Most Famous Black Lesbian Actresses

Visibility matters in entertainment, and the women below have helped shift the spotlight—on-screen and off—by living openly while building impressive acting careers. Their work spans drama and comedy, prestige TV and hit network series, indie films and sketch stages, showing just how broad Black lesbian representation can be.

Each profile highlights concrete milestones—breakthrough roles, awards, public coming-out moments, and advocacy—so you can see what they’ve accomplished and where they’ve made an impact in film and television.

Wanda Sykes

Wanda Sykes is an Emmy-winning stand-up who built a substantial acting résumé with roles in projects like ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’, ‘Black-ish’, and ‘The Upshaws’, while also writing and producing for television. She publicly came out during a speech opposing California’s Proposition 8, a moment that helped center Black lesbian visibility in mainstream comedy.

She has discussed family life and health, including undergoing a preventive double mastectomy after a DCIS diagnosis. Alongside continuing work in acting, writing, and producing, she uses her platform to advocate for LGBTQ+ equality and representation across TV and film.

Samira Wiley

Samira Wiley broke out as Poussey Washington in ‘Orange Is the New Black’ and earned widespread acclaim as Moira in ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’, winning a Primetime Emmy for the latter. She has spoken about her journey to coming out and the early pressures she navigated in the industry.

Wiley married writer-producer Lauren Morelli after meeting on the ‘Orange Is the New Black’ set. Beyond acting, she is active in LGBTQ+ advocacy and frequently discusses the importance of authentic queer storytelling and nuanced character work.

T’Nia Miller

T’Nia Miller has become a standout presence in projects such as ‘Years and Years’, ‘The Haunting of Bly Manor’, and ‘Foundation’, noted for grounded performances that anchor ensemble casts. She has openly discussed her coming-out story and the lack of queer representation she saw growing up, adding crucial perspective to conversations about inclusion in UK and global television.

Miller has also spoken about navigating racism in drama school and in the industry, connecting those experiences to the roles she selects and the stories she champions. Her career reflects a deliberate path toward visibility as a lesbian actor and toward portraying complex, layered characters.

Felicia Pearson

Felicia “Snoop” Pearson turned real-life grit into an unforgettable screen presence as Snoop on ‘The Wire’, a performance that became one of the show’s most talked-about character turns. She was openly lesbian early in her public career, and profiles and interviews from the period noted her out status within a tough, male-dominated context.

After ‘The Wire’, Pearson worked across film and TV—including appearances in ‘Blue Bloods’ and in Spike Lee’s ‘Chi-Raq’—and pursued music. She has spoken publicly about her life story and efforts to support youth and anti-violence initiatives, connecting her platform to community work.

Punkie Johnson

Punkie Johnson is a comedian-actor who joined ‘Saturday Night Live’ and became a repertory player, marking a milestone as the show’s first out Black lesbian cast member. Her screen work also includes roles in ‘Love Life’, ‘A Black Lady Sketch Show’, and the film ‘Bottoms’.

In addition to sketch and acting credits, Johnson continues stand-up and develops projects for television. Her casting and tenure are frequently cited as a breakthrough for queer Black women in broadcast sketch comedy.

Gina Yashere

Gina Yashere is a British-Nigerian comedian and actor who co-created, writes for, and stars in ‘Bob Hearts Abishola’. In interviews and in her memoir, she has detailed how experiences with racism and homophobia shaped her career, including carving space for queer narratives in mainstream network television.

Her work behind and in front of the camera has expanded opportunities for African diaspora stories on American TV. Yashere speaks openly about being an out lesbian while building a transatlantic career across stand-up, acting, and producing.

Jasika Nicole

Jasika Nicole earned a devoted fanbase as Astrid on ‘Fringe’ and later as Dr. Carly Lever on ‘The Good Doctor’, with additional voice roles in ‘Alice Isn’t Dead’ and ‘Welcome to Night Vale’. She has long been out, discussing her life as a lesbian actor and artist and her marriage to Claire J. Savage.

Nicole often connects her creative work to representation, emphasizing the importance of queer and multiracial visibility in media. That focus influences the characters she portrays and the stories she chooses to amplify across television, film, and audio.

AzMarie Livingston

AzMarie Livingston is an actor, model, and recording artist who appeared on ‘America’s Next Top Model: British Invasion’ and later portrayed Chicken on ‘Empire’. She has spoken publicly about coming out and about how her androgynous presentation shaped both her personal life and professional opportunities.

Beyond ‘Empire’, Livingston has acted in indie films and LGBTQ-focused series, and she frequently discusses gender expression and visibility in entertainment. Her perspective adds nuance to conversations about how queer Black women navigate casting and career paths.

Share the actresses you’d add—and why—in the comments.