The GLAAD Wrap: New projects from Lena Waithe and Greg Berlanti, trailers for ‘The Bisexual,’ ‘The Bi Life,’ and more!
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) Out Love, Simon director and television producer Greg Berlanti has been tapped to direct The Editor, an adaptation of the novel of the same name, for 20th Century Fox. The film follows a writer and his editor, who happens to be Jackie-O, and their relationship with his work. This film is one of several overall projects Berlanti is working on with the Fox film studio. In further film news, out Carol director Todd Haynes will direct the upcoming film Dry Run from Participant Media. The plot of the film is still unknown.
2) SNL actress Kate McKinnon, an out lesbian, has been cast in Annapurna’s untitled film about the Roger Ailes sexual harassment case at Fox News. This is her first big foray into drama, playing a producer in the film. Also announced this week is an American remake of lesbian Norwegian thriller Thelma directed by I, Tonya director Craig Gillepse. The original film was nominated for a GLAAD Media Award, and we hope the American version will keep the detail and integrity of the original for a new American audience. Rokkur (Rift) is another European queer horror film getting the American remake treatment. Writer/director of the original Icelandic film Erlingur Thoroddsen will return to write the script of the Orion remake of the film about a gay couple whose broken relationship awakens something supernatural.
3) For those in Los Angeles, The Latino Media Fest of short films and workshops will take place over October 3 and 4. The two-day festival includes several LGBTQ-themed films and work done by queer filmmakers, including “Full Beat” by Kase Peña, “Hacienda Paraiso” by Erick Castrillon, and “Ni De Aqui Ni De Alla” by Carlos Valdivia. The two-day festival is organized by NALIP, the National Association of Latino Independent Producers. Click here for more information about the festival!
4) Out writer, producer, and actor Lena Waithe is writing and producing a sequel to the 1992 film Boomerang for BET. Halle Berry, who stared in the original film, will produce as well. The story will follow the children of the original film’s leads. Waithe has several other projects in the works as well. Twenties, a comedy loosely based on Waithe’s life, has cast the roles for its pilot on TBS. Jonica T Gibbs has been cast in the lead queer role of Hattie, and rounding out the supporting cast are Christina Elmore, Gabrielle Graham, and Sophina Brow.
5) The first trailer has been released for the new Hulu/Channel 4 show The Bisexual, from bisexual creator and star Desiree Akhavan, director of this year’s critically acclaimed film The Miseducation of Cameron Post. The show follows Akhavan’s character, Leila, and her process of coming out as bi after her relationship with her girlfriend of ten years ends. The show seeks to address stigma and stereotypes of bisexual people within the queer community. The show will make its American debut at film festival NewFest this fall. Watch the trailer below.
6) Another show about bisexuality is coming to the silver screen soon, and just released a first look. Drag queen Courtney Act, well-known for being on Season 5 of RuPaul’s Drag Race and winning Celebrity Big Brother UK, will be hosting a new reality show, The Bi Life, coming to E! UK this fall. The show will follow a group of British bisexual, pansexual, and fluid folks partying in Barcelona, and will seek to educate against the negative stigmas put on bisexual people. The show will premiere on October 25, and the trailer is below.
7) Casting has been announced for Netflix series AJ and the Queen, a comedy starring RuPaul as Ruby, a drag queen traveling the country in a ‘90s RV with an orphaned 11-year-old. Also cast in the series are Michael-Leon Wooly, Katerina Tannenbaum, Tia Carrere, and Josh Segarra. (who will be playing Ruby’s boyfriend) In further television news, Hulu’s Harlots has been renewed for a third season. The period drama introduced several new queer characters in its second season, which aired this past summer.
8) The official and music video for out bi singer and actor Lady Gaga’s “Shallow,” from the upcoming A Star is Born, has been released with an accompanying music video. Starring Gaga and director Bradley Cooper, the film will be released on October 5 and includes multiple queer characters. Already popular from the trailer, “Shallow” is now available wherever music is sold or streamed. Buy tickets for A Star is Born here and watch the music video below. Bi singer dodie also released a new music video for her single “Human” of her forthcoming EP of the same name. Watch the music video here.
9) Queer indie singer St. Lenox released his new album Ten Fables of Young Ambition and Passionate Love today. The album tackles the singer’s tumultuous pursuit of love and career in from his past, combining free verse, poetry and stream of consciousness. Listen and buy the album here on Bandcamp. In other indie news, LCD Soundsystem, which includes trans band member Gavin Rayna Russom, released a music video for their single “oh baby,” which you can watch here. Their most recent album, American Dream, is available wherever music is sold or streamed.
10) Lesbian rapper Young M.A. released a new music video for her new single “Car Confessions,” off her forthcoming debut full length album Herstory in the Making, expected out this fall. The music video is below and the single is available on most streaming platforms. GLAAD Media-Award nominated singer Kelela is continuing to remix her album Take Me Apart, and this week she released KAYTRANADA_WAITIN_115 BPM, with producer KAYTRANADA. The full remix album will be out on October 5. Listen to the new track here.
11) The final nominations for the 2018 People’s Choice Awards were announced this week and include Blockers, Crazy Rich Asians, and Love, Simon for Comedy Movie, as well as LGBTQ-inclusive TV shows This Is Us, Grey’s Anatomy, Shadowhunters, The Handmaid’s Tale, Modern Family, Orange is the New Black, One Day at a Time, Queer Eye, RuPaul’s Drag Race, and more! The award show will air on E! live for the first time on November 11th. Click here for the full list of LGBTQ nominations.
12) The nominations also were revealed for the 8th Annual Streamy Awards on Wednesday, honoring the best in the online space. Some highlights of the LGBTQ-inclusive nominations include eight for the YouTube Premium show Escape the Night starring out creator Joey Graceffa, as well as The T, which follows a trans woman and queer black man, as well as Twenties, following a lesbian protagonist, and BuzzFeed’s AM to DM and Ladylike, both of which feature queer talent. Click here for the full list of nominations.
13) Transhaping is an upcoming puzzle game that seeks to raise trans awareness though gameplay. From trans and queer creators, the game seeks to be an upcoming all ages soothing game that represents the transgender experience through narration as well as the journey of the characters. The game will also give players the opportunity to choose their own gender and pronoun while playing. Click here to help contribute to the project.
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