Gay Actresses No One Hates

There are many actresses in film and television who have spoken openly about being lesbian, bisexual, queer, pansexual or otherwise part of the LGBTQ community, and their visibility helps shape how audiences understand sexuality and identity. Some came out early in their careers, while others waited until they felt safer or more established, and many use interviews and public appearances to talk about equality and representation. Their work covers everything from superhero franchises and prestige dramas to sitcoms and indie films, which means queer viewers can see themselves in many genres. This list collects forty actresses and gender diverse performers who are publicly out and whose careers and advocacy have made them important figures in contemporary queer visibility.

Kristen Stewart

Kristen Stewart became widely known through the ‘Twilight’ series and later shifted into a mix of independent and prestige films such as ‘Clouds of Sils Maria’, ‘Personal Shopper’ and ‘Spencer’. She has spoken publicly about dating women and has used the word queer when describing herself. Stewart has mentioned how her attitude to privacy changed over time and that being open about relationships feels more authentic for her now. She has also taken on explicitly queer roles in projects like ‘Happiest Season’, which adds more lesbian leads to mainstream film. Alongside acting she works with fashion houses and appears regularly at major festivals, which keeps a queer presence visible in those spaces.

Jodie Foster

Jodie Foster started acting as a child and went on to acclaimed performances in films such as ‘Taxi Driver’, ‘The Accused’ and ‘The Silence of the Lambs’. For many years she kept her personal life very private, then later acknowledged her same gender relationships in a public speech and in interviews. She has been in long running partnerships with women and is married to photographer and actress Alexandra Hedison. Foster also directs and produces, including work on television episodes and smaller films. Her long career shows how an out gay woman can remain active at the highest levels of the industry.

Sarah Paulson

Sarah Paulson is known for her regular collaborations with Ryan Murphy in ‘American Horror Story’, ‘American Crime Story’ and ‘Ratched’, as well as roles in films like ‘Carol’ and ‘Ocean’s 8’. She has discussed her relationships with both men and women and has been open for years about being part of the queer community. Paulson has a longstanding relationship with actress Holland Taylor and talks about their life together in interviews. She continues to move between television, film and stage work, often in projects with strong queer audiences. Her visibility connects high profile awards projects with openly LGBTQ performers.

Cynthia Nixon

Cynthia Nixon gained international recognition as Miranda on ‘Sex and the City’ and later reprised the role in ‘And Just Like That’. She has also had a substantial stage career and has appeared in series like ‘The Gilded Age’. Nixon came out publicly after beginning a relationship with education activist Christine Marinoni, whom she later married, and she has used the term bisexual to describe herself. She has run for political office and frequently speaks about education, housing and LGBTQ rights. Her dual role as an actress and political figure gives her a particular place in queer public life.

Lily Tomlin

Lily Tomlin is a veteran performer whose work spans stand up, stage, film and television, including projects such as ‘9 to 5’ and ‘Grace and Frankie’. She has been with writer and director Jane Wagner since the early nineteen seventies, and they eventually married after decades together. Tomlin has talked about how they collaborated on material even when their relationship was not widely discussed in the press. Over time she has become more open about her personal life and about being a lesbian. Her career offers a long running example of a same gender partnership in the entertainment industry.

Jane Lynch

Jane Lynch has appeared in many comedies but is most widely associated with ‘Glee’, where she played coach Sue Sylvester. She has long been open about being a lesbian and wrote about her life and career in a memoir. Lynch has also done voice work in animated hits such as ‘Wreck It Ralph’ and appeared in projects including ‘The L Word’. She regularly hosts or appears at events connected to LGBTQ organizations and charity work. Her success in both television and film illustrates how out gay actresses can thrive in mainstream comedy.

Kate McKinnon

Kate McKinnon spent many years on ‘Saturday Night Live’, where she became known for political impressions and offbeat characters. She has stated in interviews that she is a lesbian and has often spoken about the importance of earlier queer figures on television for her. McKinnon has acted in films like ‘Ghostbusters’, ‘The Spy Who Dumped Me’ and ‘Bombshell’, often bringing her sketch comedy background into those roles. At an awards show she publicly thanked an early coming out moment by another comedian as a model for her own life. Her work keeps a clearly gay performer at the center of major comedy projects.

