LGBTQ Actors Directing Projects Centered on Their Experiences

The entertainment industry has seen a powerful shift as queer actors move behind the camera to tell authentic stories. These male performers utilized their unique perspectives to craft narratives that resonate deeply with LGBTQ audiences. By taking the director’s chair, they ensured that the nuances of their lived experiences were translated accurately to the screen. The following list highlights influential actors who directed projects that center on queer themes and personal identity.

Dan Levy

This Canadian actor gained global acclaim for co-creating and starring in the hit series ‘Schitt’s Creek’. Levy directed several pivotal episodes of the show including the emotional series finale. His direction focused on creating a world where homophobia did not exist and allowed queer love to flourish without trauma. The show became a cultural touchstone for its positive representation of pansexual and gay identities.

John Cameron Mitchell

Mitchell is best known for creating and starring in the rock musical ‘Hedwig and the Angry Inch’. He directed the film adaptation which explores gender identity and the search for wholeness through a punk rock lens. The movie became a cult classic for its raw energy and emotional depth. His work continues to challenge traditional narratives about gender and performance.

Xavier Dolan

Dolan burst onto the scene as a young actor and director with his debut feature ‘I Killed My Mother’. The film draws heavily from his own turbulent relationship with his mother and explores the angst of growing up gay in suburbia. He continued to direct and star in projects like ‘Tom at the Farm’ which delves into the psychological tension of the closet. His visual style often emphasizes isolation and longing within the queer experience.

Rupert Everett

Everett spent years championing a biopic about the final days of Oscar Wilde before directing ‘The Happy Prince’. He starred as the literary icon and captured the tragedy of Wilde’s persecution for his sexuality. The film paints a grim but poignant picture of the consequences of homophobia in the late nineteenth century. Everett infused the project with a deep sense of empathy for the fallen star.

Billy Porter

After a legendary career on stage and screen, Porter made his directorial debut with ‘Anything’s Possible’. The film is a coming-of-age romance that centers on a transgender high school girl and her relationship with a supportive boyfriend. Porter aimed to create a joyful narrative that celebrated trans love rather than focusing solely on tragedy. His direction brought a vibrant and uplifting energy to the teen romance genre.

Joe Mantello

Mantello is a celebrated actor and director who helmed the 2020 film adaptation of ‘The Boys in the Band’. He brought the seminal play about a group of gay men in 1960s New York to a modern audience with an all-gay cast. The project examines internalized homophobia and the complex dynamics of queer friendship. His work honored the history of the source material while highlighting its enduring relevance.

Stephen Fry

The beloved British actor directed ‘Bright Young Things’ which adapts Evelyn Waugh’s novel about the flamboyant youth of 1930s London. Fry highlighted the queer undertones of the era and the paparazzi culture that surrounded these socialites. The film features characters who navigate a society that oscillates between celebration and scandal. His adaptation captures the fragility of living authentically during a repressive time.

Peter Paige

Known for his role in ‘Queer as Folk’, Paige moved into directing with the dark comedy ‘Say Uncle’. He wrote, directed, and starred in the film about a gay man who becomes a pariah due to neighborhood hysteria. Paige later co-created and directed episodes of ‘The Fosters’ and ‘Good Trouble’ which center on LGBTQ families. His work consistently tackles the stigmas faced by gay men in domestic settings.

Kit Williamson

Williamson created, directed, and starred in the web series and television show ‘EastSiders’. The project explores the messy and realistic lives of a gay couple dealing with infidelity and substance abuse in Silver Lake. His direction prioritized authenticity and allowed for flawed queer characters to exist without judgment. The series was praised for its sharp writing and honest depiction of modern open relationships.

Brian Jordan Alvarez

Alvarez garnered a massive online following with his web series ‘The Gay and Wondrous Life of Caleb Gallo’. He directed and starred in the chaotic comedy that features a fluid group of friends navigating love and acting careers. The project is known for its rapid-fire dialogue and surreal humor that captures the specific vibe of millennial queer life. His work blurs the lines between scripted comedy and improvisational genius.

James Sweeney

Sweeney wrote, directed, and starred in the intellectual romantic comedy ‘Straight Up’. The film follows a man with OCD who questions his gay identity and enters a romantic but non-sexual relationship with a woman. His direction utilizes a distinct visual symmetry and fast-paced dialogue to explore the fluidity of sexuality. The movie offers a cerebral look at intimacy that defies standard labels.

