Every Major LGBTQ+ Black Celeb In Hollywood

Visibility in film and television shapes how audiences understand the world, and these stars have helped bring LGBTQ+ stories and talent into the mainstream. They work in front of and behind the camera across acting, writing, directing, and producing, and their careers span studio blockbusters, prestige dramas, and groundbreaking series that shifted what gets greenlit.

Each profile highlights notable roles and creative work along with concrete advocacy and industry impact. You will find performers who lead franchises, creators who build new pipelines for talent, and artists who use their platforms to expand opportunities on sets and in writers rooms so the next wave can step in with confidence.

Billy Porter

Billy Porter won an Emmy for leading the series ‘Pose’ and brought his stage expertise from ‘Kinky Boots’ to television and film with projects that center queer characters. He has also appeared in projects like ‘Cinderella’ and ‘Anything’s Possible’, adding star power to inclusive stories that reach wide audiences.

Porter speaks openly about Black queer representation in media and collaborates with charities focused on HIV awareness and LGBTQ+ youth support. He has directed and produced projects that employ queer and trans talent, helping grow behind the scenes opportunities in addition to on screen roles.

Lena Waithe

Lena Waithe became the first Black woman to win a comedy writing Emmy for ‘Master of None’ and went on to create ‘The Chi’, building a sustained pipeline for Black writers and directors. She co-wrote the feature ‘Queen & Slim’ and has developed multiple series that foreground complex queer characters.

Through her company Hillman Grad, Waithe funds and mentors emerging creators, expanding access to training, staffing, and festival exposure. Her programs place new writers and directors across television rooms and sets, which helps change decision making power in the industry.

Janelle Monáe

Janelle Monáe transitioned from music stardom to acclaimed screen work with key roles in ‘Moonlight’ and ‘Hidden Figures’. They led ‘Glass Onion’ with a dual performance that showcased range and drew worldwide attention to their acting career.

Monáe has spoken about being nonbinary and pansexual and uses red carpets and press to normalize fluid gender expression. They support LGBTQ+ organizations, partner with youth programs, and leverage music tours and film publicity to fundraise and spotlight community initiatives.

Tessa Thompson

Tessa Thompson plays Valkyrie in ‘Thor’ and co-leads the ‘Creed’ films while also starring in series like ‘Westworld’. She moves between independent features and franchise work, which keeps queer inclusive characters visible across genres and audiences.

Thompson has discussed attraction to men and women and consistently advocates for inclusive casting and crews. She collaborates with directors to deepen queer subtext into text, and she promotes LGBTQ+ designers and stylists, which extends representation to fashion partners tied to Hollywood releases.

Amandla Stenberg

Amandla Stenberg broke out in ‘The Hunger Games’ and led the acclaimed drama ‘The Hate U Give’. They recently headlined ‘The Acolyte’, joining a major sci fi franchise and introducing a queer Black lead to a global fan base.

Stenberg identifies as gay and nonbinary and uses interviews and social media to talk about identity and consent in storytelling. They participate in youth mentorship programs and speak at film festivals about building safer sets for queer and trans performers.

Colman Domingo

Colman Domingo earned widespread recognition through ‘Euphoria’ and delivered award winning work in the biopic ‘Rustin’. He has appeared in films like ‘Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom’ and ‘The Color Purple’, balancing character work with leading roles.

Domingo is openly gay and mentors younger actors through conservatories and nonprofit theaters that feed talent into Hollywood productions. He produces, writes, and directs, which helps move LGBTQ+ narratives from development to release with creative control.

Laverne Cox

Laverne Cox changed television with her role on ‘Orange Is the New Black’ and then produced the documentary ‘Disclosure’, which examines trans representation in film and TV. Her career spans acting, hosting, and producing, which keeps trans issues present in entertainment media coverage.

Cox partners with advocacy groups to advance legal protections for trans people and regularly hosts conversations that connect studios with policy experts. She consults on scripts and casting to improve authenticity, helping productions avoid harmful tropes.

Michaela Jaé Rodriguez

Michaela Jaé Rodriguez starred as Blanca on ‘Pose’ and later joined the workplace comedy ‘Loot’, showing range across drama and comedy. She became the first trans woman to win a Golden Globe for acting, which marked a historic milestone for the industry.

Rodriguez speaks about equitable hiring and supports programs that train trans crew members for steady union jobs. She performs in benefit concerts and collaborates with brands to direct funds toward LGBTQ+ housing and healthcare services.

Ncuti Gatwa

Ncuti Gatwa rose to fame with ‘Sex Education’ and became the Fifteenth Doctor on ‘Doctor Who’, bringing a queer Black lead to one of television’s longest running franchises. His casting expanded representation in family focused genre storytelling with global reach.

