THE VOICE OF CHICAGO'S GAY, LESBIAN, BI, TRANS AND QUEER COMMUNITY SINCE 1985

Oscar winner Julianne Moore is set to join the ensemble cast of Universal's movie adaptation of the Broadway hit Dear Evan Hansen, joining Ben Platt, Kaitlyn Dever, Amy Adams and Amandla Stenberg, Deadline noted. Moore will play the protagonist's mother.

John Cameron Mitchell has released the benefit album New American Dream ( Part One ), a press release noted. The two-part, community-built album was recorded during lockdown with 40+ collaborators across the United States and Europe. Proceeds will benefit Burritos Not Bombs, the Transgender Gender-Variant and Intersex Justice Project and the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholarship Trust Fund.

To celebrate the upcoming 25th anniversary of the premiere of the film To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar, TODAY.com looked at the history of the movie. "As a young, skinny gay boy, I would go to the bars in New York City like the Pyramid Club and love the drag shows," screenwriter Douglas Carter Beane told Today—and he said it was the anti-LGBTQ propaganda movie The Gay Agenda that inspired "To Wong Foo." Wesley Snipes ( who played Noxeema Jackson ) said he drew inspiration for the role from his grandmother and from Bette Midler. Also, many actors wanted Patrick Swayze's role, including Viggo Mortensen, John Cusack, Matt Dillon, Alexis Arquette, Rob Lowe and Willem Dafoe.

Becky Albertalli—who wrote Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, which Love, Simon was based on—has come out as bisexual, Out.com reported. She wrote in an essay, "Sorry, it took me so long to get here. But then again, at least the little red coming out book I needed was already on my shelf ( in about thirty different languages ). I think I finally know why I wrote it. ... Honestly, I'm doing this because I've been scrutinized, subtweeted, mocked, lectured, and invalidated just about every single day for years, and I'm exhausted. And if you think I'm the only closeted or semi-closeted queer author feeling this pressure, you haven't been paying attention."

Stage Entertainment and Ghostlight Records released Tina—The Tina Turner Musical: Original Cast Recording as a special gold-colored vinyl edition Sept. 4, a press release noted. Featuring Adrienne Warren and the original London cast, the album was released for download, streaming and CD formats last year. Tunes on the 24-track list include "Let's Stay Together," "Shake a Tailfeather," "Private Dancer" and "I Don't Wanna Fight," among others.

Two-time Oscar winner Hilary Swank told NewNowNext.com that the real life-based movie Boys Don't Cry—in which she played queer individual Brandon Teena—is still an important "conversation-maker." She added, "It is a world in which a lot more light needs to be shined onto it and awareness surrounding it. There's still a long way to go for equality in that space, and the more we're able to talk about it the better." Swank's latest project is the new Netflix series, Away, in which she plays Emma Green, an astronaut leading the first manned mission to Mars.

Actor and LGBTQ ally Channing Tatum donned an apron, fairy wings and a princess eye mask topped with a coronet, while surrounded by unicorns to promote his first children's book: The One and Only Sparkella, Gay Star News noted. He said he got his inspiration from spending time in his daughter Everly's bedroom during lockdown.

Off the back of the debut season of HBO Max's Legendary, a few members of the ballroom scene are fronting a new campaign for Coach, Out.com noted. For this spread the House of Gorgeous—which is not a house that walks within the community but is a public-facing organization composed of community members from different houses—includes Legendary cast members like Eyricka Lanvin, Jarrell Gucci and Honey Balenciaga.

Lady Gaga and Adobe are giving Little Monsters the chance to win $10,000 in a new contest, iHeart.com noted. The Grammy-winning musician has issued yet another creative fan challenge with the multinational computer software company, this time involving Gaga's smash hit song "Rain On Me." Per the press release, fans are invited to create their very own poster inspired by the "rich, visual world" as seen in the visual for Gaga's collaboration with Ariana Grande, using only Adobe apps. The contest, ending Sept. 22, will include one grand prize and nine second-place prizes; see creativitytour.adobe.com/challenges/rainonme/ .