Matthew Fifer

Fifer drew from personal trauma to write, direct, and star in the drama ‘Cicada’. The film follows a bisexual man who begins a relationship while grappling with repressed memories of childhood abuse. His direction creates an intimate and sometimes painful portrait of how past trauma informs present connections. The project was lauded for its raw honesty and vulnerability.

Patrick Wang

Wang directed and starred in the independent drama ‘In the Family’. The film tells the story of a gay man fighting for custody of his late partner’s biological son. His patient and observational directing style allows the emotional weight of the discrimination he faces to build naturally. It stands as a powerful testament to the legal and social hurdles faced by queer parents.

Casper Andreas

Andreas has directed multiple films that center on the gay experience including ‘Going Down in LA-LA Land’. He often acts in his own projects which range from romantic comedies to darker dramas about the industry. His work frequently explores the aspiring actor’s struggle in Hollywood through a queer lens. He remains a prolific figure in independent gay cinema.

Doug Spearman

Spearman is known for his acting roles but stepped behind the camera to direct ‘Hot Guys with Guns’. This film mixes the mystery genre with comedy to create a rare gay action movie. He also directed ‘From Zero to I Love You’ which explores the complexities of closeted men and infidelity. His projects often provide leading roles for actors of color in genres where they are underrepresented.

Jonathan Lisecki

Lisecki wrote, directed, and starred in the comedy ‘Gayby’ based on his short film. The story revolves around a gay man and his straight female best friend who decide to have a baby together. His direction emphasizes the humor and warmth of chosen family dynamics. The film subverts traditional rom-com tropes to celebrate platonic love and alternative parenting.

Simon Amstell

The British comedian and actor directed the film ‘Benjamin’ which is a semi-autobiographical look at a struggling filmmaker. Amstell captures the awkwardness and anxiety of navigating romance while feeling creatively unfulfilled. The film is marked by its self-deprecating humor and tender look at intimacy issues. It offers a melancholic yet funny perspective on the search for connection.

Mark Gatiss

Gatiss curated and directed episodes of the monologue series ‘Queers’ for the BBC. The project celebrated the 50th anniversary of the decriminalization of homosexuality in the UK through various historical perspectives. He acted in and directed stories that ranged from the First World War to the modern era. His work honored the hidden histories of gay men across the century.

Alan Cumming

Cumming co-wrote and co-directed ‘The Anniversary Party’ which features a complex ensemble cast. While not exclusively about gay themes, the film includes bisexual characters and explores fluid dynamics within a circle of Hollywood friends. His directorial style fostered an improvisational atmosphere that revealed the dark undercurrents of relationships. The film remains a candid look at friendship and betrayal.

John Waters

Waters is a legendary figure who acted in his own early works and directed cult classics like ‘Pink Flamingos’. His films championed the “trash” aesthetic and celebrated drag queen Divine as a counterculture icon. He challenged every boundary of good taste to give a voice to the outcasts of society. His work created a new genre of queer cinema that embraced the grotesque and the campy.

Silas Howard

Howard is a pioneering trans male filmmaker who co-directed and starred in ‘By Hook or by Crook’. The film follows two trans men who form an unlikely friendship and embark on a series of petty crimes. His direction focused on the bond between gender-nonconforming outlaws without sensationalizing their identities. He has since become a prolific director for major television series centering on trans narratives.

Todd Verow

Verow is a prolific director and actor associated with the New Queer Cinema movement. His film ‘Frisk’ explores the darker side of desire and obsession within the gay underground. He operates with a DIY ethos and often utilizes digital video to create an immediate and raw feeling. His projects frequently tackle taboo subjects and the complexities of sexual addiction.

Rainer Werner Fassbinder

Fassbinder was a central figure in New German Cinema who wrote, directed, and acted in ‘Fox and His Friends’. He played a working-class carnival lottery winner who is exploited by his bourgeois boyfriend. The film offers a biting critique of class dynamics within the gay community itself. His performance and direction highlighted the transactional nature of relationships in a capitalist society.

Pier Paolo Pasolini

Pasolini was an Italian filmmaker and poet who often acted in his own provocative works. His film ‘Teorema’ features a mysterious stranger who seduces every member of a bourgeois family. He used his cinema to critique consumerism and explore the radical potential of sexual liberation. His tragic death cemented his legacy as a fearless artist who lived his politics.