Ruby Rose

Ruby Rose first gained attention as a model and presenter before transitioning into acting, where she appeared in ‘Orange Is the New Black’. She has identified as a lesbian and has also described herself as gender fluid while remaining in the broader gay community. Rose has taken on action roles in films such as ‘xXx’ and ‘John Wick 2’ and starred in the superhero series ‘Batwoman’ as a lesbian lead character. She often talks about bullying, mental health and growing up different in interviews and social media posts. Her mix of androgynous style and queer identity has made her especially visible in global pop culture.

Ellen DeGeneres

Ellen DeGeneres started in stand up and moved to television with her sitcom ‘Ellen’, before becoming best known for ‘The Ellen DeGeneres Show’. In the late nineteen nineties she came out as gay both on her show and in real life, which was a landmark moment for network television. That decision led to a period of professional difficulty, but she later returned as a daytime host and built a long running talk show career. DeGeneres has used her platform to promote LGBTQ causes and often features queer guests and families. Her marriage to Portia de Rossi remains one of the most visible same gender partnerships in entertainment.

Portia de Rossi

Portia de Rossi is recognized for playing Nelle on ‘Ally McBeal’, Lindsay on ‘Arrested Development’ and Elizabeth North on ‘Scandal’. She has spoken about struggling with the idea of coming out early in her career and worrying about its effect on her work. De Rossi eventually acknowledged her relationships with women and later married Ellen DeGeneres. She has discussed issues like eating disorders and the pressures of Hollywood alongside her sexuality. In recent years she has focused on art and business while still occasionally acting, keeping a lesbian presence connected with several influential series.

Wanda Sykes

Wanda Sykes is a stand up comedian, writer and actress who has appeared in projects such as ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’, ‘Blackish’ and various animated films. She came out publicly during a rally against an anti marriage equality initiative and has been open about her wife and children. Sykes often includes material about being a lesbian and about family life in her comedy specials. She has hosted and produced shows that feature other Black and queer performers. Her career demonstrates how lesbian identity can be integrated into mainstream stand up and television work.

Niecy Nash-Betts

Niecy Nash Betts is known from ‘Reno 911’, ‘Claws’ and ‘Dahmer’. After two previous marriages to men, she married musician Jessica Betts and described the union as falling in love with a person rather than changing her whole identity label. Nash Betts has shared details about their relationship on social media and in interviews, giving many viewers an example of queer love that began later in life. She continues to work steadily in both comedy and drama across film and television. Her visibility as a Black woman in a same gender marriage adds to the range of stories audiences see.

Samira Wiley

Samira Wiley gained prominence as Poussey in ‘Orange Is the New Black’ and later as Moira in ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’. She is openly gay and married Lauren Morelli, a writer she met on the set of ‘Orange Is the New Black’. Wiley has said that playing queer characters while living openly as a lesbian has been meaningful for her. She often participates in panels and events about representation, storytelling and queer rights. Her roles connect dystopian and prison narratives with complex lesbian characters.

Stephanie Beatriz

Stephanie Beatriz is widely known as Rosa Diaz in ‘Brooklyn Nine Nine’ and as the voice of Mirabel in ‘Encanto’. She came out as bisexual and later had her character on ‘Brooklyn Nine Nine’ come out as bi as well, which gave many viewers more direct representation. Beatriz has talked about bi erasure and the difficulty some people have in accepting bisexual identities. She has also acted in ‘In the Heights’ and in various independent films, some of which include queer characters. Her work and public comments have made her a visible bi Latina figure in entertainment.

Tessa Thompson

Tessa Thompson has appeared in ‘Creed’, ‘Thor Ragnarok’, ‘Westworld’ and several independent films. She has spoken about being attracted to more than one gender and has used words like bisexual and queer when discussing herself, while also stressing that she does not feel limited by labels. Thompson has addressed the importance of queer representation in superhero stories, especially through her character Valkyrie. She is frequently involved with music and art projects that explore identity and community. Her approach connects big budget franchises with fluid understandings of sexuality.

