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.) Queer short film Strange Way of Life—from gay director/writer Pedro Almodóvar— is now streaming on Netflix! In approximately 30-minutes, the Spanish Western drama follows the reunion between friends (and lovers) Silva and Sheriff Jake. However, the moment isn’t entirely a happy one, as Sheriff Jake’s sister-in-law has been murdered, and there may be ulterior motives to Silva’s sudden arrival in town. See the trailer below, and stream Strange Way of Life now!
2.) The trailer for upcoming cheerleading drama Backspot is here! The film plunges Riley (bisexual actress Devery Jacobs) into the cut-throat world of competitive cheer when she and her girlfriend (Kudakwashe Rutendo) are selected for an all-star cheer squad. Her ambition comes head to head with her anxiety as she strives to meet the intense head coach’s demands—but will she falter under the pressure? Backspot has some great queer talent behind the scenes too, including executive producer Elliot Page and bisexual writer Joanne Sarazen. Don’t miss this queer sports drama, in theaters May 31!
3.) Netflix unveiled the trailer for upcoming documentary Outstanding: A Comedy Revolution, which will be available to stream on the platform June 18! The film delves into the world and history of queer stand-up comedy through the lens of social change and challenging norms. Of course, the documentary features many out comedians, including Lily Tomlin, Sandra Bernhard, Wanda Sykes, Suzy Izzard, Hannah Gadsby, Tig Notaro, Rosie O’Donnell, Margaret Cho, Bob The Drag Queen and Trixie Mattel. See them in the trailer below!
4.) Nonbinary musician Naomi McPherson is set to make their acting debut in SNL 1975! The upcoming film centers around the backstage lead-up to the first episode (October 11, 1975) of NBC’s Saturday Night Live. McPherson, known for being a member of queer indie-pop group MUNA, will portray lesbian singer-songwriter Janis Ian, a musical guest on SNL’s debut night. Among previously announced cast members, queer actor Cory Michael Smith will appear as Chevy Chase. In more casting news, bisexual actress Stephanie Beatriz has joined the upcoming animated feature “Harry and the Mutant Mid-Century Furniture” in a key voice role. Also, out talent including Boy George, Billy Porter, and Bilal Hasna will be among the ensemble cast of Christmas Karma, a contemporary Bollywood musical expected December 2025. Stay tuned as more details are announced!
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5.) The official trailer for Hacks season three is here! The Max comedy-drama centers around bisexual comedy writer Ava Daniels (out actress Hannah Einbinder) and Vegas comedy legend Deborah Vance (Jean Smart). This new trailer provides a look at their reunion after the events of season two. Other out actors featured on the show include Poppy Liu as Kiki, Carl Clemons-Hopkins as Marcus, Megan Stalter as Kayla, Johnny Sibilly as Wilson, and Lorenza Izzo as Ruby. Hacks returns to the small screen on May 2—check out the trailer below!
6.) The Chi released the new trailer for the second half of season six! Created and executive produced by lesbian Emmy-winner Lena Waithe, the popular drama features several queer characters that have returned for this season. The series follows a group of people on Chicago’s south side who become unexpectedly linked, chronicling their highs and lows, and their connections and redemptions. Catch the last eight episodes of season six, streaming May on Paramount+ with Showtime, and watch the trailer below!
7.) Max dropped the first trailer for the second season of its Pretty Little Liars reboot, promising new love, villains, and drama for the next generation of Liars. The new season, titled Pretty Little Liars: Summer School, continues its dark coming-of-age themes as the teenagers face new tormentors and grapple with the sins of the present and past. Among returning characters and cast is transgender student Ash (out actor Jordan Gonzalez) and queer teen Mouse Honrada (out actress Malia Pyles). Find out if summer school is really “a fate worse than death” when the series premieres May 9, and check out the trailer below!
8.) Lesbian athletes Sue Bird (former WNBA star) and Megan Rapinoe (ex-U.S. Women’s Soccer captain) have plans to turn queer novel Cleat Cute into a scripted series! Written by queer author Meryl Wilsner, the sapphic romance is a rivals-to-lovers story about two soccer teammates, Grace and Phoebe, preparing for the World Cup. In more television news, We Are Lady Parts season two has a premiere date. Get ready to binge the six-episode season May 30 on Peacock! The series centers around British punk rock band Lady Parts and its exclusively Muslim women members as they deal with friendships, love, and challenges on their aspirational route to musical success. We Are Lady Parts features multiple queer characters, including lead drummer Ayesha and social media influencer Zarina. Stay tuned for more information on both of these series!
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9.) Billie Eilish teased a snippet of a new (and very queer) song, “Lunch,” at Coachella last weekend! Plus, out songwriter Boy Jr. dropped their new single “I Hope You Feel Terrible” along with an accompanying music video, and queer act of Montreal released their new single “Rude Girl On Rotation.” Stay tuned for their new studio album Lady On The Cusp, dropping May 17. Queer band Walt Disco also released a new single, “Jocelyn,” and their new album The Warping is due out June 14! Queer artist Maiah Manser dropped the music video for latest single “Pretty Enough” as well. Finally, gay actor/singer Ben Platt released the official music video for his new track “Cherry On Top,” featuring his real-life fiancé Noah Galvin. Check out the video below!
10.) Bisexual actor Kit Connor, best known for starring in the hit queer TV series Heartstopper, is making his Broadway debut in a new production of Romeo + Juliet! The curtain will go up this fall and features music from Grammy Award-winner Jack Antonoff. Rachel Zegler is also set to star alongside Connor. While few details have been released—except for the tagline “The Youth Are Fucked”—audiences can expect Romeo + Juliet to be a modern-day retelling of the Shakespeare classic. Get ready to grab your tickets as they go on sale in May!
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11.) The Tribeca Festival unveiled its 2024 feature film lineup, and there are a lot of queer films to be excited about! Documentaries with queer icons behind and on screen will include I’m Your Venus, Linda Perry: Let It Die Here, 1-800-ON-HER-OWN, Diane von Furstenberg: Woman in Charge, LIZA: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story, Sabbath Queen, and Outstanding: A Comedy Revolution. In terms of narrative films, we can look forward to queer stories and talent in Griffin in Summer, Rent Free, Crossing, Bikechess, In The Summers, Jazzy, Sacramento, Group Therapy, and All That We Love. Read more here about these films and the incredible LGBTQ people creating them!
The 23rd edition of the Tribeca Festival is out with its slate of feature films including world premieres starring Kristen Stewart, Lily Gladstone and Jenna Ortega https://t.co/Gdea1RbBA7
— Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) April 17, 2024
12.) Overwatch 2, a nominee in the 35th GLAAD Media Awards, ventured forth into season 10 with the arrival of a new playable hero, Venture. The spunky new damage-based character is a nonbinary archaeologist bound to shake things up in the current meta, boasting an array of powerful close-ranged abilities. This new season also introduced an exciting new game mode, Clash, which will be available for players to test out in a limited-time trial. Hop into Overwatch 2 season 10 now for free on PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, BattleNet, and Steam.
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