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.) The third trailer for The Color Purple (2023) was released this week. The screenplay, based on Alice Walker’s 1982 novel of the same name, was written by queer poet, playwright and screenwriter, Marcus Gardley. Among the cast is Halle Bailey, Fantasia Barrino, Danielle Brooks and gay actor Colman Domingo. Torn apart from her sister and children, Celie (Barrino) faces many hardships including an abusive husband (Domingo). With support from a sultry singer named Shug Avery (Taraji P. Henson), as well as her stepdaughter, Celie finds extraordinary strength in a new kind of sisterhood. The film releases in theaters on December 25 but until then, watch Trailer 3 for the latest sneak peek!
2.) The official trailer for He Went That Way directed by the late Jeffrey Darling starring Jacob Elordi and gay actor/producer Zachary Quinto dropped yesterday. The film is a taut thriller based on a true crime story that puts a wicked spin on the buddy road trip film. The film follows 19-year-old serial killer Bobby (Jacob Elordi) as he is picked up by a celebrity animal handler, Jim (Zachary Quinto), on a desolate stretch of Route 66. He Went That Way had its world premiere at Tribeca Festival June 9 and will be released publicly January 5. Watch the trailer below.
3.) In select theaters January 26, acclaimed gay director and screenwriter Goran Stolevski‘s Housekeeping for Beginners tells the brutally honest but beautiful story of Dita (Anamaria Marinca), a queer woman who never wanted to be a mother, but finds herself compelled to raise her girlfriend’s two daughters: tiny troublemaker Mia and rebellious teen Vanesa. The film had its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival and took home the Queer Lion Award. Watch the new trailer below.
4.) Mariko Tamaki’s graphic novel Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me is getting a live-action feature adaptation with trans lesbian actress Tommy Dorfman signed on to direct. The young adult and lesbian teen drama follows Laura Dean, the most popular girl in school and Frederica, Riley’s dream girl. She has it all: charm, confidence, and charisma. But there’s one problem… Laura Dean keeps breaking up with her. Freddie must find the courage to end her toxic relationship and regain her self-love, with the help of her best friends and a psychic.
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5.) Following acclaimed Off-Broadway and Edinburgh Film Festival runs, 23-year-old queer British comedian Leo Reich will have his comedy special debut, Leo Reich: Literally Who Cares?!, tomorrow on Max. Reich’s breakout show and A24 production was nominated for Best Newcomer at the 2022 Dave Comedy Awards and Most Outstanding Show at the 2023 Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Watch the special here to see Reich cement his “star on the rise” status! In more films news, Hallmark dropped a sneak peek for the film Friends & Family Christmas, a lesbian rom-com starring Ali Liebert and Humberly Gonzalez that premieres Sunday. Amelia (Liebert) accidentally ropes Daniella (Gonzalez) into a fake relationship scheme to appease each other’s overly involved parents during the holidays. However, as they spend more time together, they start to build a connection that’s deeper than either of them could have hoped for. Watch on the Hallmark Channel Sunday 8 p.m. ET/ 7 p.m. CT!
6.) It was announced Wednesday that Marisa Tomei, bisexual comedian and actress Sherry Cola, and Ciara Bravo will star in the rom-com film, You’re Dating A Narcissist! Tomei will play an outspoken psychologist, burnt by love, who specializes in toxic relationships. Comedy ensues when she takes an emergency trip to Los Angeles with her best friend (Cola) to talk her smitten daughter (Bravo) out of marrying a man she is convinced is a narcissist. In more rom-com news, Netflix announced its new romantic comedy series Too Much from award-winning writer, director, producer and actor Lena Dunham. The story follows Jessica (bisexual actress Megan Stalter), a woman in her mid-30s who is struggling to get over a breakup and decides the only way forward is to accept a new job in London, where she intends to isolate herself further. Then she meets Felix (Will Sharpe), a musician who is 35 going on 18, and realizes they have an unlikely connection.
