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) A trailer has been released for upcoming documentary Yes I Am: The Ric Weiland Story. The film follows RIc Weiland who was one of the earliest programmers for Microsoft and was also an out gay man since the 1970s, and contributed millions to LGBTQ organizations and HIV and AIDS research funding. The documentary will premiere digitally at the Provincetown Film Festival, June 16-25. Get tickets here and watch the trailer below.
2) A trailer has been released for upcoming film Sublet, which follows a journalist (John Benjiman Hickey) who goes to Tel Aviv shortly after a tragic event, and finds solace in a relationship with a younger man (Nev Nissim) he meets in the city. The film will be released on June 11; watch the trailer below. In more film news, out actress and singer Janelle Monae has been cast in the sequel to Rian Johnson’s Knives Out. Plot details are unknown, but Monae joins fellow cast members Daniel Craig, Edward Norton, Dave Bautista and Kathryn Hahn.
3) Documentary Pray Away, from executive producer Ryan Murphy, has been picked up for an August release by Netflix. The film follows former leaders of the “pray away the gay” movement from the ‘70s, exploring the severe harm caused by it, and how many former members regret their involvement. In more news, Disney has announced that upcoming action comedy Jungle Cruise will be released on June 11, both in movie theaters and on Disney+ premier access for a fee. The cast includes Jack Whitehall as McGregor, the brother of Emily Blunt’s character, who has been widely reported to be gay in the movie.
We thrilled to celebrate that @PrayAwayFilm will be a Netflix Original and bring international attention to the enduring harms of “conversion therapy.” Congrats to the entire team that made this a reality. We’re proud to partner with you to bring an end to “conversion therapy.” https://t.co/VtqD7H2cXP
— GLAAD (@glaad) May 12, 2021
4) Pose star Mj Rodriguez has been cast in an upcoming Apple comedy show starring Maya Rudolph. In it, Rodriguez will play Sofia, the executive director of the non-profit that Rudolph’s billionaire character started. In more casting news, out actors Billy Porter, Zachary Quinto, and EJ Johnson have been cast in Disney+’s upcoming reboot, The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder. Porter and Quinto will play the parents of 14-year old activist Maya (Keke Palmer), and Johnson will play the gender non-conforming friend of main character Penny Proud (Kyla Pratt.) The show will be released in 2022. Out actress Cherry Jones has been cast in upcoming Apple series Five Days at Memorial, which follows the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Jones will play a nursing director at a hospital who becomes the designated incident commander.
Get an excluisve first look at Zachary Quinto and Billy Porter’s new characters in ‘#TheProudFamily: Louder and Prouder.’ https://t.co/CXdsZzdexS
— Entertainment Weekly (@EW) May 12, 2021
5) E! has announced that Laverne Cox will be the new host of Live From E!, conducting celebrity interviews and red carpet coverage year round. Out actress and producer Tessa Thompson is executive producing a new unscripted series for Hulu, where two notable figures will have a conversation over the course of solving a jigsaw puzzle. Out singer Demi Lovato will be hosting a four-part series for Peacock, Unidentified with Demi Lovato, where she teams up with her friend and sister as they investigate the truth of UFO phenomena.
.@Lavernecox is the new E! Red Carpet host! We have no words, just emojis: . https://t.co/FfkWlt1iD5 pic.twitter.com/4mfH2V1zIw
— E! News (@enews) May 10, 2021
6) Freeform has set return dates for several of their LGBTQ-inclusive shows including Good Trouble, which will return for the second half of its third season on July 15; grown-ish, which will return for its fourth season on July 8; and Motherland: Fort Salem, which will premiere on June 22. Netflix has picked up comedy Uncoupled from out creator Darren Star. The show follows Michael whose husband leaves him after 17 years, and he has to navigate being a single gay man in his 40s in New York. ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy has been renewed for a record-breaking 18th season, while its spinoff Station 19 has been renewed for season five.
General Alder is in pursuit for more Witches. You in? #MotherlandFortSalem season 2 premieres Tuesday, June 22 on @FreeformTV, next day on @Hulu. pic.twitter.com/1LH91lUhbJ
— Motherland: Fort Salem (@Motherland) May 10, 2021
6) Sleater-Kinney, composed of out duo Carrie Brownstein and Corrin Tucker have announced their newest album Path of Wellness, which will be released June 11. They also released a new single “Worry With You,” with a music video featuring a queer couple. Pre-order the album here and watch the video below.
7) Queer singer St. Vincent released her new album Daddy’s Home today. Listen to the album here and watch the music video for her new single “Down” below. Out singer kd lang released a new track and music video “If I Were You (Main Mix)” off her upcoming remix album makeover. Watch the video here and preorder the album here.
8) Bi singer Ashnikko released the music video for her single “Slumber Party (ft. Princess Nokia)” where she sings about discovering her feelings for other girls. Watch the video below! Queer indigenous singer Jayli Wolf released her newest single “Hush” of her upcoming EP Wild Whisper, which will be released on June 18. Listen to “Hush” here.
9) Out country singer Brooke Eden released a new music video for her single “Got No Choice” on Sunday. Watch the video below and stream the track here. Out singer Allison Ponthier released a new song and video “Harshest Critic.” Listen to the single here and watch the video here.
10) Out singer Lance Bass is set to star in a new scripted podcast Bedside Stories of the Ingleside Inn, alongside Jason Alexander, Richard Kind, and Michael McKean. The show takes place in Palm Springs in the 70s. In other podcast news, Demi Lovato is launching a podcast 4D with Demi Lovato, with the Cadence13 company, where she interviews artist and activists and more.
Jason Alexander & Lance Bass Lead Scripted Podcast ‘Bedtime Stories Of The Ingleside Inn’ For Audio Up https://t.co/M4brjrydnT
— Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) May 12, 2021