Every week, The GLAAD Wrap brings you LGBTQ-related entertainment news highlights, fresh stuff to watch out for, and fun diversions to help you kick off the weekend.
1) Hulu original film Crush, starring out actresses Rowan Blanchard and Auli’i Cravalho, is out today. The film follows an ambitious young artist who, when forced to join her high school track team, initially capitalizes on it to pursue the girl she’s been harboring a long-time crush on. But she begins to instead fall for an unexpected teammate and soon discovers what real love feels like.
2) French romantic comedy Anaïs in Love is out today. Anaïs’ (Anaïs Demoustier) ponders breaking up with her boyfriend while struggling professionally to complete her thesis. After an affair with middle-aged publisher Daniel (Denis Podalydès) quickly begins to fall apart, Anaïs discovers and becomes enchanted by the literary work of his wife, Emilie (Valeria Bruni Tedeschi). After a chance encounter with Emilie, Anais begins to pursue her and a flirtation begins to develop, ultimately turning into something much more meaningful for both women.
3) Cold War romantic drama Firebird is out today. Based on a true story that unfolded during the Cold War, Firebird is a love story set against the backdrop of a Soviet Air Force base in Estonia during late 1970s Communist rule. Sergey (Tom Prior), a young soldier who dreams of becoming an actor in Moscow, is counting the days until his military service ends. His life turns upside down when he locks eyes with Roman (Oleg Zagorodnii), an enigmatic ace fighter pilot newly assigned to his base. Sergey and Roman risk their lives to be together at a time when Soviet men in uniform caught having a sexual affair were met with the severest punishment.
4) The trailer has dropped for upcoming film Fire Island. The upcoming unapologetic, modern day queer rom-com inspired by Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice stars out actors Joel Kim Booster, Bowen Yang, Matt Rogers, Margaret Cho, Tomás Matos, Torian Miller, Nick Adams and Zane Phillips – as they gather for their annual week of love, laughter, and cheap rosé. Since this may be their last summer together in gay paradise, their bonds as a chosen family are pushed to the limit. Watch Fire Island on Hulu June 3 and check out the trailer below!
5) A24 has released a trailer for upcoming dark comedy Bodies Bodies Bodies. Out gay and non-binary actress Amandla Stenberg stars as Sophie, fresh out of rehab and ready to host a house party so her girlfriend Bee (Maria Bakalova) can meet her friends. A tense party turns horrifying when murder-in-the-dark game results in an actual murder, forcing Sophie, Bee, and their friends to investigate who is the culprit. Additionally, Rosario Dawson will executive produce 2022 GLAAD List script selection Re-Live: A Tale of an American Island Cheerleader. Out trans actress Rain Valdez directs, produces, co-writes, and stars in the film as Rowena, a transgender Hollywood actress who returns to her estranged home in Guam for her high school reunion’s “do-over week.” Rowena’s plan to live out her childhood dream of being a cheerleader falters when her mother’s (Soriano) cancer begins to worsen, and she learns to value the family she left behind.
6) Oscilloscope Laboratories has announced Sirens, an upcoming rock documentary about the first and only all-female metal band in Lebanon, Slave to Sirens. Set against the backdrop of the Lebanese revolution, the band members wrestle with friendship and sexuality while bringing refuge to Beirut’s youth culture. In more documentary news, HBO has released their trailer for upcoming documentary Spring Awakening: Those You’ve Known. Fifteen years after the Tony-winning Broadway run of Spring Awakening, the film watches the original cast and crew reunite for a one-night only concert to benefit The Actors Fund. Spring Awakening: Those You’ve Known also features newly filmed interviews, candid archival videos and photos and footage from the original 2006 show that swept the nation. The rock musical, set in the 1890s, has inspired a generation of fans by tackling taboo issues of sexual identity, teen love, abortion, and suicide. Check out the documentary May 3 on HBO Max and watch the trailer below!
7) The trailer is out for season two of Hacks. The critically acclaimed series follows on the dark mentorship between Vegas comedy legend Deborah Vance (Jean Smart) and her young, entitled writer Ava (out bi actress Hannah Einbinder) and how it continues to evolve while the pair travel across the country workshopping Deborah’s new stand-up act. Ava is open about her bisexuality, and over the first season is shown in relationships with both men and women. In addition, out queer actress Devery Jacobs will join the cast for Marvel series Echo on Disney+, which focuses on deaf Native American superhero Maya Lopez (Alaqua Cox) who can imitate any opponent’s fighting style.
8) First-look images are out for season three of Love, Victor. As graduation looms, Victor and his friends must work through a new set of problems and choose the best futures for themselves, and Victor grapples not only with deciding who to go out with but his own sense of identity. Additionally, out queer and non-binary actor Poppy Liu has joined the cast for season two of Apple TV+ murder mystery comedy The Afterparty, in which season one series regulars must solve the crime behind a murder at a wedding. Liu will play a character named Grace. In more casting news, out bi and trans actress Jen Richards has been cast as Jojo in upcoming series Mayfair Witches. A perceptive young neurosurgeon learns that she is the unlikely heir to a family of witches and struggles with recently discovered powers as she must face an ominous presence that has haunted her newfound family for generations.
Who did Victor (Michael Cimino) choose?! These first look photos tease the long-awaited answer. https://t.co/Rh3b5DRK6P
— Entertainment Weekly (@EW) April 27, 2022
9) Out actors and TV personalities Dominique Jackson, Alex Newell, Leslie Jordan, and Ross Mathews have been announced as guest narrators for upcoming Discovery+ docuseries The Book of Queer. The series will delve into the lives of groundbreaking queer individuals throughout history, spanning across millenia of artists, activists, scientists and world leaders, from Sappho to Sylvia Rivera. Also on Discovery+, Tyra Banks is set to executive produce teen drag series Generation Drag. The series follows five teens– Jameson, Noah, Vinny, Bailey and Nabela– and their families as they prepare to compete at the Dragutante, a drag show for LGBTQ teens to express themselves in Denver, Colorado. Watch all six episodes of Generation Drag June 1 on Discovery+.TIn other casting news, out pansexual actress Emily Hampshire will join the cast for upcoming Roku Original comedy series Slip. The seven-part series follows Mae Cannon, a 30-something married woman who goes on a journey through new relationships and parallel universes to re-discover her partner, and ultimately, herself. Emily will play a character named Sandy.
‘The Book of Queer’ to Premiere on Discovery+ in June, Sets Dominque Jackson, Alex Newell, Leslie Jordan as Narrators (EXCLUSIVE) https://t.co/vypN7LehLP
— Variety (@Variety) April 27, 2022
10) The music video for new single “Where You Are” by PinkPantheress ft. Willow is out now – watch the video below! Additionally, the music video for beabadoobee’s new single “See You Soon” is out now (watch it here), the music video for MUNA’s new single “Kind Of Girl” is out now (watch it here), and Cherryade’s new single “Underdogs” is out now (stream it here)! In other music news, Sofi Tukker’s album WET TENNIS is out today (stream it here)!
11) This year’s BAFTA TV Craft Awards celebrating behind the screen talent in the British TV industry, have been announced. Among the top winners is GLAAD Media Award-winning series It’s a Sin, from out creator Russell T. Davies. The show follows a group of young queer people in England when the AIDS crisis hits, featuring out stars Olly Alexander and Neil Patrick Harris. Additionally the Peacock comedy-drama, We are Lady Parts, featuring queer drummer Ayesha, picked up multiple awards.
BAFTA TV Craft Awards: ‘Landscapers,’ ‘We Are Lady Parts’ Among Top Winners https://t.co/B72eZUwyfa
— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) April 24, 2022