Amandla Stenberg

Amandla Stenberg was introduced to many audiences as Rue in ‘The Hunger Games’ and has since starred in ‘The Hate U Give’, ‘Bodies Bodies Bodies’ and ‘The Acolyte’. Over the years Stenberg has used terms like bisexual, pansexual and gay and has also come out as nonbinary, using both she and they pronouns. They have written and spoken extensively about intersectionality, race and sexuality. Stenberg often chooses roles in stories that address social justice, youth experience and sometimes queer themes. This combination of activism and acting places them among the most discussed young queer performers.

Auliʻi Cravalho

Auli’i Cravalho voiced the title character in ‘Moana’ and later starred in live action projects such as ‘Rise’ and the queer teen film ‘Crush’. She came out as bisexual in a social media post and has said she is proud to be an openly queer actor associated with a Disney princess. Cravalho frequently talks about representation for Polynesian communities and for LGBTQ youth. She has taken roles that include queer storylines, which expands the types of narratives available to younger audiences. Her career links family friendly animation with more explicitly queer teen stories.

Sara Ramirez

Sara Ramirez played Callie Torres on ‘Grey’s Anatomy’, one of the longest running queer characters on network television, and later appeared as Che in ‘And Just Like That’. Ramirez has identified as bisexual and queer and later came out as nonbinary, using they pronouns. They have long worked with organizations focused on LGBTQ youth, immigration and homelessness. Ramirez has emphasized the importance of nuanced bisexual and nonbinary characters in scripted television. Their ongoing advocacy work complements a career rooted in major ensemble dramas.

Janelle Monáe

Janelle Monáe is a musician and actor with roles in films such as ‘Moonlight’, ‘Hidden Figures’ and ‘Antebellum’. They have described themselves as pansexual and later as nonbinary, using both they and she pronouns. Monáe’s music frequently explores queer themes, chosen family and futuristic settings that question rigid categories. Their live performances and red carpet appearances often include visual references to queer history and culture. This artistic approach makes their sexuality and gender identity central components of their public work.

Gillian Anderson

Gillian Anderson became famous as Dana Scully in ‘The X Files’ and later appeared in ‘The Fall’, ‘Sex Education’ and ‘The Crown’. She has confirmed that she has had relationships with women as well as men and has been comfortable with the description of herself as bisexual. Anderson has said that she sees sexuality as fluid and does not feel the need to define it too narrowly. She supports LGBTQ and human rights organizations through public events and campaigns. Her comments help normalize discussions of past same gender relationships for people who are also known for relationships with men.

Anna Paquin

Anna Paquin won an Academy Award for ‘The Piano’ at a young age and later starred in ‘X Men’ films and in ‘True Blood’. She publicly came out as bisexual in a video supporting an equality campaign and has repeated that this identity does not change based on her marriage. Paquin has addressed misconceptions about bisexual people, including the idea that bi identities disappear in long term relationships. She continues to work in film and television, often in genre projects. Her openness provides a clear example of a bi woman who is also a spouse and parent.

Evan Rachel Wood

Evan Rachel Wood is known for films like ‘Thirteen’ and ‘Across the Universe’ and for her role in ‘Westworld’. She has publicly identified as bisexual and has spoken about recognizing her attraction to multiple genders as a teenager. Wood is also active in advocacy around domestic violence and has testified before lawmakers about her experiences. She co founded an organization to support survivors and regularly links this work with LGBTQ issues. Her public persona combines bi visibility with broader human rights activism.

Michelle Rodriguez

Michelle Rodriguez has built a career in action oriented roles, including parts in the ‘Fast and Furious’ series, ‘Resident Evil’ and ‘Avatar’. In interviews she has talked about being attracted to both men and women and has stated that she is part of the bisexual community. For years there was speculation about her sexuality, which she eventually addressed directly rather than leaving as rumor. Rodriguez often plays physically strong characters who challenge stereotypes about women in action films. As a bi Latina actress in blockbuster franchises, she expands the range of who audiences see in that space.