Jean Cocteau

Cocteau was a multi-disciplinary artist who directed and acted in the surrealist classic ‘The Blood of a Poet’. His films are filled with dreamlike imagery and homoerotic symbolism that defied the censors of his time. He explored the role of the artist and the fluidity of identity through visual poetry. His influence extends to generations of queer filmmakers who followed.

Michael Grandage

Grandage had a long career as an actor before becoming a renowned theater and film director. He directed ‘My Policeman’ which tells the heartbreaking story of a love triangle involving a closeted police officer in the 1950s. His film examines the devastating impact of laws criminalizing homosexuality on personal lives. He brought a theatrical sensitivity to the emotional performances of the cast.

BenDeLaCreme

BenDeLaCreme is the stage name of Benjamin Putnam who directed ‘The Jinkx and DeLa Holiday Special’. He wrote and starred in the project which deconstructs the traditional holiday variety show through a drag lens. The film explores the trauma queer people often face during the holidays while ultimately delivering a message of hope. His direction blended campy musical numbers with sincere emotional beats.

Julio Torres

Torres wrote, directed, and starred in the surreal comedy ‘Problemista’. The film follows an aspiring toy designer from El Salvador navigating the absurdities of the US immigration system. His unique visual language brings a queer sensibility to the immigrant experience. The narrative celebrates the resilience required to survive as an outsider in a bureaucratic world.

Jerrod Carmichael

Carmichael directed and starred in ‘On the Count of Three’ which deals with two friends making a suicide pact. While the film is a dark comedy about mental health, it was released around the time Carmichael publicly came out in his special ‘Rothaniel’. The themes of entrapment and the desire for escape resonate with his personal journey. His direction balances intense darkness with moments of genuine connection.

Josh Thomas

Thomas is the Australian creator and star of the series ‘Please Like Me’ where he also directed episodes. The show is celebrated for its honest depiction of a young man coming out and dealing with a parent’s mental illness. His direction favored naturalistic performances and a unique blend of tragedy and comedy. The series broke ground for its realistic portrayal of gay intimacy and friendship.

Chris Kelly

Kelly wrote and directed ‘Other People’ which is based on his own experience of moving home to care for his dying mother. The film centers on a gay comedy writer struggling with his career and his conservative father’s refusal to accept him. His direction captures the specific pain and humor found in grief. The story is a touching tribute to the bond between a queer son and his mother.

Nathan Adloff

Adloff directed and starred in the comedy ‘Miles’ about a gay kid in rural Illinois who joins the girls’ volleyball team. The film is based on his own high school experience and highlights the absurdity of school bureaucracy. His direction maintains a lighthearted tone while addressing the isolation of being the only out kid in town. It is a sweet underdog story about finding a place to belong.

Colman Domingo

Domingo is a powerhouse actor who directed the animated short film ‘New Moon’. He wrote and starred in this poetic exploration of his relationship with his mother and his own identity. The project utilizes a dreamlike animation style to capture memories and spiritual connection. It stands as a personal and artistic testament to the lessons he learned from his mother.

Juan Pablo Di Pace

Di Pace is an Argentine actor who directed and starred in the short film ‘Admission’. The project tells the story of a man and a woman meeting in the afterlife and explores themes of identity and truth. He later expanded his directing work to feature films that continue to explore personal and artistic themes. His visual style is often polished and emotionally resonant.

Todd Stephens

Stephens wrote and directed ‘Swan Song’ which features a retired hairdresser escaping his nursing home. While he is primarily a writer/director, he has acted in his previous work ‘Gypsy 83’. His films often celebrate the flamboyant and resilient spirit of small-town gay icons. ‘Swan Song’ serves as a tribute to the generation of gay men who paved the way for modern freedoms.

Q. Allan Brocka

Brocka directed the ‘Eating Out’ franchise which became a staple of early 2000s gay independent cinema. He wrote and directed these sex comedies that played with the tropes of miscommunication and fluid sexuality. While lighthearted, the films provided visibility for queer characters in the teen comedy genre. His work embraced the campy and raunchy side of gay dating culture.

Share your favorite film from this list or suggest other actor-directors we missed in the comments.