New Order released its first new track since 2015's album, Music Complete, with "Be a Rebel," a press release noted. The statement said, "'Be a Rebel' was originally planned as a release ahead of New Order's tour this autumn, but with live shows on hold and their dates rescheduled to 2021, the band felt it important to share new music with fans." New Order will also release the definitive collection of its 1983 studio album Power, Corruption & Lies via Warner Music on Oct. 2; and will tour with Pet Shop Boys in 2021, visiting spots such as Toronto, Chicago and San Francisco.

Attorney Lisa Bloom suffered another setback in the sexual-misconduct case against famed photographer Bruce Weber, Page Six noted. A judge dismissed her client Buddy Krueger's suit against Weber because, as a source claims, his recollection of the year that the alleged incidents occurred appeared to be murky. Krueger alleged that Weber "used his power in the male modeling industry to fraudulently entice and forcefully engage him into abusive commercial sex acts during two separate photoshoots." Unfortunately for Krueger, he wasn't able to get the dates straight in court documents.

Megaproducer Ryan Murphy is headed into a roll-out schedule with his upcoming Netflix projects—and announced the birth of his third child with husband David Miller, Out.com noted. "Griffin Sullivan Miller Murphy," Murphy wrote to Instagram. "August 18, 6 pounds 13 ounces." The baby was pictured in a photo with his siblings: Ford Theodore and Logan Phineas. Murphy has been hard at work on a slate of Netflix projects including Ratched, the new Sarah Paulson-led series out this month; a film adaptation for The Boys in the Band, which also debuts this month; and a film adaptation of The Prom.

Vision Films and Egeli Productions are presenting the story of Charles Gilpin in The Black Emperor of Broadway, a press release noted. Directed by Arthur Egeli and starring Shaun Parkes ( Lost in Space; The Mummy Returns ), John Hensley ( How To Get Away With Murder; Nip/Tuck ), Liza Weil ( Gilmore Girls; How To Get Away With Murder ) and others, the film looks at one of the most celebrated stage actors of the 1920s—and the history of African-American excellence in theater.

Just a few years before Paris Hilton was sent to a school for troubled teens in Southern California in the mid-1990s, convicted child rapist and child killer James Crummel was suspected in the disappearance of two boys at the school. Her documentary, This is Paris, shines a light on "therapeutic" boarding schools and the abuse some students—like her—say they suffered in them, Page Six noted. People connected with the film are using the hashtag #breakingcodesilence to draw attention to the issue. Crummel hung himself in prison in 2012.

Ruby Rose stars in The Doorman, a 93-minute action-thriller movie out on digital and On Demand on Friday, Oct. 9, a press release noted. Rose ( John Wick: Chapter 2; TV's Batwoman ) plays a former Marine turned doorman at a luxury New York City high-rise who must outsmart and battle a group of art thieves and their ruthless leader ( Jean Reno )—while struggling to protect her sister's family.

ABC announced the newest Dancing with the Stars celebrity cast, live on ABC's Good Morning America, a press release noted. Some of the celebrities will include actor Jesse Metcalfe, The Bachelorette's Kaitlyn Bristowe, animal activist Carole Baskin ( Tiger King ), Backstreet Boys singer AJ McLean, rapper Nelly, The Real's Jeannie Mai and Olympic figure skater Johnny Weir. The series, hosted by supermodel and businesswoman Tyra Banks, returns Monday, Sept. 14.

Taylor Swift's critically acclaimed album folkore achieved "the longest consecutive run at #1 since 2016" with six straight weeks atop the Billboard 200, a Republic Records press release noted. The album is nearing 3 million worldwide album equivalents and 2 billion streams in a little more than a month. Swift is the only artist to have seven albums each sell at least 500,000 copies in a single week ( Fearless, Speak Now, RED, 1989, reputation, Lover and folklore ).

Country superstar Reba McEntire is set to re-release her iconic RIAA triple-platinum certified album Rumor Has It on Friday, Sept. 11, in honor of the record's 30th anniversary, a press release noted. Rumor Has It features four Top 10 hits including the album title track, "You Lie," "Fallin' Out of Love" and her signature hit, "Fancy." Special CD, vinyl and autographed bundle packages will be available for fans featuring items such as a commemorative lithograph, limited-edition T-shirt and more. See Reba.com .

