his 14-year-old twins, Matteo and Valentino, made a rare public appearance, Page Six noted. Earlier this month, Martin and estranged husband Jwan Yosef announced that they are divorcing after six years of marriage, with Martin citing "irreconcilable differences."
Hadestown producers Mara Isaacs, Dale Franzen, Hunter Arnold and Tom Kirdahy announced that recording artist/GLAAD nominee Betty Who as well as Tony and Grammy nominee Phillip Boykin will join the cast of the Tony-winning Best Musical Hadestown as Persephone and Hades, respectively, beginning Tuesday, Sept. 5, per a press release. "To have arrived at this place in my life, making my Broadway debut, I am just completely overwhelmed and excited," Who said.
Sofía Vergara and Joe Manganiello are ending their seven-year marriage, per Extra. The couple told Page Six in a statement, "We have made the difficult decision to divorce. As two people that love and care for one another very much, we politely ask for respect of our privacy at this time as we navigate this new phase of our lives." The couple started dating in 2014 and got engaged that Christmas Eve; they married in November 2015 in Palm Beach, Florida.
Also, Ariana Grande and husband Dalton Gomez are reportedly on their way to divorce after being separated since January, according to Extra, citing TMZ. Page Six noted that this split is reportedly amicable, with a source saying, "They came to the decision together. "They were having problems before January, but they want to remain best friends."
Jamie Lee Curtis gushed over the news that onscreen daughter Lindsay Lohan has welcomed her first child, Page Six noted. "MAGIC MONDAY! My movie daughter just made me a movie grandmother," the Oscar winner wrote on Instagram. "Blessings to Lindsay and Bader for the birth of Luai! @lindsaylohan." Lohan, gave birth to her and husband Bader Shammas' first child, a son named Luai.
Babylon 5: The Complete Series, which ran 1994-98, is coming to Blu-Ray for the first time ever on Dec. 5 via Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment, per a press release. All 110 original episodes will be fully remastered in HD. The series starred Bruce Boxleitner, Michael O'Hare, Claudia Christian, Jerry Doyle, Mira Furlan, Andreas Katsulas, Richard Biggs, Andrea Thompson and many more.
From the creator of Final Destination and directed by Emmy winner Timothy Woodward Jr., the action/horror film Til Death Do Us Part will be exclusively in theaters on Aug. 4, per a press release. After running away on her wedding day, a bride-to-be must fight for survival against her former fiance and his seven deadly groomsmen. In the ultimate horror showdown, the groomsmen soon discover that she has no intention of going back to the life she left behind. The movie stars Cam Gigandet, Natalie Burn, Orlando Jones and Jason Patric, among others.
On social media, film director James Cameron responded to rumors that he's in talks on a film about the voyage of the Titan submersible, which sank attempting to visit the Titanic wreckage, resulting in five people dying, Deadline noted. "I don't respond to offensive rumors in the media usually," Cameron tweeted. "But I need to now. I'm NOT in talks about an OceanGate film, nor will I ever be." OceanGate was the expedition company behind the TItan voyage; it has since canceled all ongoing operations and scrubbed its social media.
Appearing on The View, Real Housewives of New York's Jenna Lyons opened up about her genetic disorder, revealing that her hair and teeth are artificial, per Page Six. "All my teeth are fake. I paid a lot of money for them," Lyons said. "My hair is also fake. I can take it off. It's like a hat. It's not a wig." Lyons lives with incontinentia pigmenti, also known as Bloch-Sulzberger syndrome; it's an inherited condition that affects the skin and other systems in the body over a period of time.
Film/television composer Danny Elfman—known for creating The Simpsons theme song and the music behind The Nightmare Before Christmas, Spider-Man and, most recently, Netflix's Wednesday—is being sued for breach of contract for failing to make settlement payments due to allegations of sexual harassment, Variety noted. A new investigation in Rolling Stone claimed that Elfman sexually harassed Nomi Abadi, a Grammy-nominated pianist and composer, in 2015 and 2016. Elfman denies the claims.