Amber Heard

Amber Heard has appeared in movies such as ‘The Rum Diary’, ‘Aquaman’ and ‘The Danish Girl’. She publicly came out as bisexual at an LGBTQ event, explaining that she did not want to hide her relationships with women. Heard has worked with organizations focused on queer rights and often attends events connected to those causes. She has spoken about how being open was important to her despite potential career risks. Her career and activism add another visible bi actress to the public conversation about sexuality in Hollywood.

Rosario Dawson

Rosario Dawson has roles in ‘Rent’, ‘Sin City’ and various superhero related television series, as well as numerous dramas and comedies. She has confirmed that she is part of the LGBTQ community and has used the word queer about herself, even though her most public relationships have been with men. Dawson is active in political organizing and voter engagement efforts and frequently supports youth and community organizations. Her statements about sexuality highlight that some people embrace queer labels later in life or after earlier ambiguity. This helps broaden how audiences think about coming out timelines.

Megan Fox

Megan Fox became widely recognized for her role in ‘Transformers’ and later gained a cult following for ‘Jennifer’s Body’. She has stated in interviews that she is bisexual and has been attracted to women from a young age. Fox has often pointed out that there were few bi women openly discussing their sexuality in mainstream media when she first spoke up. She has referenced receiving messages from fans who felt seen because of her comments. By pairing a high profile image with explicit bi identification, she adds another dimension to discussions of queer visibility.

Drew Barrymore

Drew Barrymore has a long filmography that includes ‘E.T.’, ‘Ever After’, ‘Charlie’s Angels’ and various romantic comedies, and she now hosts a daytime talk show. She has described herself as bisexual and spoken about being attracted to women as well as men. Barrymore has said that she has had relationships with women and that she does not see that as in conflict with her past marriages to men. On her talk show she often discusses topics such as identity, relationships and mental health in a frank way. Her public life creates a model of bi identity that spans different stages of adulthood.

Cara Delevingne

Cara Delevingne transitioned from modeling into acting with films like ‘Paper Towns’ and ‘Suicide Squad’ and the series ‘Carnival Row’. She has used terms such as bisexual, pansexual and queer for herself and has also described a sense of gender fluidity while still using she pronouns. Delevingne has spoken about internalized shame and how accepting her sexuality improved her mental health. She has produced and appeared in documentaries and campaigns about sexuality and personal freedom. Her combination of fashion, film and activism keeps queer identity highly visible in youth oriented media.

Bella Thorne

Bella Thorne moved from Disney Channel projects into a wide range of independent and genre films, including ‘The DUFF’ and various thrillers. She initially came out as bisexual and later said that pansexual was a more accurate term for her, meaning she is attracted regardless of gender. Thorne has explained that learning different labels helped her understand her feelings more clearly. She often discusses sexuality, trauma and personal growth in interviews and online posts. Her openness about pansexual identity reaches a large young audience who follow her on social platforms.

Raven-Symoné

Raven Symoné first became known on ‘The Cosby Show’ and then led the Disney Channel series ‘That’s So Raven’, returning later in ‘Raven’s Home’. She publicly confirmed that she is gay after earlier comments about not wanting labels on her private life. Raven has since married Miranda Maday and occasionally talks about their relationship and home life on television and online. She has discussed how the pressures of child stardom influenced her decision to delay coming out. Her eventual openness offers many viewers a clear example of a Black lesbian entertainer they grew up watching.

Hunter Schafer

Hunter Schafer plays Jules in ‘Euphoria’ and has appeared in films such as ‘The Hunger Games The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes’ and ‘Cuckoo’. She is a trans woman and has said that her sexuality has shifted over time, with her current attraction mainly toward women, which places her within a lesbian framework. Schafer has shared her story of coming out first as a gay boy and later understanding herself as a girl, followed by medical and social transition. She has been involved in legal challenges and campaigns against anti trans policies. Her visibility in fashion, film and activism makes her one of the most recognized young trans actresses.

Laverne Cox

Laverne Cox is widely known for playing Sophia in ‘Orange Is the New Black’ and has since taken on a variety of film and television roles and hosting duties. She is a trans woman who dates men and has spoken about the stigma those men can face, connecting that experience to broader trans rights issues. Cox frequently participates in documentaries, panel discussions and educational projects about the history and portrayal of trans people in media. She served as an executive producer on ‘Disclosure’, which examines trans representation on screen. Her career links entertainment with sustained public education about gender and sexuality.

