Black LGBTQ+ actors and their memorable characters have forever changed the face of Hollywood. Stereotypes have been broken, underrepresented voices have been amplified, and stories have been told that might otherwise have never seen the light of day. From film to TV, here are 15 actors and roles that changed the landscape of representation, a milestone in the ongoing fight for visibility and authenticity.
15. Brandon T. Jackson — Tropic Thunder
Brandon T. Jackson is not the first to mind, but his role in Tropic Thunder did subtly question Hollywood’s ideas of Black masculinity and queerness. With his comedic touch, Jackson brought nuance to a film that allowed itself to poke fun at the very industry it served.
14. Chiwetel Ejiofor — Kinky Boots
Ejiofor’s performance as Lola, a drag queen who saves a shoe factory from going under, was achingly heartfelt, funny, and dignified. He was nominated for a Golden Globe for his performance, and his presence helped clear the path to a very successful Broadway adaptation of the film. He showed audiences that queer Black characters could be both central and celebrated within mainstream storytelling.
13. Harry J. Lennix & Isaiah Washington — Get on the Bus
In Spike Lee’s Get on the Bus, Lennix and Washington played Randall and Kyle, a gay couple navigating love and activism. Their nuanced performances brought Black queer men into conversations about brotherhood, identity, and social justice in ways rarely seen on screen.
12. Taraji P. Henson — Smokin’ Aces
But of all the characters, Henson’s Sharice Waters really stands out-the first Black lesbian action hero. A sharpshooter, she was committed to her partner, combining toughness with tenderness to show that queer Black women could be compelling, central figures in high-stakes films.
11. Queen Latifah — Set It Off
Queen Latifah’s Cleo is iconic: unapologetically butch, fiercely loyal, and heartbreakingly human. Set It Off broke new ground for lesbian visibility in mainstream cinema, with Latifah’s performance remaining one of the most memorable queer roles in Black film history.
10. Nelson Ellis — True Blood
Ellis’ Lafayette Reynolds redefined queer identity on HBO’s True Blood. Flamboyant, quick-witted, and multi-dimensional, Lafayette was never a punchline was a survivor, a psychic, and a romantic lead who earned the adoration of fans everywhere.
9. Jada Pinkett Smith — The Women
Smith’s role as Alex Fisher, a queer Black woman in a relationship with a supermodel, added a subtle yet important layer of representation to the mainstream ensemble cast. It showed that Black queer women can exist in stories outside of trauma and struggle.
8. Taye Diggs — Will & Grace & Hedwig and the Angry Inch
Diggs brought charm and authenticity to several queer roles, from James Hanson on Will & Grace to Broadway’s genderqueer Hedwig. Playing a range of different queer characters helped normalize Black LGBTQ+ identities in both comedy and musical theater.
7. Andre Braugher — Brooklyn Nine-Nine
As Captain Raymond Holt, Braugher portrayed the NYPD’s first Black gay captain with intelligence, dignity, and impeccable dry wit. Holt’s leadership, marriage, and mentorship proved that queer Black men could be authoritative, beloved, and fully realized characters on television.
6. Michaela Jaé Rodriguez & Billy Porter — Pose
Pose was revolutionary, with not only Blanca, played by Rodriguez, but also Porter as Pray Tell as its beating heart. Rodriguez was the first trans actress to win a Golden Globe, and Porter went on to become the very first openly gay Black man to pick up an Emmy for Lead Actor. Together, they brought alive the vibrant scene of New York’s 1980s-90s ballroom in history-making moments.
5. Ashton Sanders & Trevante Rhodes — Moonlight
Sanders and Rhodes played Chiron in his different stages of life while navigating Black masculinity, vulnerability, and queerness with breathtaking authenticity. Moonlight went on to win the Academy Award for Best Picture and redefined how Black LGBTQ+ stories could resonate in mainstream cinema.
4. Lena Waithe — Master of None & The Chi
Her Emmy-winning episode of Master of None drew from her deeply personal coming-out experience watershed moment for queer Black women on TV. As a creator of The Chi and a champion of marginalized voices, Waithe pushes the bar with authentic representation, inspiring a new generation of storytellers.
3. Indya Moore & Dominique Jackson — Pose
Moore played Angel, while Jackson played Elektra-and for the first time on screen, brought trans Black and Afro-Latina experiences into the foreground. Raw, glamorous, and emotionally visceral performances gave long-overlooked communities center stage in mainstream media.
2. Michael K. Williams — The Wire
Williams’ Omar Little is one of TV’s most iconic antiheroes. Openly gay and fiercely independent, Omar shattered stereotypes of Black masculinity and queerness, proving that a Black queer character could be heroic, complex, and unforgettable. His portrayal inspired countless viewers to rethink ideas about identity and strength.
1. Billy Porter — Pose
Porter’s Pray Tell is the gold standard when it comes to Black LGBTQ+ representation. Fierce, vulnerable, and magnetic, Porter was the first openly gay Black man to take home an Emmy for Lead Actor. His work on Pose has inspired a generation of actors and creators to tell their stories with pride, authenticity, and visibility.
These 15 actors and roles didn’t just entertain-they changed the game. They challenged the status quo in Hollywood, opened doors to new voices, and made representation a visible and celebrated part of the cultural landscape.