Gatwa has shared that he is queer and works with campaigns that promote mental health resources for LGBTQ+ youth. He participates in convention panels and school outreach tied to the show, turning fandom spaces into places where inclusion is modeled from the stage.

Samira Wiley

Samira Wiley broke out on ‘Orange Is the New Black’ and went on to a pivotal role in ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’, earning major awards recognition. She also appears in films and voice roles, building a versatile portfolio that keeps queer Black women centered in prestige TV.

Wiley is married to writer Lauren Morelli and often discusses collaboration between writers and actors to create authentic queer characters. She supports organizations that aid formerly incarcerated women and LGBTQ+ families, linking her advocacy to the themes of her most visible work.

Cynthia Erivo

Cynthia Erivo earned acclaim for ‘Harriet’ and leads the two part musical epic ‘Wicked’. Her work bridges stage and screen, and she contributes original music to film projects, expanding the reach of narratives led by Black women.

Erivo identifies as queer and promotes inclusive hiring within music and film departments. She funds scholarships for young artists and uses soundtrack releases and press tours to highlight LGBTQ+ charities alongside each project.

Justice Smith

Justice Smith co starred in ‘Jurassic World’ and led ‘Detective Pikachu’, then returned to character driven work in independent features. He moves comfortably between franchises and intimate dramas, giving queer audiences representation in both spaces.

Smith has said he is queer and has partnered with Black LGBTQ+ organizations on voter education and community safety programs. He supports casting initiatives that bring more queer actors into genre films where visibility has traditionally been limited.

Keiynan Lonsdale

Keiynan Lonsdale’s performance in ‘Love, Simon’ helped push teen queer romances into the studio mainstream. He also appeared on ‘The Flash’, giving a queer Black actor a steady presence in a popular superhero universe.

Lonsdale identifies as queer and releases music that explores identity and self expression, which strengthens cross platform visibility. He works with youth arts groups, providing workshops that teach on camera skills and confidence for LGBTQ+ teens.

Niecy Nash-Betts

Niecy Nash Betts led the series ‘Claws’ and earned awards attention for her work in ‘Dahmer’. She continues to balance comedy and drama across film and television, bringing audiences to stories centered on complex women.

Nash Betts identifies as queer and is married to musician Jessica Betts. She uses interviews and events to discuss love and acceptance and supports programs that provide emergency assistance to LGBTQ+ youth and families.

Lee Daniels

Lee Daniels produced and co created ‘Empire’ and directed films such as ‘Precious’ and ‘The United States vs. Billie Holiday’. His projects have built major roles for Black performers and generated new opportunities for writers and directors across television.

Daniels is openly gay and has used his companies to elevate Black LGBTQ+ voices in writers rooms and on sets. He develops projects that hire queer talent at every stage, from the first draft to post production, which increases long term industry access.

Janet Mock

Janet Mock wrote, produced, and directed episodes of ‘Pose’ and contributed to ‘Hollywood’, shaping stories that put trans and queer characters at the center. She moved from journalism to directing, which broadened the skill pathways visible to aspiring creators.

Mock is a trans advocate who consults on scripts and staffing to ensure inclusive practices. She works with guilds and film schools to design training that prepares trans writers and directors to thrive in professional rooms.

Wanda Sykes

Wanda Sykes brings sharp writing and performance to projects like ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ and ‘The Upshaws’. She has built a long career in stand up and television and serves as a producer who develops new comedic voices.

Sykes is openly lesbian and supports national and local organizations that protect LGBTQ+ rights. She uses specials, tours, and showrunner roles to normalize queer families on screen and to hire diverse writers for comedy rooms.

Jeremy Pope

Jeremy Pope starred in the series ‘Hollywood’ and led the film ‘The Inspection’, earning major nominations across stage and screen. He combines theater training with screen roles, which strengthens the pipeline between Broadway and film for queer Black talent.

Pope is openly gay and speaks about the importance of queer mentors in early career stages. He participates in workshops and labs that place emerging actors and writers in front of casting directors and producers.

Indya Moore

Indya Moore became a fan favorite on ‘Pose’ and has worked in fashion and film campaigns that reach global audiences. Their modeling and acting careers intersect, which keeps nonbinary and trans visibility present across entertainment and advertising.

Moore identifies as nonbinary and trans and advocates for housing and workplace protections. They collaborate with nonprofits to fund legal aid and use social platforms to connect followers with concrete resources.

Brian Michael Smith

Brian Michael Smith is a series regular on ‘9 1 1 Lone Star’ and has appeared in ‘Queen Sugar’ and ‘The L Word Generation Q’. His presence in network television as an out Black trans man marks a significant step for casting in procedural and ensemble shows.

Smith mentors trans actors and works with casting directors to widen audition pools. He also consults with writers to build character arcs that move beyond coming out narratives, which helps normalize trans characters in mainstream formats.

Share the names you think should be added next and tell us which roles introduced you to these stars in the comments.