A spokesperson for Mayor Terence Roberts' office in Anderson, South Carolina, told TMZ the city is enthusiastically working on a permanent public tribute to honor the late actor Chadwick Boseman, the outlet noted. The mayor's office reportedly wants public input to ensure it does the entire city proud. A Change.org petition is gaining steam after calling for a Chadwick Boseman statue to replace a Confederate memorial currently in front of the city's courthouse.

Kevin Dobson—most known for his work on TV dramas Knots Landing, Days of Our Lives and Kojak—died at 77, The New York Post noted. The United Veterans Council of San Joaquin County announced the actor's death; Dobson was chairman of the San Joaquin County group. He portrayed Mack MacKenzie on Knots Landing.

Beauty influencer/makeup artist Ethan Peters a.k.a Ethan Is Supreme has died at 17, an Allure.com item noted. Peters had amassed a following of over 500K on Instagram and 140K on YouTube by posting makeup tutorials, product reviews and day-in-the-life-style vlogs. He also recently launched a clothing brand, Hellboy, which he described as "Like a gay hottopic or something." While his cause of death is unconfirmed, both Peters' father and fellow influencer Ava Louise have commented on Peters' past struggle with drug addiction.

Beyonce shut down a small local TV studio in the Hamptons to record a video project, according to an iHeart.com item that cited Page Six. LTV studio in Wainscott, Long Island, had to reschedule previously existing bookings for the four-day production.

Rihanna is recovering after a recent accident involving an electric scooter, People.com noted. "Rihanna is completely fine now but flipped over on an electric scooter last week and bruised her forehead and face," the singer's rep said. "Luckily there were no major injuries and she is healing quickly." The Fenty Beauty founder recently debuted her Fenty Skin campaign, with gender-neutral, inclusive products.

One day after Andy Cohen posted shirtless selfies of pal Anderson Cooper on Instagram as a prank, the CNN anchor made it clear he will get his revenge on the Watch What Happens Live host, Page Six noted. "I don't know how. I don't know when. But I will get @bravoandy back fo all this," Cooper posted to his Instagram story, posting a colorful collage of himself. Cohen then reshared Cooper's post, adding animation of himself laughing.

Tracie Ellis Ross teamed with Sanaa Lathan, Alfre Woodard and Regina King to perform their own take on The Golden Girls on Zoom on Sept. 8, NBC News noted. In an Instagram post that all four stars shared, which shows them re-creating an old "Golden Girls" picture, it appears that Lathan is Blanche, King is Dorothy, Ross is Rose and Woodard is Sophia. A description of the project reads, "This event is in partnership with Zoom, and the first episode is spotlighting and supporting Color of Change—the nation's largest online racial justice organization."

Drag legends Lady Bunny and Flotilla DeBarge have made their rap debut with "DAP"—a NSFW parody of the Cardi B/Megan Thee Stallion song "WAP," according to a media statement from Bunny. The video has gotten thumbs up from Margaret Cho and Bridget Everett, with shares from Drag Race alumni Detox, Manila Luzon and Jujubee. The video is at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LV9wcbYCKoo.

Actor/musician John Legend is aware that many took issue with him being labeled the "Sexiest Man Alive" last year, revealing that he believes fan-favorite Jason Mamoa may walk away with the crown in 2020, according to Page Six. "I don't know; I do not know. Going by my Twitter mentions when I was named of who people said should have been picked over me, I got a lot of Jason Momoa," Legend told People. "That's the one person that stood out in the Twitter feedback."

Film director Alexander Payne denied Rose McGowan's allegations that he "groomed" and sexually assaulted her at the age of 15, Page Six noted. In a column for Deadline, Payne shot down various claims by McGowan, beginning with her account that they met when she was 15 years old in the late 1980s. "I was a full-time film student at UCLA from 1984 until 1990, and I know that our paths never crossed," Payne wrote. He also denied showing her a soft-core adult film, as McGowan alleged. Following his column for Deadline posting, McGowan told Variety when contacted for comment: "F—k him and his lies is my comment."

Singer Adele was accused of cultural appropriation after sharing a photo in which she wore Bantu knots and a Jamaican flag bikini top, while others took to Twitter to defend the singer, NME.com noted. The Tottenham-born artist shared the image on her official Instagram account to mark what would have been the weekend of Notting Hill Carnival, an annual celebration of Black British culture. In the comments section, many of her followers claimed that the star's choice of hairstyle—traditional among people of African descent—was an example of cultural appropriation.

