What lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer projects and performers are worth rooting for among the announced 2018 Golden Globe nominations? We take a look at how the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) did when it came to recognizing LGBTQ stories and storytellers:
A Star is Born
Seemingly designed to dominate the awards season, A Star is Born would have been worth noting because the story had been previously told on film starring gay icons Judy Garland. But this version also features some of our favorite Drag Race alums like Willam and Shangela and stars noted bisexual and LGBTQ-community treasure Lady Gaga (nominated for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama and Best Original Song – Motion Picture for “Shallow”). Other nominations for the inclusive picture include Bradley Cooper for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama, Best Director – Motion Picture, and Best Motion Picture – Drama.
Bohemian Rhapsody
The biopic the rise of Queen has sparked much debate in the LGBTQ community about whether Freddie Mercury’s bisexuality was fairly represented and whether it did justice to the dynamic performer’s struggle with HIV/AIDS. Nevertheless, the film has been nominated for Best Motion Picture – Drama and Rami Malek has been nominated as Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama for his performance as Mercury.
Boy Erased
Early awards buzz for this film about conversation therapy did not necessarily bear out in a slew of nominations. Nevertheless, lead Lucas Hedges was acknowledged in the category of Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama, and his queer co-star Troye Sivan will be in the running for Best Original Song – Motion Picture for his song “Revelation” (along with collaborator Jónsi of Sugar Ros).
The Favourite
The palace intrigue of The Favourite is bathing the end of 2018 with a warm LGBTQ glow, and the Globes seem intent on recognizing it. The film stars as Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy nominee Olivia Colman (soom to be The Crown’s new QE2) as Queen Anne, who becomes wrapped up in an 18th-century lesbian love triangle with her advisor and her maid (Rachel Weisz and Emma Stone, each nominated for Best Actress in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture). The path to victory in the latter category may be tricky if fans split the vote, but the film also has a chance in the category of Best Screenplay – Motion Picture and Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy.
Find LGBTQ-Friendly ResourcesCan You Ever Forgive Me?
We can’t stop talking about this surprisingly queer film based on a true story. The HFPA has clearly decided to award comedy darling Melissa McCarthy’s bold venture out of her comfort zone with a nomination for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama for her turn as lesbian literary forger Lee Israel; as her delightfully gay partner in crime Jack Hock, Richard E. Grant also got a nomination for Bes Actor in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture.
Girl
The motion picture categories get some trans representation in the Best Motion Picture – Foreign Language category with Girl, the story of a 15-year-old transgender girl pursuing her dream of becoming a professional ballerina. And the film has already taken home some accolades, winning the Camera d’Or for best first film at this year’s Cannes Film Festival and the Best Actor Prize for Un Certain Regard for its young cisgender star.
Sandra Oh by Jame White and Corbis Outline courtesy BBC America
Killing Eve
We were delighted to greet the arrival of BBC America’s twisted cat-and-mouse thriller Killing Eve with all its layered lesbian intrigue. Clearly the HFPA is a fan as well, nominating the series of Best Television Series – Drama and star Sandra Oh for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Drama. Oh will also host this year’s Golden Globes awards ceremony along with Andy Samberg on January 6, 2019.
Pose
We are obsessed with FX’s stirring drama about the lives of the LGBTQ people involved in the NYC ball scene of the 1980s, and while we would have liked to see more nods for its exceptional, inclusive cast, we’ll be glad to cheer them on in the category of Best Television Series – Drama, and we were especially happy to see recognition for the great Billy Porter in the category of Best Performance by an Actor In A Television Series – Drama.
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
The second season of the Amy Sherman-Palladino helmed 1950s tale of comedy phenom Midge Maisel recently premiered, and after they cleaned up at the Emmy Awards, it’s not surprising to see Maisel nominated for Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy. And though we applaud lead Rachel Brosnahan (nominated for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy), we were especially glad to see Alex Bornstein nominated Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television for her gender-stereotype-defying role as Midge’s manager Susie Myserson.
Will & Grace
With an ensemble that still works together like a well-oiled machine an astounding twenty years after they first debuted, it usually seems surprising to see any one of them singled out come awards season. This time around, it’s our pal Debra Messing in the category of Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy.
The Handmaid’s Tale
Congratulations to Elizabeth Moss on her nomination for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Drama in the role of titular handmaid June and Yvonne Strahovski as her desperate-for-a-baby captor Serena Joy Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television. But we would have liked to see some love for the show’s “gender traitors” and Emmy-winners Alexis Bledell and Samira Wiley (who spoke to us on video about being part of the LGBTQ community).
The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story
The sexy and scary Assassination of Gianni Versace was another big winner at the Emmys, and it may clean up again at the Globes as well, with nominations for Edgar Ramirez as the iconic gay designer for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television, Penelope Cruise as his sister Donatella for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television, Darren Criss as serial killer Andrew Cunan for Best Performance by an Actor in a Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television and the season for Best Television Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television.
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Last modified: April 18, 2019