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7.) British sitcom Such Brave Girls, created by and starring sisters Kat Sadler and Lizzie Davidson is now streaming on Hulu. The A24 produced “loosely autobiographical” series sees a single mother and her two daughters attempt to piece their chaotic lives back together after their husband and father leaves. Sadler plays Josie, a character with a handful of mental health struggles, a possessive boyfriend and a burning crush on a woman. Davidson as her younger sister Billie is aggressive, vain, and dangerously obsessed with her on-again-off-again boyfriend Nicky. Watch Such Brave Girls on Hulu now!
8.) The Traitors Season 2 is returning to Peacock on Friday, January 12, and will be once again hosted by bisexual actor Alan Cumming. In this reality TV series, twenty of America’s most cunning contestants, a mix of celebrities and everyday Americans, play the ultimate murder mystery game to build a prize fund worth up to $250,000. But amongst them are “Traitors” who would stab you in the back for a chance to win the money for themselves. New episodes will roll out weekly on Thursdays at 6 p.m. PT/9 p.m. ET. Watch the newly released trailer below! In other trailer news, RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 16 Trailer dropped featuring Charlize Theron, Becky G, and Sarah Michelle Gellar as guest judges. Other guest judges that will appear during the season include gay film director Adam Shankman, gay choreographer Jamal Sims, gay actor and comedian Joel Kim Booster, and gay and out aromantic fashion stylist Law Roach. MTV will premiere the new season on Friday, January 5 at 8 p.m. ET. To see additional guest judges and the trailer, visit here!
9.) Netflix announced the musical comedy series, Girls5eva, from executive producer Meredith Scardino will return for a six-episode third season on March 14. Girls5eva follows a one-hit-wonder girl group from the late ‘90s whose members reunite to give their pop star dreams one more shot. It stars Sara Bareilles, Renée Elise Goldsberry, queer writer/actress Paula Pell, who plays a lesbian in the series (Gloria), and Busy Philipps. Additionally, there is bittersweet news for Good Omens fans: the series from writer/showrunner/executive producer, Neil Gaiman, was renewed for its third and final season at Amazon. Starring Michael Sheen and David Tennant, the fantasy drama—that contains a great number of characters who are verbally identified as queer in regards to both sexuality and gender—follows a fussy angel Aziraphale (Sheen) and loose-living demon Crowley (Tennant) who have become overly fond of life on Earth, and are forced into forming an alliance in an attempt to stop the approaching Armageddon. Stay tuned for production details!
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10.) Out rapper Megan Thee Stallion and bisexual actress and music artist Reneé Rapp’s single “Not My Fault” debuts today. The collaboration comes as part of the Mean Girls (2024) musical-to-film soundtrack. The cover art shows the duo decked out in pink in a room full of plastic mannequins (like The Plastics in Mean Girls) that are dressed up as none other than Regina George, who will be played by Rapp. Stream now! Queer rapper and DJ Shygirl also released her new single “thicc” featuring Cosha this week; watch the music video here! In other Mean Girls news, the Plastic is Forever featurette was released Wednesday by Paramount Pictures. Tina Fey—the original screenwriter of the 2004 version as well as the writer/producer of the 2024 adaptation—speaks to the new film’s inspiration and how it will compare to the cult classic, along with commentary from the rest of the cast. Watch below for a few behind the scenes peaks and a look at some fresh and pleasantly familiar faces.
11.) The 29th Annual Critics Choice Awards film nominations are here. Barbie dominates the list with 18 nominations including Best Acting Ensemble for a cast that included out stars such as Kate McKinnon, Hari Nef, Scott Evans, and Ncuti Gatwa. Out actors Colman Domingo and Jodie Foster both received nods for their performances in Rustin and Nyad respectively. LGBTQ-inclusive films that received nominations include The Color Purple in Best Picture, Bottoms in Best Comedy, Nimona in Best Animated Feature, Anatomy of a Fall in Best Foreign Language Film, All of Us Strangers in Best Adapted Screenplay, and more. Visit here for the full list of film nominations. The awards will be held January 14, 2024 and presented live on The CW.
“Barbie” leads this year’s film contenders earning 18 Critics Choice nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director for Greta Gerwig, Best Actress for Margot Robbie, Best Supporting Actor for Ryan Gosling, and Best Supporting Actress for America Ferrera.@barbiethemovie… pic.twitter.com/iJ45mKZFpq
— Critics Choice Awards (@CriticsChoice) December 13, 2023