Sara Gilbert

Sara Gilbert played Darlene on ‘Roseanne’ and reprises the role on ‘The Conners’, and she also co created and co hosted the daytime show ‘The Talk’. She realized she was a lesbian while dating a male co star and later came out publicly in connection with her talk show work. Gilbert has had long relationships with women, including writer and producer Ali Adler and musician Linda Perry, and has children. On ‘The Talk’ she often discussed parenting, relationships and everyday topics as an out lesbian mom. This presence helped make queer families more familiar to daytime audiences.

Lea DeLaria

Lea DeLaria is a comedian, jazz musician and actress who played Big Boo on ‘Orange Is the New Black’. She was one of the first openly gay stand up comics to appear on major late night television in the early nineteen nineties. DeLaria has long identified as a butch lesbian and has been outspoken about that identity in her jokes and interviews. She has performed on Broadway and released multiple jazz albums, often reworking rock and pop songs. Her career shows how a clearly lesbian persona can cross from queer clubs into mainstream stages.

Alexandra Shipp

Alexandra Shipp is known for roles in ‘X Men Apocalypse’, ‘Love Simon’ and ‘tick, tick… BOOM’. She came out publicly as part of the LGBTQ community through a reflective social media post and later said that she had always known she was gay. Shipp described feeling fear about coming out earlier and then relief at being open. She continues to appear in superhero, musical and romantic projects, some of which include queer storylines. Her presence adds another out gay actress to a younger generation of performers.

Reneé Rapp

Reneé Rapp played Regina George on Broadway and in the musical film version of ‘Mean Girls’ and stars in ‘The Sex Lives of College Girls’. She previously identified as bisexual, then in a later interview and song lyrics she described herself as a lesbian and said the word finally felt right. Rapp talks frequently about queer friendships, relationships and mental health in her music and press appearances. Her live shows often feel like community spaces for young queer fans. By being explicit about her identity, she adds a contemporary lesbian voice to both television and pop music.

Alia Shawkat

Alia Shawkat became famous as Maeby in ‘Arrested Development’ and later starred in ‘Search Party’. She came out as bisexual in an interview, explaining that she had always felt a mix of masculine and feminine energy and that the label fit her experiences. Shawkat has worked on projects that explore sexuality and relationships, including the film ‘Duck Butter’, which she co wrote and starred in. She also creates visual art and often discusses her Arab American heritage alongside her queerness. This combination makes her a notable bi presence in indie television and film.

Kirsten Vangsness

Kirsten Vangsness is best known for playing Penelope Garcia on ‘Criminal Minds’ and its spin off series. She has described herself as queer and has spoken about coming out as a lesbian before later acknowledging that she has also been attracted to men. Vangsness has been engaged to partners of different genders and has said that she does not fit neatly into traditional boxes, while remaining clearly part of the LGBTQ community. She has co written episodes of ‘Criminal Minds’ and performs in theater, often in queer friendly companies. Her long running role on a network procedural places an out queer actress in a very mainstream show.

Jessica Clark

Jessica Clark is a British model and actress who appeared as Lilith on ‘True Blood’ and in the lesbian romance film ‘A Perfect Ending’. She is openly lesbian and has been involved with media platforms aimed at queer women, where she has hosted and produced content. Clark has spoken about her marriage and later divorce from fitness professional Lacey Stone and about navigating those changes in the public eye. She combines print and runway modeling with television and film roles. Her work keeps a lesbian presence visible in both genre television and queer cinema.

Sandra Bernhard

Sandra Bernhard is a comedian, actress and singer who has appeared in shows like ‘Roseanne’ and ‘Pose’, as well as in numerous stage productions. She has long identified as bisexual and has spent many years in a relationship with partner Sara Switzer, with whom she has a daughter. Bernhard was one of the more prominent entertainers in the nineteen eighties and nineties to speak frankly about dating women. Her stand up often weaves together politics, sexuality and celebrity culture. Over time she has become an important reference point in the history of queer women in comedy and television.

Share which of these queer actresses you enjoy watching most in the comments and let everyone know which roles stand out for you.