Anna Faris is exiting the CBS sitcom Mom ahead of its upcoming eighth season, EW.com noted. The show centers around Faris' character Christy Plunkett—a single mother who attempts to turn her life around after struggling with addiction, while repairing her relationship with her own estranged mom Bonnie ( Allison Janney ). Although it's unclear how Faris' departure will be handled, her character will not be recast, with her absence addressed in the season premiere.

Diplo's first-ever ambient album, MMXX, is out, a press release noted. Meant to increase global awareness about mental health, the album features collaborations with Rhye, Mikky Ekko, Good Times Ahead and Lunice. Also, Diplo has partnered with the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum to present Under Ancient Skies—a series of four intimate, outdoor events during which Diplo will play ambient sets for small, socially distant audiences with stargazing led by the museum.

The classic film Roman Holiday will debut on Blu-ray for the first time ever as part of the Paramount Presents line on Tuesday, Sept. 15, from Paramount Home Entertainment, a press release announced. Audrey Hepburn is in her first starring role—and it's opposite Gregory Peck in this romantic comedy. Ranked as the #4 greatest love story of all time by the American Film Institute, Roman Holiday earned 10 Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, and won Best Actress for Hepburn, Best Costume Design for legendary designer Edith Head and Best Writing for Dalton Trumbo.

Paramount Pictures will release a new edit and restoration of Francis Ford Coppola's final film in his epic Godfather trilogy entitled Mario Puzo's The Godfather, Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone, a press release noted. This new version of The Godfather: Part III achieves director/screenwriter Coppola and screenwriter Puzo's original vision for the finale, which has been meticulously restored for the finest presentation of the Corleone saga's last chapter. Mario Puzo's The Godfather, Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone will have a limited theatrical release in December, followed by availability on Digital home entertainment platforms and on disc.

Ray Fisher responded to a statement from Warner Bros. over his complaints about "gross, abusive" conduct on the set of the movie Justice League ( in which he played Cyborg ), Deadline reported. The studio issued a statement claiming that Fisher was not responding to an investigator looking into his allegations that film director Joss Whedon was abusive. Fisher tweeted, ""Thank you all for the support and for seeing through @wbpictures desperate and scattershot attempt to discredit me to continue protecting those in power. I met with the investigator via Zoom on Aug 26th."

Production of Warner Bros.' The Batman has been delayed yet again, this time because star Robert Pattison has tested positive for COVID-19, according to an item in The Verge that cites Vanity Fair. The highly anticipated retelling of the story of the caped crusader with the Twilight star in the title role had just resumed shooting a few days ago in London.

David and Victoria Beckham secretly battled coronavirus after catching it schmoozing in the States, Page Six noted. Several relatives and staff members also came down with the killer bug following the launch of Becks' new soccer team. Victoria feared they may be "super-spreaders" after flying back to the UK for son Brooklyn's 21st birthday party, with guests such as Stormzy and Emma Bunton. Tests later confirmed the couple's COVID diagnosis.

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson said he and his family had all contracted COVID-19, BBC.com noted. The former wrestler—now the world's highest-paid actor—said he, his wife and two daughters caught the virus despite being "disciplined" about health protection.

Netflix has given a series green light to Dad, Stop Embarrassing Me, a father daughter comedy starring and executive produced by Oscar winner Jamie Foxx. The series is inspired by Foxx's relationship with his daughter, Corinne Foxx, who produces alongside Alex Avant. Kyla-Drew ( The Good Doctor; Jessie ) will play Foxx's daughter, with David Alan Grier ( A Soldier's Play; Sprinter ) also starring on the multi-camera comedy.

The Odaingerous store—the exclusive provider of Joe Exotic's ( Netflix's Tiger King ) apparel line—is releasing a wave of underwear bearing the zookeeper's likeness, ComicBook.com noted. There's a leopard print design with Exotic's face on the crotch, and a fire red tiger design. Exotic is currently serving a 22-year prison sentence for federal charges stemming from the murder-for-hire plot documented in Tiger King.